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ESSENTIAL INFO
If you purchase a ticket for this course, all the information on this page will be emailed to you with your ticket.
👥 Suitable for: Ages 18 and up
📍 Venue: Bellingen High School (Wheelchair Accessible)
📈 Level: BEGINNER to INTERMEDIATE skill level
⏰ Schedule: Mon–Fri, 9am – 12pm (5 Half-Days)
🏷️ Extra costs: This course has a cost of $90 for materials
🚗 Check your venue: If you are booking multiple courses, we are unable to provide transport between venues.
Required skills & experience
The Course is suitable for beginners but be prepared for a step-by-step process and a good amount of hand sewing.
Patience is the key!
Supplies that you need to bring to class
A cutting mat at least 90×55cm
Supplies that will be provided by your tutor
Cost of $90 includes:
Box board
Decorative papers
Cartridge paper
Cold pressed watercolour paper
Khadi paper
Writing paper
Waxed linen thread
Book binding thread
Book muslin
Artist tape roll
Glue
NOTE: Supply costs will be collected by the tutor before Camp Creative.
Learning outcomes
By the end of this five-day workshop, participants will have created three beautiful handmade books while learning a range of traditional and contemporary bookbinding techniques.
Each student will leave with:
A 64-page A5 handmade Belgian Stitch journal
A 64-page A5 Hard Cover Cased in Journal
A 24-page A5 (Approx) Watercolour Sketchbook
Most importantly, students will develop practical bookmaking skills, creative confidence, and a deeper appreciation for the craft of handmade books.
COURSE PLAN
DAY ONE
After getting to know our new creative friends, we’ll dive into the essential terms and tools we’ll be using throughout the workshop.
We’ll look at examples and discuss the different types of books we’ll be creating. Then comes the exciting part — choosing our cover paper, always a highlight. Once everyone has selected their favourite design, we’ll begin assembling our books.
Activities:
Glue the covers
Fold the signatures
Create a hole template
Punch the cover holes
Bind the covers using a modified stitch
Glue the inside cover paper
Place everything under weight to rest
To finish the day, we’ll punch our signature holes so we’re fully prepared and ready to jump into Day Two.
DAY TWO
We will begin the day by finishing our Belgian Stitch and sewing all eight signatures into the casing — our first journal completed!
We will then start our Hard Cover Cased-In Journal.
Activities:
Fold the eight signatures
Prepare a hole template
Punch the signature holes
Sew the signatures into a Book Block
We will finish the day by choosing our cover paper for the next project.
DAY THREE
We will start the day by preparing our Book Block.
Cut the end sheets
Glue the end sheets onto the Book Block
Glue the spine
Add the optional ribbon and headband
Apply the book muslin for added strength
Prepare the covers and glue the cover boards to our chosen cover paper. Once the covers are ready, we’ll move on to the highlight of the day — casing in our Book Block. Journal #2 completed and left to dry!
If time permits, we will tear the watercolour paper for our next project.
DAY FOUR
Today we will cut our book board to size using box cutters.
Activities:
Choose our cover paper
Prepare the covers
Prepare the hole template
Add the inside Khadi paper
Place everything under weights
Reinforce the watercolour paper with Artist Tape
DAY FIVE
We will begin the day by punching the holes in the cover.
Activities:
Use a Crop-A-Dile to insert eyelets and washers
Drill holes into the single sheets of watercolour paper using a small hand drill
Thread four curved needles
Sew 24 sheets of paper into the covers
Your Lay-Flat Watercolour Sketchbook is finished!
We will end the workshop with a show-and-tell of our completed books. You’ll be amazed — you’ve made three handmade books!
COURSE TUTOR
Belinda Lopez
With over a dozen years dedicated to creating journals and sketchbooks, Belinda continues to approach her craft with passion.
Drawing on papers sourced from around the world and a variety of traditional and modern techniques; she is committed to preserving the art of craft bookmaking and sharing it with others.
As a patient and caring teacher, she strives to create a supportive learning environment.
“We made a beautiful book each from scratch!!
Such a fantastic achievement and forever keepsake. Belinda was a really good leader and had infinite patience explaining all the steps to make a book.
Well worth doing even for the inexperienced.”
“Such a great class, I had an amazing time! Belinda was a very friendly and helpful teacher and I couldn’t believe that I got to take home a finished journal, made with my own two hands, at the end of it!!!”
“Belinda is an amazing teacher. She was patient and trustingly leading us through every step of binding our first own books. One can truly feel how much passion and love she has for this art and it’s wonderful to learn from her and being introduced into this magical world. Thank you so much for everything!”
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