Upcoming Classes
The Sewn Boards Binding, brought to prominence by American binder Gary Frost, is the subject of many conversations and variations and with good reason. As well as being an adaptation of ancient Ethiopian binding techniques it also looks 'bang up-to-date' with its crisp edges and streamlined opening ability. It is a great extension to existing binding skills and is also a very helpful starting point for new binders as it does not require the traditional casing-in process! As with other classes, this workshop is taught so that you can repeat at home.
All equipment and materials required will be provided along with step by step demonstration and practice.
Madingley Hall is a lovely venue with Car Parking
The historic and beautiful 'coptic' binding is a very popular class. The binding allows the book to lie perfectly flat and also to open to 180 degrees, making it popular amongst other things as a journal, travel book or artist sketch book. Also, the exposed spine stitching has enormous visual appeal. During the day you will learn how to prepare the pages for binding as well as decide on your own personal decorative style for board covering before getting to grips with the stitching. You will also have creative input on the appearance of the spine itself.Suitable for beginners.
Madingley Hall is a lovely venue with Car Parking.
This new Batwing Box is a fabulous box structure to add to your collection of boxes or to make as a first box. This is a beautiful box to both make and use. It is quite ingenious and opens up to reveal a rectangular tray - useful for transporting your bookbinding tools or using on your desk. This box was originally developed by Bep van Gesteren. You will have a selection of beautiful papers, buckrams and ribbons to choose from thus creating an individual box for you to go home with.
As with other classes, this workshop is taught so that you will leave with the skills to be able to make another at home.
All equipment and materials required will be provided, along with step by step demonstration and practice. Suitable for beginners.
"In bookbinding, a dos-Ã -dos binding (from the French meaning "back-to-back") is a binding structure in which two separate books are bound together such that the fore edge of one is adjacent to the spine of the other, with a shared lower board between them serving as the back cover of both. When shelved, the spine of the book to the right faces outward, while the spine of the book to the left faces the back of the shelf; the text of both works runs head-to-tail." (Straight from Wikipedia!)
We will be stitching two multi sectioned book blocks to make our Dos -Ã -Dos book.
Would you like the opportunity to work on your own project but struggle with motivation or space at home? Or just want some company of like minded bookbinders?
If so, this is an ideal chance to spend time in my studio where you can use my tools and equipment to work on a project of your choice using your own materials. However if you would like me to prepare any boards for you do let me know in advance and I can advise you of the cost.
There are a range of presses and sewing frames available to use as well as my usual tools kits and cutting mats.
I will be on hand to offer some guidance but this is not a teaching session - as I am likely to be working on my own project, or preparing for forthcoming classes alongside you.
A Punching cradle is such a useful addition to your bookbinding tool kit. This one is made in 3 parts and folds down for easy storage and transportation, yet it is very robust and stable in use. You will spend the morning making your punching cradle and the afternoon putting it to use, making your quarter bound book with a chain stitched spine. As with other classes, this workshop is taught so that you can repeat at home.
Suitable for beginners.
Bennell Court has easy car parking.
During this one-day class you will create your own unique, multi sectioned artist's journal. The sections of these journals will be filled with a mixture of beautiful papers graded from off white to black, with each section wrapped in a decorative paper which makes this exposed spine both colourful and interesting. This journal has a wrap around soft cover and lays completely flat when in use making it ideal for journalling or sketching.
Suitable for all, whether you are a beginner or wanting to learn a new book structure.
Bennell Court is a lovely venue with plenty of parking.
Learn to make this new version of a favourite journal which has a decoratively stitched leather or ‘washable paper’ spine, stitched using two colours of thread, and an elastic closure. This is a beautiful, interesting and versatile book structure that opens flat when in use. There will be a variety of coloured threads and a range of cover papers available to choose from.
This workshop is suitable for everyone whether you are a beginner or are looking to learn a new technique.
All equipment and materials will be provided along with step-by-step demonstration and practice.
Slight controversy over the title of this binding as the inventor (Anne Goy) wishes it to be known as CrissCross Binding but let's not split hairs or threads. This one is a beauty combining the best of western and Japanese bindings resulting in a closed spine which lies flat when open; a very versatile book that can be used as a journal, sketchbook or even photograph album.
As with other classes, this workshop is taught so that you can repeat at home.
All equipment and materials required will be provided along with step by step demonstration and practice. This class is suitable for beginners.
In this half day class you will learn how to make a hardbound, hand stitched, quarter bound book. An opportunity to dip your toes into the wonderful world of bookbinding.
This is an ideal class for those who would like to start bookbinding. We will be using a choice of beautiful papers for covers.
You will leave with the skills and materials to reproduce this again at home.
All materials, tools and equipment will be provided. Suitable for beginners
Bennell Court has plenty of car parking spaces.
In this 2 day workshop you will be guided by Chrissie Nicholls - Inkpot and Pen to create a small artists’ book that holds flowerpots filled with our closest family and friends, seeds of hope, words of wisdom, rays of sunshine, positive thoughts and we’ll also sieve all the negativity into the compost bin! As we walk around your life’s garden we’ll discover ways to create dawn light and calm moonlight into our daily routines. We’ll also work out how to make the grey dull rain filled days have a positive twist to them!
You will be able to work with collage, drawings, and painting, making envelopes, cut outs and pop ups. You can bring pressed flowers from your own garden, your own bits of ephemera or memories, perhaps some photographs and we’ll create little vegetable and flower patches of happiness and sunshine all captured in a little book that you can keep with you always.
More information about Chrissie can be found here: www.inkpotandpen.com Instagram @inkpotandpen
Bennell Court has car parking.
An opportunity to wear your heart on your book spine!
During this one day class you will learn to make your own landscape A6 soft leather long stitch sketchbook, lined with a beautiful Japanese paper. These gorgeous books will be filled with a heavy weight Fabriano paper and finished with a leather tie closure and a heart shaped button.
You will learn how to stitch a design that requires a number of punching templates for the sections but don't worry there will lots of help if required. There will be a selection of coloured leathers and coloured threads to choose from.
The paper used for the sections makes these ideal as both sketchbooks or journals. Suitable for beginners.
A lovely hands on session for half term for parents/carers and children to work together to learn bookbinding. Suitable for 6 years old and upwards.
You and your child will be making a hardbound book with a long stitched cover. The class fee is for one adult and one child however, if you would like to bring more than one child with you please email me to see if there is an additional space.
All materials and equipment is provided along with refreshments and homemade cake.
Bennell Court has plenty of car parking
Join me and make your own three tiered lidded box with a lid that closes with a satisfying click due to the incorporation of magnets. Your box will be covered in buckram and the internal trays lined with a Japanese paper of your choosing . You will learn, through demonstration and practice, the all important skills of measuring, cutting and covering. Participants will leave with one completed box along with instructions and skills to reproduce another at home.
Over this full two days of bookbinding you will learn the techniques to complete four beautiful book structures along with a lined slipcase to hold your treasured prototype collection. All of the skills you will learn can be 'mixed and matched' so that you have a myriad of design possibilities after the course. You will make a Quarter Bound Single Section, a Hard Bound Journal, along with a Japanese Stab stitch book and a Concertina binding, finishing the weekend with a lined slipcase.
All materials and equipment are included in the fee and you will also be provided with most of the the materials to reproduce these books at home.
Bennell Court has easy car parking
This workshop is about slowing down and drawing your attention into the micro world around you where we notice the magic, even in the mundane. In our haste what do we overlook?
Before the workshop you’ll be sent details of how to record in detail and take notes of a short walk of 29.5 steps, the length of the moon’s cycle. Or seeing what you notice in 29.5 minutes
In the morning of day one of the workshop you will be making a landscape A6 Leather Long Stitch Sketchbook with Helen, lined with a decorative Japanese paper and filled with heavyweight Fabriano paper.
In the afternoon and on day two we will be bringing together the details of your short walk of 29.5 steps or your 29.5 minutes (29.5 days is the length of the moon cycle) to record all the tiny details you’ve noticed.
We’ll use lettering, collage, colour, drawing to expand the walk/time over pages in your Long Stitch sketchbook capturing the magical beauty in what could have so easily been forgotten and missed.
Bennell Court has car parking
Terms & Conditions and Cancellation policy
