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3-Day Residential Beginner Bookbinding Retreat

Digital may be king today, but there will always be a place in the world for real books with pages and covers.

There are few crafts more satisfying than making your own beautiful traditionally bound books.

During this 3-day retreat you’ll make 2 hard bound books completely from scratch. Nobody will believe you made them yourself, much less that these are your first-ever handmade books!

The first one is a simple 96-page A5 notebook, which will teach you the skills needed to make a traditionally sewn book block and then create the book cloth and paper-covered hard cover and put them together perfectly.

The second book is a little more adventurous as it has 260 pages and a ‘half-leather’ binding. This has more detailing, a rounded detached spine and uses real goatskin leather for a classic and elegant library look. The basic techniques are much the same as for the simpler book, however, and you can get an excellent result the first time you make one. 

These skills can then be used to make almost any size of book you like when you get home.

The books are made totally from scratch with traditional techniques and use the best quality materials available. Each step is explained and demonstrated thoroughly.

If you wish, you can also purchase a kit of tools, full instructions and materials to take home to make more lovely books – they are very addictive and make spectacular gifts.

The fee for the 3 days includes:

• All materials needed to make your first two books, with your choice of cover paper design, endpapers, book cloth and goatskin leather colours
• Use of all necessary tools
• Extensive, step by step tuition – only 6 students are accepted at a time to allow for maximum 1-2-1 attention.
• 2 night’s accommodation in a lovely 18thC coaching inn
• Meals – breakfast each morning, Saturday lunch, evening main meals and Sunday lunch are all included in the price. Evening meals are taken at the Ingleby Arms over the road from the hotel, and are definitely not your average pub grub! Huge portions and all freshly cooked to order. Starters, desserts and drinks with meals are optional extras and not included in the price.

Please read carefully – 

• Extra nights – If you have a long drive and would like to arrive the day before, or leave the day after the Retreat, this can be arranged – just ask.
• Most dietary requirements can be accommodated, but please check before booking
• If you need a downstairs room, please check that one is available before booking. The workroom complex is all on the ground floor.

The Retreat is held at –
The Black Swan, 21 High Street, Marton, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, DN21 5AH

All-inclusive ~ £395.00 – secure your place with a small deposit.

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