Complete Bookbinding Starter Kit

Yes - very much so. If Learn Bookbinding had a mission statement, it would be: “Demystify the skill behind making books, taking it from the bindery to the kitchen table.”

You don’t need any previous bookbinding experience or to think of yourself as naturally “crafty”. The Complete Bookbinding Starter Kit and its extensive, fully illustrated tuition guide were developed specifically to take a complete beginner through making traditional hardback books at home, step by step.

Surprisingly few. The important thing isn’t having a bindery full of specialist equipment - it’s making sure the tools you do have are the right ones for the task.

To begin making traditional hardback books, you’ll need reliable tools for measuring and cutting, along with a bone folder, piercing awl, needle and brushes. You’ll also need the correct papers, boards, cloth, thread and adhesive.

The contents list above shows everything supplied in the Complete Bookbinding Starter Kit. I have carefully selected every item to give a beginner the best possible experience, and I only include tools and materials that I would be happy to use in my own bookbinding projects.

No - absolutely not. It’s a common misconception that you need a large specialist book press to make a beautiful hardback book at home.

I don’t have a book press at home myself. Instead, I use ordinary household objects to provide the necessary pressure. A carefully positioned stack of heavy books will press your finished book perfectly well.

The tuition guide explains when and how to press your book, how to apply the pressure evenly, and how to achieve excellent results without specialist bookbinding equipment.

For the style of hardback binding taught in the Bookbinding Starter Kit, you can comfortably complete your first book in a day - but that certainly doesn’t mean a full day of continuous work.

The process naturally falls into stages. After folding or sewing the signatures, gluing the spine, measuring the boards or preparing to case the book into its cover, you can pause, have a breather and return with a clear head. Some stages also require a little drying time, so there will be plenty of opportunity to enjoy a cuppa while the glue does its work!

You can complete everything in one relaxed day, or spread the stages out if you prefer. Once you’ve made your first few books and become familiar with the process, you could comfortably make another in an afternoon.

The 61-page tuition guide is supplied as a downloadable PDF, which you can keep on your computer, tablet or other device, or print if you prefer.

Choosing PDF rather than video is a deliberate teaching decision. Bookbinding involves a sequence of careful practical steps, and a written guide allows you to work entirely at your own pace. You don’t have to keep pausing a video, searching for the right moment or feeling hurried through an important stage.

Every step is accompanied by a high-quality photograph, so you can zoom in and inspect the details closely. I recommend propping up a tablet or laptop on your kitchen table while you work - although several of my rather fabulous customers have printed the guide and lovingly bound it into a book of its own!

If you get stuck at any stage, you’re very welcome to drop me an email or even give me a call - I’ll be delighted to help! 🙂

In reality though, I rarely, if ever, receive messages saying “Help! I’m stuck on step 27!” What I do receive is a steady stream of emails from lovely new bookbinders proudly showing me their finished books.

My best advice is to read through the tuition guide from beginning to end before you start, then approach each stage calmly and methodically. Follow the steps in order and I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how smoothly it all comes together.

By default, I normally include the two designs shown in the main product photograph: William Morris’s Strawberry Thief and the lovely Hares ’n Berries.

However, if you’ve spotted another design in my shop that you particularly like - or would prefer certain colours or themes - just leave me a note in the comments section at checkout and I'll assemble your kit accordingly. Subject to availability, I’ll be very happy to ensure your kit contains the designs & colours that grab your fancy the most! 🙂

Judging by the number of Starter Kits I send out at Christmas, I can confidently say that it makes a wonderful gift for a crafty or creative loved one!

I don’t include an invoice in the parcel by default, and the kit is shipped in plain outer wrapping, so there’s nothing to spoil the surprise. Once opened, it really is a box of delights - filled with tools, materials and beautiful papers to excitedly inspect before the bookmaking begins! 🙂

Absolutely. The first two books are the beginning, not the end.

Once you’ve completed them, you’ll still have the reusable tools from your kit - but, more importantly, you’ll have acquired the knowledge and confidence to make many more books of your own.

You aren’t tied to buying future materials from me. You can experiment with papers, cloths and other suitable materials at home in your craft-stash or through your preferred suppliers. If you would rather have everything gathered together for your next project, I also offer coordinated Starter Kit Refill Packs and a range of professional-quality bookbinding supplies.

Whenever the bookbinding itch returns, you’ll know exactly what to do!