Bookbinding Club

TOPIC: How to saddle stitch leather - mini workshop

Date: October's Bookbinding Club - 10am - 12 noon, Friday 10 October 2025
Cost: $30 - covers leather & thread provided, plus use of specialty leatherworking tools. Please bring cash for payment on the day.
Also, please bring your usual book/paper-crafting tool kit
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Learn to Saddle Stitch by making your very own small leather projects. Make one or many from 6 different small projects including:
An A6 leather book cover,
An A6 leather book pocket,
A basic pencil case,
A pencil holder,
A small pouch,
A small card wallet.
You will be instructed on how to saddle stitch using needles and thread and a unique device called a stitching pony. Similiar to a running stitch, however it uses two needles and one length of thread.
There will be two different types of leather available. The first option is Crazy Horse, this is a pull up leather that changes shades when bent or crumpled up making unique and interesting patterns and designs. The second option is natural Veg Tan. These pieces will be supplied natural, but can be dyed or antiqued to your choosing on the day.
Projects range from 45 minutes to complete up to 2 hours. Unused projects can be taken home with thread and needles should you wish to continue practising.

Throughout 2025, Bookbinding Club will be on the 2nd Friday of the month, from 10am until 12noon, casual drop-in. All are welcome!

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For regular Bookbinding Club participants:

If you could all please bring along a Show & Tell item (or several!) of something you've been working on, or something of interest to share with the group, that'd be swell :)

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"MYSTERY MATERIAL" MONTHLY CHALLENGE:

If you're keen to participate, the challenge is to make some kind of a book that uses the 'mystery material' in a creative way.

I'll bring along a few previous examples from past challenges to show at this week's Bookbinding Club, or, alternatively, you can see them on Instagram with the hashtag #MonthlyMysteryMaterial :)

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Speaking of monthly challenges and Instagram...

The #AreYouBookEnough theme for October 2025 is Round and Round. If you're keen to give it a go, see below at the bottom of this post for more info about the AYBE challenge. If anyone has made a book inspired by any #AYBE theme, please bring it along!

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One final note:

These meetups are a nice opportunity to BYO a bookbinding project to work on (or ask questions about), and maybe even share some of your ideas and plans for projects you'd like to work on this year. Got a particular project or bookbinding technique you'd like to get help with? - just let me know! I'm keen to hear what members would like to see covered in Bookbinding Club :)

We now meet in the front workshop space at Michelle's new Bindery studio - The Nest Creative Spaces warehouse building at 31 Ferry Rd, West End.

Hope to see you there,

Michelle

P.S.

NEED BOOKBINDING SUPPLIES?

Please direct message me (or email michelle@shelbyville.com.au) so that I know exactly what to bring along on the day :)

I offer:

• Awls for $5 each
• Bone folders (genuine bone) for $15 each
• Coloured waxed linen bookbinding thread (choice of 35 colours! - let me know what colour you're after) for $1 per metre (ie $5 for 5m is a standard measure)
• Leather pieces (individually priced, approx $15-$20 per piece)
• Bookbinding kits (with all the instructions and materials provided in the kit) for $65 (2 x mini leatherbound books) or $70 (A7 little leatherbound book)

and

• Gift Vouchers to attend any of my bookbinding workshops in 2025/26 for $200 each.

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#ARE YOU BOOK ENOUGH

Monthly world-wide bookbinding challenge, just search for the hashtag #areyoubookenough on Instagram.

Or visit the website for detailed instructions: www.editions.studio/areyoubookenough/

MONTHLY THEMES 2025:

JANUARY Wild
FEBRUARY Binding
MARCH Layers
APRIL Organic
MAY Purpose
JUNE Retro
JULY Freedom
AUGUST Games
SEPTEMBER The 5 Senses
OCTOBER Round and Round
NOVEMBER Space
DECEMBER Colour

As a creative initiative within the Qld Bookbinders' Guild, Sandy Johnson has started an Artist Book Group with a focus on sharing techniques and general interest in handcrafted artist books.

Artists’ books can be defined as works of art that utilise the form of the book. They are often published in small editions, though they are sometimes produced as one-of-a-kind objects. Artists’ books have employed a wide range of forms, including scrolls, fold-outs, concertinas or loose items contained in a box.

The group meet on the second Friday of every month to discuss various aspects of book arts, and have a 'show and tell' session, followed by information sharing in the form of a demonstration or mini workshop. There is also time to work on your own projects most of the time.

Location: BVAC, 140 Weller Rd, Tarragindi
Time: 1-3pm (though sometimes extends to 4pm)

Visit https://qbg.org.au/2016/08/02/artist-book-group/ for more information.

The Artist Book Group is $2 per session for members of QBG, with some equipment and materials provided. Also includes afternoon tea. Non-members will need to join (or rejoin) the QBG to continue participation beyond the first free visit. See www.qbg.org.au for further information about the Queensland Bookbinders Guild and what they do.

On the second Monday of every month, the 'Book & Paper' group meet at the HQ of the Qld Spinners, Weavers & Fibre Artists (QSWFA) in Auchenflower.

Show & tell: Every month, we start the meeting with a session of show & tell. Please bring along anything of interest, your recent book/paper projects most welcome!

Special event: tba

Monthly craft activity: tba

MEETING SCHEDULE:-
9.30-10.00:
Coffee, Meet & Greet, Check out the Bring & Buy Table as well as the Give Away Table
10.00-10.15:
General Business
10.15-10.45:
Show & Tell
10.45:
Coffee break and time to have a closer look at the work on the Show & Tell table.
11.00-onwards
Craft activity TBA.
You will need to bring the usual things – cutting mat, glue, knife/scissors, ruler, pencil etc.

We look forward to seeing you,

Michelle, Di and Wendy

Please note:
To attend the group regularly, you will need to be a member of QSWFA (visit https://www.qldspinners.org.au/ for more details), however you may attend TWO meetings free of charge if you'd like to see what the group is like before signing up as an annual member. Each meeting costs $5 per person to cover hall hire, tea and bikkies. Please bring your own lunch, and your toolbox of papercraft equipment.