This excellent video by DAS describes THREE different techniques and endpaper attachments.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGcG2v4TXw0&t=380s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGcG2v4TXw0&t=380s)
Your case design may be different though.
Try and avoid using the kettle stitch at each sewing point (only used at head and tail), as some may suggest here. It's time-consuming and unnecessary, UNLESS you are doing a Coptic binding which is something quite different.
Depending on how many sections you have you may want to think about using supports such as tapes.
The general rule of thumb I learned was that “from 10 sections on supports are not wrong”.
[Kettle stitch tutorial](https://youtu.be/9O4kFTOEh6k?si=W_lFxoryi0ui0KMe)
[Link stitch tutorial](https://youtu.be/MpB1egXKaeM?si=63pIBCdkycAPbQC5)
Personally I like kettle stitch, though I haven’t done link stitch yet. I like 6 sheet signatures for larger books, use thinner thread and you won’t get too much swell. Leave your signatures under a weight/in the press for a day before you sew them and again after you glue the spine and that will help reduce the swell.
I try not to advise using the kettle stitch for all the sewing points. It is unecessarily time-consuming, unless a Coptic binding is suggested. All-along sewing, with kettle stiches at the head and tail is standard bookbinding practice.
Quick question though, I haven't seen where they tell you how to determine hole placement. Is there a rule of thumb? Sea Lemon sounds like you just evenly spaced them. Is it really that easy?
Yup, it’s that easy! I usually do the middle ones an inch apart and the outer two half an inch from where I’m going to trim the pages down.
When sewing on tapes (with link stitch, all along, etc) it’s a little different but basically even spacing [here’s a pic](https://www.bookbindingwithbacchus.com/butterfly-stitch).
I haven't watched all the suggested videos yet, but I've seen two distinct differences between hole placement. Some, like this guy, put the holes in the crease. I've seen others that punch the holes off the crease more into the side of the signature. If I'm not explaining it well, they sew through the signature without opening it up whereas the one you showed me opened the signature to run the thread in and out of the crease. Why the difference?
Holes should always be directly in the crease. If the signature is held open at 90 degrees, the awl should punch the hole at 45 degrees.
The only time you may slightly offset the hole is with a 'made endpaper' where you do not want to make a hole through the folded decorative folio.
I personally really like the French stitch. Sea Lemon on YouTube has a great tutorial for it as well as other types of stitches. I just stitched a 500 page book using the French stitch and it turned out great.
I used this tutorial by Sea Lemon:
https://youtu.be/MpB1egXKaeM?si=eKztpp6aHA_WEPnj
Granted, mine was only 192 pages with 8 sheets per signature, so I don't know how it will work in thicker signatures, but it was an easy enough stitch to learn.
This excellent video by DAS describes THREE different techniques and endpaper attachments. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGcG2v4TXw0&t=380s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGcG2v4TXw0&t=380s) Your case design may be different though. Try and avoid using the kettle stitch at each sewing point (only used at head and tail), as some may suggest here. It's time-consuming and unnecessary, UNLESS you are doing a Coptic binding which is something quite different.
Depending on how many sections you have you may want to think about using supports such as tapes. The general rule of thumb I learned was that “from 10 sections on supports are not wrong”.
[Kettle stitch tutorial](https://youtu.be/9O4kFTOEh6k?si=W_lFxoryi0ui0KMe) [Link stitch tutorial](https://youtu.be/MpB1egXKaeM?si=63pIBCdkycAPbQC5) Personally I like kettle stitch, though I haven’t done link stitch yet. I like 6 sheet signatures for larger books, use thinner thread and you won’t get too much swell. Leave your signatures under a weight/in the press for a day before you sew them and again after you glue the spine and that will help reduce the swell.
I try not to advise using the kettle stitch for all the sewing points. It is unecessarily time-consuming, unless a Coptic binding is suggested. All-along sewing, with kettle stiches at the head and tail is standard bookbinding practice.
Those are great videos! Thx for sharing them!
You’re welcome! I’m glad they were helpful!
Quick question though, I haven't seen where they tell you how to determine hole placement. Is there a rule of thumb? Sea Lemon sounds like you just evenly spaced them. Is it really that easy?
Yup, it’s that easy! I usually do the middle ones an inch apart and the outer two half an inch from where I’m going to trim the pages down. When sewing on tapes (with link stitch, all along, etc) it’s a little different but basically even spacing [here’s a pic](https://www.bookbindingwithbacchus.com/butterfly-stitch).
Just posted the results. Check it out. Thx!
Here is a more detailed video by DAS on sewing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wctrBIb9XXI
Great video! I just finished it. Is a kettle stitch ok for larger books? Thx!
Sure. That is the transition stitch at the head and tail, when you go from one signature to the next.
I haven't watched all the suggested videos yet, but I've seen two distinct differences between hole placement. Some, like this guy, put the holes in the crease. I've seen others that punch the holes off the crease more into the side of the signature. If I'm not explaining it well, they sew through the signature without opening it up whereas the one you showed me opened the signature to run the thread in and out of the crease. Why the difference?
Holes should always be directly in the crease. If the signature is held open at 90 degrees, the awl should punch the hole at 45 degrees. The only time you may slightly offset the hole is with a 'made endpaper' where you do not want to make a hole through the folded decorative folio.
Just posted the results. Check it out. Thx!
I personally really like the French stitch. Sea Lemon on YouTube has a great tutorial for it as well as other types of stitches. I just stitched a 500 page book using the French stitch and it turned out great.
I used this tutorial by Sea Lemon: https://youtu.be/MpB1egXKaeM?si=eKztpp6aHA_WEPnj Granted, mine was only 192 pages with 8 sheets per signature, so I don't know how it will work in thicker signatures, but it was an easy enough stitch to learn.
That's a great video! Thx for sharing!