| The Stab Binding Album (Online)

Dive into the art of bookbinding with Joelle Webber, exploring the elegant and traditional stab binding technique to create unique and visually stunning albums to showcase your photographs, text and more.

Note: This workshop will be held in a live, online format utilizing the Zoom platform.
Class meets Saturday, Nov 9 from 1-4pm ET (includes lunch break).

The Stab Binding Album is a great book structure to mount photographs, prints, collected ephemera, or single-page collages, oriented vertically or horizontally—an elegant album, using fine archival papers, which include layers of interleaving between each page.  

Watch Joelle Webber as she creates a stab binding album designed to protect and beautifully display photographs & more. Stitched together with the traditional stab or 4-hole binding, this simple design can be tailored to the size and number of pages in your collection.

In this class, we will learn the importance of material grain, archival materials, and ‘measuring from the reality’. Binding the book will include creating depth in the spine to allow for added prints, traditional stab binding methods, and other techniques to complete this book. This workshop also comes with step-by-step Class Notes, including Suggested Material Links and Tools Needed.

In this 3-hour class, Joelle will describe the process in detail, encouraging students to ask any book arts-related questions. Joelle has been learning in the book arts for over 40 years and working as a binder for over 25 years. She has many tips to set yourself up for success in your binding projects.

Note: The session will be recorded and the link will be shared for a month beyond the class.

Suggested Materials List

The links to these suggestions are to help you understand the weight of the materials needed.

• The collection of images you want mounted in the book
• Double-sided mounting adhesive: https://www.talasonline.com/3M-415-Tape?quantity=1&size=40. 1/4” thick is plenty.
• Text block: https://www.talasonline.com/Tiziano-Paper?quantity=5&number=821. I wouldn’t go any lighter on paper weight for this book.
• Interleaving: https://www.talasonline.com/Satin-Vellum-Paper. Satin vellum paper. The 30 lb is less likely to dimple, leaving white marks.
• Cover: https://www.talasonline.com/St-Armand-Colored-Papers. Sturdy, but pliable cover-weight paper that does not crack when folded.
• Binding: 1 yard of 1/8” satin ribbon (Also, look in your local fabric and craft stores) Link here. 1 yard of waxed linen thread. I tend to buy the 4-ply spools (Link here).
• PVA glue: https://www.talasonline.com/Jade-711

Tools Required

• cutting mat
• ruler
• retractable blade
• pencil
• awl
• bone folder
• paper knife
• hammer
• waste board (a soft pine or many layers of book board)
• scissors
• needle

Images by Joelle Webber.