Q: Did you beat the record of 32 binders who bound 100 Webster's Dictionaries in a Day in 1864?

A: No.

Q: So, would you term the weekend a Big Failure?

A: Absolutely not!

On October 21 and 22, we managed to sew 47 copies of the Pictorial Webster's. If you calculate how overly optimistic I've been with my goals for every aspect of the project - getting roughly half of my projected goal done in a weekend is a near miracle. We had a wonderful group of bookbinders prompting me to recall why it is that I decided I would seek a carreer in this field after my 3.5 year old daughter asked "Why does daddy love the bookbinders so much?" I have started pasting up the spines, trimming, and rounding/backing the books that were sewn and I can tell you first had people did a remarkable job sewing these big books. It took binders between two to four hours to sew a single book, and I only managed to sew one during the entire weekend as I was busy punching holes and pressing book blocks just to keep up with the 11 other binders. The most anyone sewed in a weekend was 5 books. Perhaps the weekend is best told in pictures:

Many of the bookbinders stayed at the Fairfield Inn, you can see we made second billing after "Joe Jones" on the welcome sign. Bookbinder's son's, Harlan and Wyatt, stand in for size. One of the promised attractions for the weekend - The Narrow Gauge R.R. was not in operation due to repairs on the tracks - but they did get to see a working engine up close. The other kids news from Portland is that their Children's Museum is quite remarkable.

Below you can get a sense of the space Martha created just outside her Strong Arm Shop: The middle table easily accommodated 10 bookbinders though three chose to work at a lower table you see in the far side of the room. Don't be fooled by this picture, I am not actually sewing a book but merely pretending. Everyone else is hard at work. You can see Cynthia in the foreground has reccently cut a book out of the frame and is preparing to attach more rolled tapes for sewing another book. (Scroll down for more)

The biggest agony of sewing the books occurred after the first books were completed. I inspected the fine job done by my binders only to discover that the swell created by the new french made Irish Linen thread I had ordered was more than I had anticipated. I knew it was a slightly thicker thread than I had used previously, but having had no success in securing the exact same thread I went with an arguably finer manufacturer. This thread, though in specifications should be exactly the same bulk as the old thread, created an additional swell in the books. . . . Was it too much? Would the spines of these books need to be "Beaten Down?" Or would the additional thread bulk allow the books to open more easily? Or less easily? It was great to have the expertise of some of the best trained bookbinders in the country on hand. In the end I was glad I'd brought all my thread along as I had enough of the 25/3 Irish Linen thread that Sam Ellenport carries at Harcourt Bindery (which had the same bulk as the Barbours Irish Linen thread I'd liked so well to begin with) to sew all of the books! This is a fitting thread to use as Sam Walker and I used the 16/3 gauge of this same brand of thread to sew Putrefatti. These first 11 books will require thicker boards than the other books and so willl probably be perfect candidates for wooden boards.

I think the kids enjoyed seeing the event. Ember tried her hand at using the bonefolder to consolidate the book I sewed.

Here is some more information on the participants if you are curious . . . for those who know book programs on the East Coast, we had them covered except for the program in Tuscaloosa. Catherine and Jody both have more extensive C.V.'s if they are interested, I will try to pry details and update at a later time.

Jeffrey Altepeter offers a wide range of custom bookbinding and box making from his studio at the Brickbottom Artists Building in Somerville, MA. He is a graduate of NBSS and The American Academy of Bookbinding and the chair of the New England Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers. You can see examples of his work at www.handbookbinding.com and also at the Brickbottom Open Studios November 18 and 19, 2006.

Catherine Badot-Costello works at Harvard as a book conservator and also has her own private practice.

Susi Barbarossa graduated from NBSS (North Bennet St. School) in 1996 (we were classmates. It was like old times as she sat across from me at school and during the sewing weekend). Susi works at Harvard as a book conservator.

Jody Beenk studied bookbinding at the University of Iowa with Bill Anthony at the time when my NBSS instructor, Sally Key, was there, and works at Harvard as a book conservator.

Cynthia Fields-Belanger also graduated from NBSS as well as The Americn Academy of Bookbinding. She runs the Gold Leaf Bindery in Belmont and can be reached at (617) 484-4678.

Anna Hepler is a rising star in the printmaking world with many artist's books to her name. She teaches printmaking at Bowdoin College and runs The Map Room gallery. Although she was only able to sew on Sunday (She was on a prestigious printmaking panel w/ such luminaries as Robert Indiana on Saturday), Anna managed to sew 3 books in a day! Dynamo. To see her Decordova Annual stuff.

Luke Hepler helped me and Sam Walker sew and bind copies of Putrefatti. Luke also was a favorite extra hand for Dan Kelm at one point. He is one of those people who proves a degree can be overrated - you should see the perfection of his silk endbands!

Martha Kearsley graduated from NBSS in 1995. She is the proprietor of Strong Arm Bindery.

Amanda Nelson is a second year student at NBSS. She is remarkably talented. I thought it would be great to "pass on the torch" so to speak to a current student. She was a wonderful addition to our group.

Alan Puglia earned a conservation degree from the University of Texas, Austin, Preservation and Conservation Studies Program. He further trained/worked at the Harry Ransom Center, the Library of Congress, and the National Archives. He is currently the Conservator for Houghton Library Collections at Harvard University.

Sarah Smith trained with Bill Streeter, received an MFA at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, and works at the NEDCC and teaches Letterpress and Book Arts at Montserrat College.

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Webster's Completion Party Review.