The magic of handbound books

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Monita and Siew See make unique handbound notebooks.

Finished notebooks that used different stitches. Top to bottom — Long stitch, Coptic stitch, French stitch and Kettle stitch.

IF magic exists in this world, it exists in the form of books.

There is something absolutely enchanting about books, even in this digital age of e-books and everything online. Besides the stories contained inside the pages, books are magical because of their very physical presence that can be touched and held.

In the realm of book magic, lies the art of bookbinding that produces uniquely hand-crafted books which hold more sentimental and long-term values compare to mass-produced books from factories.

Two bookbinders could stand side by side to make a book each with the same materials and the results will be different. Nothing is more charming than to buy or receive a journal or notebook that has been artfully put together by hand, making handbound books truly magical gifts.

As a local bookbinder Monita Ngo observed, it is really about how much love a person has for handmade products in order to be able to churn out something unique.

“I think bookbinding is a return trend. Despite the modern technology of communications gadgets, people are still into paper and pen method. Of course, the appreciation for handbound books is also improving.

“I had received numerous orders for handstitched diaries last year despite competition from factory-printed diaries,” the 41-year-old told thesundaypost.

Monita, a finance manager by profession and a dedicated enthusiast in crafts, started making wire-bound and handstitched notebooks after attending a bookbinding workshop in Kuala Lumpur two years ago.

Her interest in crafts started when she was in secondary school. She made cards for families and friends purely for fun.

“It was difficult then to get supplies for card-making locally, so I just made use of whatever stationery we had in Kuching. After shopping on online crafts sites and going on several overseas trips, I decided to turn this into a business.

“It was only recent years after a workshop in Kuala Lumpur that I decided to make notebooks in addition to what I have been making such as cards, stationery and pin badges,” she said.

Monita enjoys working alone when she is in a crafting mood. And it has to be at her workstation at home where all tools and materials are within reach.

“A quiet moment is when the brain juice starts working,” she said.

According to her, in bookbinding, papers of the right size are needed to form signatures which are folded stacks of papers.

The signatures are bound together by stitching and then glued to covers. Covers are made by wrapping them in either decorative papers or fabrics.

“While there are many styles in bookbinding methods, especially in stitching, my books are mostly done in the French and Coptic stitching methods. Depending on the complexity, I’m able to complete one project between one and two hours.

“I get materials and supplies from specialised crafts stores and general stationery stores, locally and overseas. I will buy when I come across nice fabrics and papers and keep them for use later. Some fabrics are ordered online, especially imported linen,” she said.

With the convenience of the Internet, it’s not difficult to reach out to customers as Monita found hers through her Facebook page (Papermint Cards) as well as bazaars.

“I am fortunate to have understanding customers. Basically, they will tell me their desired theme and leave the rest to me to complete. My favourite items are personalised notebooks where names of recipients are stitched on the covers. I introduced them for Christmas 2012 and they have been a hit since then.

“However, I think public awareness and appreciation for handmade products is still lacking, even though it is picking up. I hope to come up with more handmade products and create awareness on their value,” she said.

Her sentiment on handbound books and handmade products in general is echoed by a fellow craftsmaker, Ngu Siew See.

“The response to handbound books depends on how much people appreciate handmade products.

“I believe it’s a skill that should be brought down from generation to generation, which is why I plan to organise more bookbinding workshops for more people to experience the art and satisfaction of making something by hand,” said the 36-year-old owner of a crafts shop selling scrapbooking and crafts supplies.

Siew See, who started in the art of scrapbooking, tried her hands on other crafts three years ago. Her interest in bookbinding was piqued during this time of exploring other crafts and eventually, she signed up for the same workshop together with Monita to learn handstitching methods in November 2012.

“When I give friends my handmade books as gifts, their first reaction would be You made this? You stitched them? Wow! For those who buy them as gifts, their recipients will find them unique as they seldom see these in the market.

“My most memorable works are mini handstitched notebooks. I love the size as they are cute and handy. I find the size useful as we ladies can easily keep one in our handbags to jot down important notes. Since it’s small, more types of patterned papers and leftover fabrics can be used to wrap the covers,” she added.

Siew See’s ideal bookbinding setup is having a clear and tidy table with all the things she needs for a project ready.

As stitching takes 30 to 45 minutes, depending on how big and how thick the book is, she will sometimes stitch in front of her laptop because she needs to reply to queries from customers in my online business.

Sometimes, she would stitch in the company of her children and there are times she prefers concentrating fully in stitching.

“My bookbinding process depends on the kind of order. If it’s a bulk order, I usually prepare the covers all in one go, then moving on to the inner pages.

After all these are prepared, then I start stitching.

“Each stitching has its basic steps. I usually follow the basics, altering a little to get slightly different patterns. Sometimes, I will combine Kettle stitch and French stitch for one book,” she explained.

Her handbound books are mostly stitched together, using Kettle stitch, French stitch and Coptic stitch. Sometimes, she uses ring-binding method which is decidedly more straightforward than handstitching method.

There is another stitching method known as the Long stitch but she seldom uses it as she could not find suitable leather to make the cover.

“The design of a custom-made project depends on the customer’s requirements. I do take request for custom orders but I have to consider whether I can fulfill the request within the time given. I have a few regulars whose preference I am already familiar with, so I will definitely accept those orders.

“Other customers usually buy my finished notebooks online after I uploaded photos of them. Either that or they buy from me when I take part in bazaars,” she said, adding that those interested in handmade products and crafts supplies can take a look at her Facebook page (See’s Scrapbooking Land).

Despite using similar materials and methods as well as learning from the same bookbinder, both Monita and Siew See produce books that are markedly different in style and appearance.

For customers, there is a sense of satisfaction in browsing through the finished products and choosing a handbound notebook that would make the perfect gift for oneself or a dear friend.

It might serve more than just as a stationery item to jot things down. Perhaps, it might inspire our inner Muse to engage in creative journaling as we record life’s journey in words and pictures. After all, the magic of handbound books is all about how they are created and used to touch lives.

Handbound books make beautiful gifts.

These are Monita and Siew See’s certificates for attending a bookbinding workshop on stitching methods in 2012.