Stampaway 2013 — Bird Song Journal
My Thursday at Stampaway was busy! This was my second workshop, and one of the most popular that I taught. It is a lovely binding!
Lovely “Birdsong” paper by Graphic 45 covers this journal that is bound with an interesting and ancient Japanese binding. We used Czech glass beads and Irish waxed linen to bind this 4 1/2” x 6”, 5 section journal.
This 11th century Japanese binding is also called a double span-span, span-span sewing. In bookbinding, the term “span” refers to a sewing where the thread climbs directly into the station or section above without linking into the section below (as in the Coptic stitch, for example). Usually this sewing is not used for a book with a hard cover. Using a hard cover for our books and adding beads and trim to the book made our journals a contemporary interpretation of an ancient binding. Because this sewing is a “span” sewing, there is a little “wobble” in the finished book. Think of this as part of it’s charm. This is actually a very tight, sturdy sewing and I love the beauty of it’s simplicity.
bookWorms bindery 
Very cool! I’ve done Japanese Stab binding…I’ve never heard of this one. I really like the look of it!
Thanks so much, Lisa. This stitch is a favorite of mine. I like the way it doesn’t call attention to itself and really shows off the decorative paper. I haven’t seen it taught before. It is published in Keith Smith’s exposed sitch binding. I think that is volume 4 of his series.