Before studying at the American Academy of Bookbinding, I thought a wooden bookbinding sewing frame was necessary to sew certain bindings. While a solid frame is highly desirable for sewing on cords, sewing on tapes is a totally different story. Since most new book makers will work with linen tapes after pamphlets and perfect bindings, I’ll show you how to create an easy sewing frame using some leftover book board and tape.
If you’re not familiar with a bookbinding sewing frame, feel free to read through my post on how to setup and use a traditional frame: How to Setup and Use a Sewing Frame for Bookbinding. This will get you familiar with what a frame is before I show you the scaled down version we’ll create below.
Bookbinding Tutorial: Easy Bookbinding Sewing Frame
Measurements: sized to fit your book. For example, the base height should extend 20-35mm past the book’s head and tail and the width should be 1.5x that of your book’s width
Cost Level: $
Skill Level: Beginner
Total Time: 5 minutes
Notes: best for use with linen tapes
This tutorial assumes you’ve already created a punch template for your linen tapes. Depending on the size of your book, you may be working with 2-6 tapes. If you’re not sure how to create a punch template, check out my post here: Make a Quick & Easy Punch Template for 3 Linen Tapes
Here is what we’ll be creating:
Materials
To make a simple bookbinding sewing frame for linen tapes, you’ll need the following materials:
- a completed linen tapes punch template
- the linen tapes you plan to use
- one sheet of book board, museum board or chipboard with:
- thickness of 0.7 or 0.8 pt (recommended)
- height that extends 20-35mm beyond the book’s head and tail
- width around 1.5-2x the width of the book
- removable tape (painter’s tape is preferred, but Scotch tape works in a pinch)
Instructions
The sheet of book board is called a “platform.” This equates to a standard bookbinding platform.
Step 1
Lay the text block (spine facing you) on a leftover piece of book board tall enough to extend 35mm past the head/tail and fore edge.
Step 2:
Center the linen tapes punch card so each tape is evenly spaced along spine.
Step 3:
Lay the linen tapes in their planned positions. There should be an even amount on the card and board.
Step 4:
Stick the linen tapes to the board using a piece of removable tape.
Step 5:
Remove the punch card, hold the text block and turn the board over so the tape is facing down.
Step 6:
Re-center the text block spine along the tapes and start sewing! The tapes will naturally stand up as they’re sewn onto the text block.
When finished sewing, simply peel the tape off the back of the platform and remove the linen tapes. The platform can be re-used for future books or, if damaged, can be recycled.
I hope you enjoyed this simple DIY bookbinding sewing frame tutorial and find it useful in your work!
More bookbinding goodness
✨ What tools do I need to get started bookbinding?
- Bookbinding Tools & Supplies Quick Start Guide – learn all about book making tools, which to buy first & where to go online
- Pick up my popular Complete Starter Bookbinding Tools Kit – all the bookbinding essentials in one spot
🌟 Looking for a simple way to start making books?
Try a Complete Book Materials Kit. Each one has everything you need (+ tutorials & videos) to make a beautiful book without all the fuss.
Thank you for taking me along on your book making journey!
Misty
