Coptic Stitch: The Directions
Many artists and bookmakers use a Coptic stitch to bind the pages of their books together. The stitch is sturdy and strong enough to hold many pages together, including a cardboard or leather cover.
You can use a Coptic stitch to assemble a scrapbook, journal, personalized photo album or any number of other projects, including research notes and other practical materials. This stitch is simple, though it requires some concentration to make it properly.
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Instructions
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1
Thread your embroidery needle with a long piece of twine. These instructions refer to two signatures, or bundles, of pages that are folded together and have holes punched through their creases. Cover 1 is the top cover, cover 2 is the bottom. Signature A is the top signature and signature B is the bottom.
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2
Stack your signatures on top of each other. Slide your needle through the last hole in signature B and pull the twine all the way up the inside crease so you can slip the needle back through the top hole of signature B.
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3
Put your needle through the top hole in signature A and back out through the second hole in signature A. Pass your needle through the second hole in signature B. Open signature B; you should be able to see the twine along the crease. Pass your needle back out of the second hole in signature B so the twine loops over the twine lying along the crease.
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4
Pass your needle under the thread on the outside of the second hole in signature B.
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5
Repeat steps 2 and 3 with the rest of the holes in signature B. When you exit the last hole in signature B, tie a knot in your twine and pass your needle through the last hole in signature A. Repeat steps 2 through 4 in the holes of signature A.
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6
Attach your top and bottom covers by sandwiching your bound signatures between them and following steps 2 through 4, starting with the bottom hole of cover 2.
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References
- Photo Credit old book image by Alexander Maksimov from Fotolia.com
