The Secret Belgian Binding is a method of
bookbinding
Bookbinding is the process of building a book, usually in codex format, from an ordered stack of paper sheets with one's hands and tools, or in modern publishing, by a series of automated processes. Firstly, one binds the sheets of papers alon ...
that uses a primary and a secondary sewing, resulting in a distinct thread pattern on the cover and spine of the finished book. The primary sewing is used to create the textblock. The secondary sewing is used to bind the textblock to the cover boards.
History
This binding was invented in the mid-1980s by Anne Goy, a Belgian bookbinder. She was looking for a Western version of the traditional
Japanese stab binding techniques. She wanted a book that would open flat but with the appearance of the stab sewing. Anne Goy calls this binding the "crisscross binding".
Methods and materials
The
book cover
A book cover is any protective covering used to bind together the pages of a book. Beyond the familiar distinction between hardcovers and paperbacks, there are further alternatives and additions, such as dust jackets, ring-binding, and older f ...
is made using three separate pieces: front cover, back cover, and spine piece. The covers are attached by sewing through holes on the cover boards and passing over and under the spine piece. The previously sewn textblock is attached when the threads that pass under the spine piece also pass through the stitches on the spine of the textblock. The spine piece is held in place only by these threads passing over and under it. It creates a distinct thread pattern on the cover and it is a very sturdy binding that allows the book to open completely flat.
References
External links
Anne Goy’s Secret Belgian Binding by Emily MartinA step-by-step instruction on the 'secret Belgian binding'
Bookbinding
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