Place holder: under massive construction
We have done some experiments using this binding for unbound music scores printed on single leaves of paper, that don’t have enough left margin to make a either a folded-edge binding, or to be glued/taped into a signature. Not a good binding for thin, flexible sheets (i.e. normal copier/printer paper) sheets. (Although glued together double sheets of copier/printer paper is heavy enough.)
Pros:
The score will open flat for playing
No gutter for music to disappear within
Pages won’t be lost as easily as unbound sheets of paper
Cons:
This binding has swelling at the spine, & slight gaps between the pages, depending on size/weight of linen threads
Untested as to longevity and durability (covering the spine & cover ends should help)
Thin paper won’t hold up to this binding
1-Covers should be the same size as the score pages, since the binding is unsupported. The pages will need to rest on the shelf at same level as the cover sheets.
2-Use clear book tape to strengthen the gutter edge (left margin) of the pages. Cut tape slightly larger than page length and place half over the front, press it down, flip the page over, smooth it down, then trim off the excess on each side.
3-Figure out where the holes can be made: check each page to make sure that no holes will be obscuring or taking out any musical notes, clefs, staffs, keys, and miscellaneous music symbols.
4-Mark three holes on the first page or cover, spaced evenly along the gutter, no more than 1 inch from the spine edge, but no less than 1/8 inch, and punch with an awl or small hole punch. Use that page as a template to punch the remaining pages (about 1 to 3 at a time depending on tool).
Each hole is counted as one station.
5-Estimate how much thread will be needed for each hole (station), wax the threads, then thread your three curved needles. Straight needles can be used, but they make this binding a little harder.
6-Lay down the cover, holes towards you. (I like to set the remaining pages on end, so I simply have to flip them down to the table top without worrying about getting them out of order.)
7-From the inside (or top), put the needle through the first hole, to the outside (bottom); tighten the threads, and tie the threads together into a knot close to the inner hole. I usually tie two more knots in the same place, for extra security. Repeat this step for each station.
8-Then, take the needle thru the cover, this time from below the cover to the inside, and exit to the left of the first threads.
There should be two loops visible on the outside of the cover.
9-Put the first page on top of the cover; and run the needle through the first page from the top, coming out between the first page and the cover. Exit to the left of the other threads.
10-Gently tighten the threads, taking care not to tear the hole.
11-Take the needle between the first page and cover, exiting to the left of the threads: this is the locking stitch. Gently tighten the thread, then repeat step 9-11 for the next two stations.
12-Set the second page on top, then put the needle through the first station hole from the top, exiting between the 1st and 2nd pages, and tighten the threads. Always exit to the left of any threads.
13-Then do the locking stitch, taking the needle between the first page and the cover, from right to left, and tighten the threads. Repeat for the next two stations, remembering to go between the first page and cover for the locking stitch.
14-Lay the 3rd page on top, and again, run the needle through the hole from the top, exiting between the 3rd and 2nd pages. For the locking stitch, go two pages down, which puts the needle between the second page and first page, exiting to the left as usual. Remember to tighten the threads.
Repeat step 14 for the next two stations.
16. Continue the third page pattern for the rest of the score, putting each page on top, then sewing down thru each hole from the top, exiting between the current and previous page; then doing the locking stitch two pages down, right to left; while remembering to tighten each thread between each stitch.
You should start seeing a chain pattern forming at each station.
17-Finally, when you reach the back cover, go thru the top cover, exiting between the cover and last page, then go down two pages and do the locking stitch; but then, put the needle from the top of the cover to the inside of the cover and last page (and stay there).
18-Open the cover and pull the thread tight.
19-Then tie a knot close to the hole in the cover, tie two more knots to completely secure it, and tighten all the knots.
20-Do the same for the next two stations, then trim off the ends.
There will be 2 loops showing on the back cover.
21-For our music scores, we will be gluing cloth binding tape over the spine on the outside to protect the spine stitches.
22. Cut a piece of binding tape to the same size as the height of the score. Next measure the thickness of spine width without compressing the sewing, and mark this in the center of the tape; this portion will be left unglued to form a hollow spine.
23. Put waxpaper under the score. Spread glue on one side of the tape (but not the hollow part); try not to get glue in the center. Press down tape on the front with the score closed, then once the glue is slightly set, turn the score over and glue the next side, then press down the tape on the back cover. The station threads will form slight swellings.
With the score still closed, press it under a book or two, until the binding glue has set permanently.
Once, dry the score should open flat, without any interference from the taped spine.
24. Final step: cover the threads on the inside front and back cover with clear book tape to protect the knots.
The Binding is finished!
Main sources for this workflow:
DIY single sheet bookbinding tutorial / Sea Lemon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04vt8YfT7XM
Single Sheet DIY Sketchbooks - Three Methods - My Thoughts and Process / Arlee Bean: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFb8k9y0C2E
Smith’s sewing single sheets / Keith A. Smith. Non-adhesive binding, volume 4. Keith A. Smith Books, 2001.
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