Walked through the old library downtown and saw something that made me rethink my whole process

I was in the reference section looking at a book from 1890. The spine was completely gone, but the pages were still held together by these tiny, perfect stitches along the fold. I always thought sewing on a frame was the only right way, but this book was sewn by hand without one and it lasted over a hundred years. It made me wonder if I rely on my frame too much for simple projects. Has anyone else found old books sewn like that and tried copying the method?

3 comments

3 Comments

tylermason1mo ago

Wait, the stitches were still perfect after all that time?

emery_hall1mo ago

Ever think the frame might be more about our need for control than the book's need for strength? That old binding trusted the hand's natural tension, not a perfect grid. Maybe we over-engineer the simple stuff.

nelson.gavin1mo ago

How often do we add structure just because we can? I've seen books held together with nothing but thread and glue outlast ones with fancy frames. Sometimes the extra work just gets in the way.

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