LongStitch Leather Journal Bookbinding Kit

Craft Your Own Longstitch Leather Journal

Longstitch binding wears its construction proudly on the outside. The folded sections of paper, known as signatures, are sewn directly through a flexible leather cover, creating rows of exposed long stitches and decorative chain stitches along the spine.

The result is a handsome, tactile A5+ leather journal with 288 hand-torn pages, a wrap-around cover and a traditional Sam Browne stud closure. It feels substantial in the hand, opens flat on the table and will become increasingly individual as it is used.

Centuries of bookbinding history in one box

Longstitch is a non-adhesive style of binding with its origins in medieval Germany. It is strong, flexible and wonderfully direct: paper, leather and thread are brought together without glue or a rigid case.

Our longstitch bookbinding kit has been designed so that a complete beginner can enjoy making the book without the difficult preparatory work. The thick leather cover is supplied already die-cut, with every sewing hole accurately pre-punched. A downloadable tuition guide containing more than 180 fully illustrated steps takes you through folding and tearing the paper, preparing the sections, sewing the binding and fitting the closure.

No previous bookbinding experience is necessary.

Materials worthy of the finished book

The cover is made from genuine 2 to 2.2mm full-grain pull-up cowhide. Richly drum-dyed and infused with oils and waxes, this leather has a gently distressed surface that responds to handling and develops a beautiful patina over time.

The book contains 288 pages of substantial 150gsm cream cartridge paper. The paper is acid-free, chlorine-free and FSC certified, making it suitable for writing, sketching, pen and ink, and many other creative uses. Spare paper is provided so you can test your chosen media before committing it to the finished journal.

Choose your own combination of leather, braided waxed cotton cord and Sam Browne stud to make the book unmistakably yours.

What will your journal become?

It might become a sketchbook, nature journal, travel diary, recipe book, everyday notebook or a place to record a lifetime of stories. Because the flexible binding opens flat, it is comfortable to write or draw across. Because no glue is used, the filled paper sections can later be removed and replaced.

Whatever eventually fills its pages, you will begin by learning a genuine historic method of bookbinding and making the journal with your own hands.

Choose your kit version

Both versions contain all the materials required to make the same finished leather journal, together with the needle, thread snips and fully illustrated tuition guide.

All Materials & Tuition Guide

• 505mm × 220mm pre-cut and pre-punched full-grain leather cover
• 10 sheets of A1 150gsm cream cartridge paper
• Braided waxed cotton sewing cord
• Large bookbinding needle
• Thread snips
• Stitch holders
• Sam Browne stud fastener
• Fully illustrated downloadable tuition guide

All Materials, Tools & Tuition Guide

Contains everything listed above, together with the reusable bookbinding tools needed for the project:

• Genuine bone folder
• Piercing awl with protective cork

If you have already purchased our Complete Bookbinding Starter Kit, you will already have the bone folder and piercing awl, so choose All Materials & Tuition Guide. Choose this version too if you already own suitable bookbinding tools. Otherwise, select All Materials, Tools & Tuition Guide and we will include both reusable tools.