Three years ago I made my first leather cover and it still feels like a mistake

Picked up a cheap piece of veg tan from Tandy back in 2021 and tried to do a Coptic stitch binding without any practice. Still have that warped cover sitting on my shelf as a reminder to learn the basics first. Has anyone else kept their first ugly binding just to see how far you've come?

2 comments

2 Comments

nelson.gavin21d ago

Kept my first attempt at a leather journal too, a sad little thing with stitching that looks like a toddler did it. The leather was way too thick and I didn't even bother skiving the edges, so the whole thing has this clunky, lopsided look. Every time I see it on the shelf I cringe, but it is funny to remember how excited I was to show it off back then.

cora_perez21d ago

Coptic stitch on your first try is honestly a bold move. Most people start with a simple pamphlet or saddle stitch and still mess it up. Cracking the spine on a veg tan cover without any forming or conditioning first is asking for a warped mess. Those early failures are useful though. Kept my first case binding from 2019. The corners are completely blown out and the glue seeped through the endpapers. It sits on my shelf as a reminder that not everything needs to be posted on social media halfway through the process.