Instructions: Linked Hinge Binding, a Dreamed Structure

On February 16, 2019, I woke up with a book structure. But that only meant I had an idea; I've tried out dream bindings in the past and sometimes they only work in the dream, but when I put this one together I was pleased to see that it works in waking life as well.

It has elements of the Crossed-Structure Binding by Carmencho Arregui and the Piano Hinge Binding by Hedi Kyle. But it is glued, not sewn like CSB, and the pattern involves the whole structure, not just the cover. It has the alternating effect like Piano Hinge, but there are no extra rods or pieces. It also is comprised of single sheets, which is like neither of the two. It also has the spine pattern like my spouse Michael's Slot and Tab. So, while it seems to have the flavor of a little of this, a little of the other, it is its own self.

I'm calling it "Linked Hinge Binding" since the pages link at the spine with tabbed hinges. While you could case it into hard covers, the spine is attractive and sturdy, so I'm letting it show and just using folded paper covers front and back. It opens flat for writing or drawing, and it is flexible enough to open 360 degrees and stay there.

I made three models before I took photos for the instructions. I started by using scraps of Stonehenge, a heavyweight 100% cotton printmaking paper. It tended to leave indentations on the pages, so the tabs would work as spacers if I had art tipped in with photocorners or a little collage on each page. This one has eight pages plus Stonehenge black covers front and back, and is just over one-quarter inch thick.

Second model was with Canson Mi-Teintes paper. It is a medium-weight paper, often used for drawing and bookbinding, and it worked very well for this structure. The color possibilities are intriguing. I just used scraps that I already had to see how that might work if you alternated colors. This model has ten pages plus Stonehenge covers front and back, and is one-quarter inch thick.

After making the two I suddenly remembered that the book in my dream was earth-colored, very textural. Naturally, I had to use my last two pieces of Velma's eco-contact-printed paper (you can see the papers at the previous post here). Her printing was created on Arches Text Wove, a favorite of calligraphers, and it, too worked beautifully. The miniature book (under 3" in any direction) with Velma's paper was the look I wanted. It would be nice to see a larger size so the paper is more prominent, but that's the last of what I had. This one has sixteen pages plus covers front and back, and is just under one-half inch thick. It has a bit of tendency to pop open, which I think could be remedied by a thicker cover paper, a belly band, a closure, a slipcase, or just a wider paper to start. The miniature book has half-inch instead of one-inch tabs.

Here, then, are the instructions for the Linked Hinge Binding!

Tools: pencil, metal ruler, bone folder, X-Acto knife and cutting mat, scissors, PVA (with squeeze top or use a paper plate or palette and a small piece of board or brush to spread it)

Materials: 8-16+ pieces of paper, 5" square; 2 cover papers, 8.25 x 5" (grained short); one piece of sturdy paper or cardstock, 5" high, for a template; waxed paper to protect your work surface and pieces of waxed paper to interleave while the book dries (optional, but just in case); heavy book or clamp or clothespins (optional)

For this example, the completed book will be 4.5"w x 5"h, made from painted Arches Text Wove. This size fits comfortably in my hand and would travel well. This model has ten pages and is one- quarter inch thick.

1. Test for the grain of each piece of the square papers by bending gently in one direction, then bending gently perpendicularly. The easier it is, that is the grain direction. Orient the papers so the grain is all vertical, which will be parallel to the spine.

2. Measure and mark 1" from the left edge, top and bottom. Align the ruler with the marks and make a score with the bone folder, connecting the marks. (You can also use a gridded mat for this and omit the marks.) Mark the template paper as well, but draw a line with a pencil rather than a score. (Right-handed folks, this is easier to do from the right edge, so if the papers are patterned, keep that in mind because you will be rotating the pages 180 degrees.)

3. On the template paper, measure and mark at one-inch intervals along the 5" side and along the parallel pencil line. Connect the marks so you now have drawn five squares.

4. Cut out squares 2 and 4. This is your final template.

5. Align the template over each of the pages in turn and draw horizontal lines.

6. With a scissors or knife against the metal ruler, cut slits on the lines.

7. Set one paper aside. This will be your first page. All tabs need to stay intact on the first page.

8. Divide the rest of the pages into two piles. You'll have one extra in one of the piles.

9. In the pile with the extra page, use the knife against the ruler to cut out squares 2 and 4 in each sheet, one at a time. (For right-handed folks, it will help to orient the pages so the score is on the right.)

10. In the remaining pile, use the knife against the ruler to cut out squares 1-3-5.

11. Get your glue ready. Take your first page (the one with slits only), and bend up tabs 1-3-5.

12. Flip the page over. Align the back of page two (one with tabs 1-3-5) with page one and from page one, bend up tabs 2-4.

13. Apply glue to the two tabs and press down onto the back of page two. (You will be working front to back, pressing down firmly on the glued tabs as you go.)

14. Align third page (with tabs 2-4) with page two. Apply glue to tabs 1-3-5 from page two and press down to back of third page.

15. Continue to alternate and glue tabs interlocking the pages, linking the hinges. (You will notice that whatever tabs you just glued is a signal to the type of page that comes next.)

Adding the Covers (the folds will be at the fore edge)
16. Fold each of the cover papers in half the short way, to make a nearly square shape.

17. On the last page of the book, apply glue to the exposed side of the tabs 1-3-5 and slide one open end of one of the cover pieces under it. Make sure it is aligned. Press down. (The fold is at the fore edge.)

18. Apply glue to the top of the tabs and press the cover into place.

19. Repeat steps 17 and 18 for the front cover, gluing and sandwiching the exposed tabs between the folded cover paper, the fold at the fore edge.

20. Hold together at the spine for a few minutes, or wrap and interleave with waxed paper and clamp or press under a heavy book for an hour or overnight. (I used a few clothespins for the miniature book.)

21. Check the pages when the book is dry. You may need to re-glue a few of the tabs, especially if the paper has been painted, treated, or sized like the Arches Text Wove.

Linked Hinge Binding

I've found that five tabs, with three tabs connecting the covers front and back, make a sturdy book, so I would recommend a minimum of five tabs; for a larger book or smaller tabs you could use seven or nine, but an odd number will be the most secure. Save yourself some measuring time by using a divider to mark out the tabs.

Here's another model with Arches Text Wove that I soaked in a combination of tea leaves, turmeric, rock salt, and hot water in a rusty jelly roll pan for about thirty minutes. Kitchen counter dyeing! Turmeric has been used for centuries in palm leaf books in India as a coloring agent, and also as an insect repellent. A sunny yellow. I dried the dyed paper flat on a scrap of Stonehenge, then decided to use the stained Stonehenge paper for the covers. This book has 15 pages (but would have been sturdier with an even number, 14 or 16) and is about one-half inch thick. The final book measures 3.5 x 4.5".

With the sun shining through you can see the shadows.

Three glued tabs show on the left, shadow of two glued tabs on the right.

The covers could be made from folded book cloth, or make a thicker book cloth cover by backing cloth with Stonehenge or other thick printmaking paper. Try experimenting with the size and number of the tabs, size and number of pages, the colors and textures. Many possibilities!