How to do...

Coptic Stitch
Materials Required:
Needle: Any needle will work, however I use a specialist bookbinding needle (size 18). Thread: Again most thread will work, however standard sewing thread is too thin. Jig Material: Stiff card, can be the same as the cover material, or something cheaper. Pen/Pencil & Rubber: For marking out measurements.

Scalpel/Stanley Knife & Rule: Paper: Anything that you can use to prepare your paper For making your pages from, depending on the and board for binding. purpose of your book depends on what paper you can use. - Optional Bodkin: A bodkin is a useful bookbinders tool, used for making holes in book block sections amongst other things. You will need this to punch holes in your cover and signatures. However anything that can punch a hole will work (like a small nail). Cover Material: Whatever you want it to be made from. Traditionally the covers are made from book board or wood. Low Tack Masking Tape: Useful for keeping your signatures together while binding to ensure the signatures are bound together as tightly as possible. Bone: A bone is a specialised book binders tool for creasing, folding and burnishing. Bulldog Clips: Handy for holding your book together.

Preparations
1. Prepare the cover Cut and shape the two boards the size you need. If you want your cover to be covered you must do so prior to punching holes. 2. Make the jig The secret of good, neat stitching is all in the preparation. The jig is simply a guide to punch the holes with so they all line up. The jig is critical; unevenly spaced holes result in a twisted spine. - To make the jig firstly cut a piece of card the same size as your cover. - Then measure a line in from the edge where you want the spine. Dont make it too close to the spine, I generally go for around 5-10mm in. - Cut away two small sections in the corners of the jig at the edge, where you want the spine, up to the line you have just drawn. Not much, just enough for you to line up the holes in the signature. - Measure 4 holes in the jig on the line measured earlier to make sure it isnt too close to the top or bottom otherwise it will wear through (eg: if making an A6 book, 15mm spacing works well). - Punch the holes through with the bodkin or nail.

Cover

Jig

So your Jig will end up looking something like this!

3. Punch the cover holes. Use your jig to line up where the holes should be. This should be easy as it should all line up! Remember to use a cutting matt or board so you dont accidentally punch holes in your table. 4. Prepare your signatures. Cut your pages and fold them in half (folding is easier if you score the fold first with a bone). Now arrange the pages into predetermined groups. These are called signatures and in this example I have used 4 pages per signature.

Each group is called a signature

5. Unfold your signatures & punch them. Clamp your Jig to your pages, and use the guide to punch your holes. Do this to all your signatures and youll be ready to start binding.

Doing the Coptic

This process is really actually quite easy, it is much easier to do than to explain on paper. So hopefully the illustrations will help. Cut a long piece of thread. It is better to be safe than sorry so make sure you have plenty of thread; it is easier to cut off the excess at the end than to tie more on half way through the binding process. For the best results pull each stitch snug as you proceed. Not so snug that you tear the holes, if you pull in the direction you are sewing in they shouldnt break. Also it makes life easier if you keep the signatures together use the low-tack masking tape to tape each signature to the previous one you have bound.

1. Start by sewing from inside the first signature through to the outside, and then through the corresponding hole on the cover.

2. Loop the thread over the cover and behind the original piece of thread, and then back through the hole in the signature.

Cover

Signature

3. Pull the thread through to the next hole and repeat the process. Keep going until the first signature is bound to the cover.

4. Loop the thread around itself and back out the same hole.

From the outside tread into the first hole of the next signature. Pull it along to the next hole. From the inside push the thread out the second hole, wrap around the signature above and back

into the second hole. Repeat on the last two signartures. On the last signature thread back into the signatures loop the thread around itself and back out the same hole.

On the last Signature repeat the initial process of binding the cover on. Looping the thread around itself to keep the stitching tight.

Tie off your end threads cut off the excess string. Unless you want keep it.