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Pushing against the 'slow is always best' mindset in our craft | Bookbinders - Vivisector

Pushing against the 'slow is always best' mindset in our craft

Many bookbinders swear by taking months on a single project, but I just finished a guest book in under a week and it's perfect. I had to use a basic kettle stitch and a glue that sets fast, which some folks say is a no-go. The binding is tight and the covers are straight, proving you don't always need endless time. A hard deadline made me plan each step carefully and cut out fussy details that don't add strength.

4 comments

4 Comments

anna8726mo ago

Last July I made a wedding guest book in four days flat with just some chipboard and linen thread. People act like you need special slow dry glue, but I used a quick set adhesive and it's been fine for two years now. Honestly, the pressure of a deadline makes you skip the useless pretty steps that don't actually do anything. Speed binding isn't for every project, but it sure works when you plan it right.

kai_chen26mo ago

Reminds me of the time I tried to rebind my mom's old photo album in one night before her birthday. Used whatever craft glue I had in the junk drawer and the spine completely gave out two days later, pictures went everywhere. Your point about planning it right @anna872 is so true, because my rush job had zero plan beyond just getting it done. Sometimes the shortcut works and sometimes you're picking photos out of the dog's bed lol.

henry_murray6mo ago

That "useless pretty steps" line is so true... it's like when people spend an hour making fancy latte art that just turns into a brown puddle after one sip. My cousin spent three months on a leather journal with hand-tooled vines, but the spine glue was weak and pages fell out. Meanwhile, I've used a hot glue gun on a sketchbook in a panic before a trip and it's still holding up five years later. Maybe the real skill is knowing which corners you can actually cut.

quinncoleman6mo ago

Ever try to fix a leaky faucet in a hurry before guests show up? Grabbed some plumber's tape and cranked the handle way too tight, thinking that would solve it. Of course the whole thing cracked and flooded the cabinet, which is basically the home repair version of photos in the dog's bed. But then last winter I patched a hole in drywall between meetings using just a scrap piece and fast drying mud, and you can't even tell it was there. Makes you wonder if the problem is the shortcut itself or just not knowing which shortcut to pick, right?