Binding Project 26 - IUOMA Collaborative Mail Art Project.

[cheryl penn]

The Day had finally arrived. Project 26 was to be bound.  After nearly six months, all the chapters were to find a home - together, in once place. Lesley and Lauriana joined me and the first three copies of this limited edition book are now complete.

MANY thanks to all the artists involved in this project.  It was a long haul, not without its ups and downs, but the results - SO worth it!!  As described by De Villo in the introduction - we have "witnessed artists from around the globe working together in harmony and with commitment - something regarded as nearly impossible in the broader cultural areas".

I chose Coptic Binding to bind P26 because of the content requested for the book - an archaeological artifact of the artists imagination. This implies an aged article.  

Used as early as the 2^nd century AD to the 11^th century, Coptic binding was a method developed by early Christians in Egypt (called Copts) Coptic bindings are the first true codices and these techniques are still used today.  Single section Coptic codices are often referred to as Nag Hammadi (LOVE that word) bindings, whilst the phrase Coptic bindings (Project 26) refers to multiple section binding.  There are MANY tutorials on this type of binding in the internet, complete with instructions and photographs (just google).  Here follows a BRIEF set of instructions as used with Project 26.

You will need:

The marker (paper under the needle) should be drawn with 4 equidistant marks.

 

The cover should have an extension into which you will nest your first signature.  For my book this consisted of the introduction by De Villo and the Contents (participants) page. I had printed it onto the same size sheets as P26 (A6 - postcard size landscape)

Using your marker and awl, piece through every chapter of P26 on each of the 4 station marks.

Keep the marker and the sections the same way round and as you go, place them one on top of each other, in the right order. This means the letters will follow each other and everything will be the right way up - this might sound obvious, but trust me!!! mistakes happen FAR too easily. 

Enter the cover section on the outside at station (hole)  one through to the inside and do a running stitch (in, out in out) until your thread and needle outside at the last station.

Hold Chapter A FIRMLY in place and thread through the section.

Once inside the section, move to station 2 to take the thread to the outside. It is ESSENTIAL that you keep the thread tight - otherwise the book will be FLOPPY - NOT NICE!!!

Catch the thread behind station 2 on the cover and thread back into the SAME hole - it is creating a chain stitch effect.

Once back inside Chapter A, thread through station 3 and repeat the process making SURE to catch the thread.

Once you come out at the bottom station, catch the stitch behind, and thread through into Chapter B

Continue the process with EACH of the chapters remembering each time to catch and come back into the same station - especially at the bottom/top - this is the one one keeps forgetting!

Some tips:

:  Keep the thread tight and keep going back to pull if the signatures are loose.

:  I used fabric on my cover ( digital print on canvas) as the canvas is strong with all the stress made through pulling.

:  Use a STRONG thread as it breaks and you will have to start again!! 

:  It was JOLLY HARD WORK - but WELL worth it.

I am going to use the envelopes to make another book into which I am going to place the blog information and participating artists information.  When this is complete will blog too.  I know alot of you did send me information - I'm afraid to say my last computer died :-( and this was some of the stuff I lost. I would appreciate everyone sending me some bio info again - sorry!! But I think the documentation on a project this size is important - so HOPE you will oblige!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[De Villo Sloan]

I agree with Susanna. I can appreciate this - very much. No way am I ever going to be able to do it.

[Susanna Lakner]

I´d like to see anyone else do that!  Many thanks for the instructions,Chery! I´ll try to following you! ;-)

[cheryl penn]

The pleasure was mine - thank you :-)

[Marie Wintzer]

Love it!

[Katerina Nikoltsou (MomKat)]

May 18th and Coptic binding for Project 26!

It is International Museum Day...(museum entrance free here in Thess, went for a visit ;-)

From a publication at the Thessaloniki Museum of Byzantine Culture:

...the ties that bind!

 

[Katerina Nikoltsou (MomKat)]

How perfectly appropriate to use this Coptic binding! How beautiful it is, Cheryl! I have never done it, but your instructions and photos are very clear, and there really are many sites on the internet that show other angles, too. 

Just a practical question:

for our 26 chapters, how LONG, in centimeters, is the thread for binding. I wouldn't want to run short! 

 

[cheryl penn]

Thank you you two :-) X

[De Villo Sloan]

Thanks for documenting the binding process step-by-step. The book looks so great when it's bound. The SA Mail-Art School folks were fortunate indeed to be able to attend. Maybe for future projects, all participants will consider binding carefully as an integral part of the process. It makes a huge difference. As you point out, there are many places to learn.