Study Group members met on July 14 to make the Crossed Structure Binding developed by Spanish book artist Carmencho Arregui. Longtime Study Group member and Art Academy of Cincinnati faculty member April Foster did a great job leading a productive and enjoyable session at the Northside Branch Library. About a dozen members, at first daunted by what looked like a complex and difficult structure, left inspired to explore some of the many variations downloadable from Arregui's website www.outofbinding.com.
Everyone came prepared with a pre-cut and folded text block and decorative paper for the lining. Using the template above (made from a single sheet of paper), we cut vinyl for the covers.
April then showed us how to set up our workspaces using only a cutting mat, metal ruler and binder clips. Everyone concentrated on stitching the signatures together, linen thread over the straps creating a beautifully decorative spine.
One of the session's highlights was learning about April's ingenious sewing frame, made using a design by Carmencho Arregui. Anchored to the table with C clamps, the frame is made from a single strip of aluminum, bent to specifications. Study Group members were impressed by its portability and minor expense compared to traditional sewing frames.
By the end of the session, almost everyone had completed a beautiful crossed structure binding. We left Study Group with lots of new ideas for variations using heavy paper or leather for the covers, and endless possibilities for embellishment. Many thanks to April for a really inspiring session!
