#bookbinding

[mpchev]

Update on fanbinding dissertation: I bound a book! And wrote a diss!

I have to admit that the fanbinding part of this project was completed over a month ago. Once the author's copy was in the mail, I had to focus on the dissertation itself and kept forgetting to post about the fanbinding results, but here they are!

The idea for this project came from comments and tags left by @softest-punk on some of their incredible fics as being 'propaganda for Hob Gadling to be recognised as the world's best lay', so here's my little propaganda anthology. I had a lot of fun with the QR codes and the half dust jacket, keeping everything else pretty simple.

The fics are available on AO3 (all locked, but take this as your sign to get an account if you don't already have one), all Dream/Hob from The Sandman, all rated E:

Generous (1,225 words)

The Wager (5,000 words)

The Winnings (4,823 words)

Relief (8,573 words)

Revenge as a narrative device (1,649 words)

This was an absolute joy to bind, despite the fact that conducting fieldwork and writing a 22k dissertation and working part-time and moving and picking up this wonderful new hobby sure made for a whirlwind of a summer. All steps of the process have been tagged #autoethnography if you'd like to see it all. <3

Next up: binding the dissertation itself!

[fanboundbooks]

These are copies of 'Demonology and the Tri-Phasic Model of Trauma' and its sequel 'Angel-Centered Therapy Through a Multicultural Lens' by @mouseonamoose, Nmn on AO3.

I made two copies of these one set for the author and another for @ineffablesilversmith (who made a donation via The Ineffable Con to Alzheimer's research in honor of Sir Terry Pratchett. Thank you for your donation!)

Each book follows the therapy sessions of Crowley and Aziraphale respectively so it felt like a perfect chance to finally get to make outfit themed book covers! Figuring out the cutting of the different fabrics to put the books together took more mental gymnastics then I had originally anticipated, but we all made it through the process and I was very pleased with the final results.

I was lucky to find perfect end papers large enough for two sets of each book at the local book arts center. This set took a long time, finding and compiling all the elements, special ordering Aziraphale's tartan, making my first ever set of rounded and backed books, there were a lot of little things that piled up to make it take many more months then I was hoping it would. But like I said I am really glad with how it all came together and so glad I got to read and build the story.

Also shout out to my Crowley and Aziraphale who helped prop open the books for the photo shoot. 😆

[ifyoucandaniel]

Chasing Dragons by @the-sinking-ship and art by @fictional 🐉

i recently made this for an exchange and now that it’s finally on its way to its home i thought i’d share! this was my first bind i got to use soft touch laminate on and let me tell you. it feels so nice i’m obsessed. i will be laminating everything with it. i tried doing a toi/chinoiserie vibe for the whole thing so everything is very blue and white 💙🤍

the author and artist were so kind to let me use their works to make this come to life and i couldn’t be happier with the end results!!

[inkstainedforever]

“Somewhere between standing still and running on air - Harry started to feel something for Draco.”

𝑅𝓊𝓃𝓃𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒪𝓃 𝒜𝒾𝓇 by eleventy7 @tinyhistory

This started out as a blind bind for me but I started reading while I was typesetting and just fell in love with this story and now it’s one of my favorites 🥹

I made my own bookcloth using fabric from spoonflower. The painting on the fabric is Van Gogh “Wheat Field with Cypresses.” Endpaper art is by @lyrablack1883 whose Drarry art is unmatched 😍

#drarry #handbound #handboundbook #fanfiction #fanficbinding #ao3 #dracomalfoy #harrypotter #dracoxharry #eleventy7 #runningonair #roa #binding #bookbinding #vangogh #spoonflower

[foxville-bindery]

The Saffron Soul by BeautifuFiction [A Fanbinding]

I am incredibly happy with how this bind turned out, especially how nicely the different gold elements tied together in the end.

The book measures 8.5 in x 6 in and is right around 2 inches thick, and the fic itself is 673 pages long.

This one involved 5 or 6 firsts for me as a bookbinder, including a binding technique I've never tried before (K118). One unique aspect of K118 books is the ability to open it a full 360 degrees! And while I definitely have some room for improvement in a few areas on this method, this book can successfully do open all the way!

A big thank you to @the-pen-pot for giving permission to share this bind and for writing such a wonderful fic. 💖

[knightswaypoint]

Happy Sweet 16, BBC Merlin!

The next two book dustjackets for the BBC Merlin book series are now (still partially) done! I still plan to make a how-to for these, as well as upload all the files for them, buuut not right now.

First two books

Symbols:

For Mark of Nimueh: Centerpiece is the Afanc egg with Nimueh's mark front and center on it, the top symbols are the pouch that Merlin used to heal Tom. Then the bottom marks are the water the birthed the Afanc, and the fire and wind that defeated it.

Poisoined Chalice: Morteaus Flower, of course. (The symbol of which I did reuse from my DVD book because I love how it turned out). The top two symbols are the two different cups that Uther and Bayard use, and the bottom marks are the ball of light that Merlin sends to help Arthur in the cave.

[faalthien]

Bingqiu 3D-ish notebook!! Used to house my chinese textbook, currently empty (wth am I going to do with these??).

Including, with lessons learned:

🍃 Soft cloth cover. (but not a softcover - note to self: look into thinner bookbinding carton if I'm gonna do layered pieces. You could brain a guy with this. Fun, but collects fluff like my AO3 history on a rainy day)

🍃 Binghe's Mark! (my own version bc my brain latched on. Holds up surprisingly well)

🍃 Removable pages (the removable ties are still a bit worn, but I was lazy to find proper ones) and 360° opening for ease of note taking.

🍃 A spine! (this one I usually skip. I was trying to figure out how to do a spine while keeping the whole thing flexible enough to open all the way around and to accommodate with different amounts of paper inside, and I think the soft cloth spine worked it well.)

🍃 Not at all subtle bingqiu inner covers.

🍃 My inability to take proper pics (sorry).

[kulapti]

Bookbinding of Sin Eater by @xzombiexkittenx, Sept 2024.

Finally finished binding the last of my four favorite Fantastic Beasts fanfics! The headbands on this one are definitely the best of the four, which I'll show in more detail in a separate post with all four of the books. Sin Eater has that nuanced Religious Gays Struggling that I do appreciate so much, badass female aurors, gangster cameos, the PTSD struggle bus, and delightful worldbuilding notes. The gift copy for the author is in progress, yay!

Materials: text laser printed on archival paper. Covers are Italian rayon bookcloth, purple batik-pattern cotton backed with handmade wood pulp paper, bookboard, PVA glue, and machine-cut metallic heat transfer vinyl. Stitched with cotton thread and beeswax, structural support from linen tapes and cotton cheesecloth mull, and headbands made of embroidery thread and twisted paper "cord."

[szynkaaa]

some more WIPs. Both copies are cased in, so the next step would be making a slipcase the books. I've started my NG++ playthrough and I cannot wait to also finally read the journal entries and learn more about the lore while listening to the amazing OST

[worme4ter]

yo dudes so i'm currently making a tma book for my friend!

it's basically the tma wiki but in book form :)

(highly inspired by what pricklypearviking on reddit did just much less cool)

current status: i run out of printer toner and im in pain so decided to share this to pass the time

[highlordofkrypton]

anyone notice a new trend of really entitled people joining fandom?

I feel like jerks have existed since the beginning of time, but it feels worse lately.

So far this year, I've witnessed:

People offering free unasked criticism to artists because they're not happy with the way their favourites are portrayed, stating that 'they deserve to know what they did wrong so they can improve' while the feedback they offered was 'why does everyone look like they're on ozem***' (idk if i need to tw this word)

Also giving feedback AND REVIEWS to FANFIC as if they're published works (and adding them on GOODREADS TO RATE)

People mass producing binded fanfiction and making THOUSANDS of dollars off work they did not create (they stole the artwork too)

People running incomplete fanfictions through AI because the writer wasn't updating and COMMENTING on the fic telling others to do the same so they can get an ending

And now, in the span of two days:

People trying to argue that if they can't sell binded fanfiction, then you're not allowed to commission fanart from artists either

The same people encouraging people to use AI or steal fanart for their binds

ALSO the same people openly admitting that when they typset fics, they will edit the fanfiction and change entire sentences so that it 'makes more sense to them' -- one person complained the entire fic was rough gramatically and was seeking permission not from the author but OTHER BINDERS to freely edit as they please

I'm trying to be a positive person in the communities I'm in, but GOD I am so tired. Every day I fight a battle deciding if I should just be a worse person, everyone's doing whatever the hell they want anyway.

[stlartsupply]

I made this zine last year to teach Japanese stab binding. It's a technique that every artist should know—with just a few tools, it's so easy to bind your own sketchbook or to make a physical version of your art/writing/etc. Download the PDF version (with bonus photos & tips!)

[starblightbindery]

"Gritty Kills Tony Stark" by Copulation Matrix.

Bound in April 2023

❤️‍🔥A very short fic about restorative justice. ❤️‍🔥 Cased in orange faux fur with guillotine pendant decoration ❤️‍🔥 The signs held up by the people on the endpapers are the original tags on Ao3, and they are waving banners with the Flyers logo and Ao3 logo on them. ❤️‍🔥 Modified artwork of "La mort de Maximilien de Robespierre" by Giacamo Alprandi c.1799)

[bluejayblueskies]

saw a post this morning that got me thinking about bookbinding and the inherently transformative and collaborative nature of fandom, so:

edit: i guess i should have clarified: hand-bound books for PERSONAL use, not for profit or resale! i think that's something obvious to me as a bookbinder but not to writers/artists so i thought i'd clarify

[alysvolatile]

Want to fanbind? Need davy boards/book boards and low on funds? I have an excellent hack for you:

Repurpose shitty books

"But!!!" You may say, "no book is shitty! All human experiences are worth putting to paper!"

You're right! But, also, Counterpoint:

I went to my local thrift shop and got these for the low price of $5 for all 10. ("Getting into politics?" The lovely ladies behind the counter asked me. "In a manner of speaking," I replied.)

Once I got home, it was easy to turn them into this, their component parts:

("Please stop saying you're skinning them," my partner begged. Too late!)

[EDIT TO ADD: Here's a guide! Also on my tumblr. Also - when thrifting, bring a piece of paper folded or cut into the minimum size you need for boards: this way you can make sure you're getting big enough material!]

While these are just book boards, diligent deconstruction can even yield headbands, I'm pretty sure - I'll report back on my next trial run. [EDIT TO ADD: yup, you can!]

I cannot overstate the delight I have in giving these covers new life for binding fanfiction, particularly the queer kind.

Happy binding!