Workshops
How to make something awesome!
Upcoming Workshop Schedule
Details for each workshop are listed below the schedule
March
Book Arts Merit Badge
Girl Scouts of America
Private Workshop
Tentatively Planned Workshops
Spring
Ultimate Portfolio
Minnesota Center for Book Arts
Minneapolis, MN
Upcoming Workshop Details
Tentatively Planned Workshops
Spring Ultimate Portfolio
Have you ever wanted or needed a portfolio with a specific function? In this in-person workshop, learn how to make the ultimate portfolio. This portfolio has all of the bells and whistles you can imagine: handles, an insert, pockets, an easel, straps, and more. Come away with the skills needed to make any number of customized portfolios to suit your needs.
Minnesota Center for Book Arts Minneapolis, MN
February 8th and 15th Book Repair I
In this in-person workshop, learn foundational techniques and methods to care for aged and damaged books. We'll begin with an overview of book anatomy and approaches to repair. Then, we will look at your own damaged books and develop a plan to care for them. Instruction will cover cleaning techniques and methods for treating cracked paperbacks, loose hinges, tissue repairs, and other problems. Practicing these techniques will help you develop a sense for when to do the repair yourself and when to work with a book conservator. Demonstrations and instruction will alternate with work time and one-on-one guidance for individual repair projects. Bring in two or three aged and damaged books that you would like to evaluate and treat.
Minnesota Center for Book Arts Minneapolis, MN
March Girl Scouts Book Arts Merit Badge
This two session workshop fulfills all 5 steps of the requirements for the Book Arts Merit Badge. It includes: Meeting a bookbinder (step 1), taking apart an old book (step 2), learning to sew a book (step 3), planning out a book (step 4), and exploring with the materials used in making a book (step 5).
January 25th Paper Repair
In this in-person workshop, learn foundational techniques and methods to care for aged and damaged paper. Begin with an overview of basic and historical paper-treatment methods, then find inspiration in books and papers participants bring to the workshop to learn specific techniques for treating paper that is dirty, bent, curled, folded, dog-eared, taped, or torn. These methods and techniques will give you the skills you need to care for your personal collection and to begin your journey into book repair. Instruction and demonstrations will take place throughout the day, with time for one-to-one guidance on individual repair projects. Bring in aged and damaged paper and books that you would like to evaluate and treat.
Minnesota Center for Book Arts Minneapolis, MN
February 6th Coptic Binding
This in-person workshop is great for both first-time and advanced binders. It introduces Coptic bindings, the most common form of link-stitch binding and possibly the oldest continuously used book sewing pattern. This style shows off the sewing on the spine and is an excellent choice for books that need to open flat, such as sketchbooks, smash books, and journals. We will make paper covers, fold and punch the sections, and sew the book together using four needles. Come away with one finished (or almost finished) book and the skills you need to continue making Coptic bindings independently. Minnesota Center for Book Arts Minneapolis, MN
Past Workshops
Travel Journals
This corporate workshop was designed for Kindle, to give an introduction book history and science, and to provide a hands on experience for employees to make their own Travel Journal.
Oct 2024 - Virtual
Toolmaking
So many tools used in the book world are specialized, come to this in-person workshop to learn how to make some of them at a fraction of the cost at most retailers. We will discuss how to make a laying press, wood and plexi press boards, bone folders, punching cradles, and box corner jigs. Depending on time and interests, we will also make a corner trimming jig, bent needles, and/or soft weights (also known as ‘snake weights’) with plenty of time for questions.
July 2024 in Minneapolis
Book History
In this class you will learn from a professional bookbinder about the history of the book. Why they look and act differently depending on when and where in the world they are from. We will look at examples and model books so that you can better understand the terminology related to the structure, repair, and collecting of books.
September 2024 in Edina, MN
When Paper Fails: Paper Repair
This all day workshop explains how paper was made, how it gets damaged, and what we can do about it. We go into techniques and methods of repairing damaged paper.
May 2024 and November 2023 in Minneapolis, MN
East Asian Side Sewn Bindings I
A personal favorite type of binding, this workshop covers the most common style of East Asian bindings, how they were made traditionally, and an introduction to how they can be adapted to modern book arts.
May 2024 and November 2023 in Minneapolis, MN
Book Repair I
This multi-session book repair workshop covers the anatomy of books, how they break and what we can do about it. We cover a handful of repair methods and techniques.
March and June 2024 in Minneapolis, MN and 2017 Alexandria, VA
CrissCross / Secret Belgian Binding
Learn how to make a CrissCross / Secret Belgian Binding. These book covers are sewn using a magic ladder-like pattern. This allows the covers to flip to the back and the pages to lay flat making it ideal for sketchbooks and journaling.
March and July 2024 in Minneapolis, MN
Introduction to Book Repair
This one-session introduction to book repair is a great way to learn how to care for your books and make basic repairs
March 2024 in Bloomington, MN and 2017 Alexandria, VA
Letterlocking
Before security envelopes, people folded up their letters and sealed them using wax, strips of paper, and/or string. In this one-session workshop, you learn some of the history and fold along with the instructor to learn historic methods of locking letters.
October 2024 in Edina, MN and February 2024 - VIRTUAL
Pamphlet Books and Journaling
This one-session workshop teaches (kids and teens) how to make a pamphlet stitch journal and then the art of journaling.
Summer 2023 in Palmyra, NY and Fall 2023 in Bloomington, MN
Artistry of Books Camp, grades 6-9
Each day will include bookbinding, paper decoration, and a short field trip outside (weather permitting!) after lunch. Learn four bindings and several paper decoration techniques in this four-day, in-person book arts immersion designed for ages 12–15! Start by learning the flexagon, an origami-like structure that is part book, part toy! Learn traditional side-stitch bindings, make a tunnel book, and create a “perfect” binding. Experiment with paper marbling, paper dying, and other paper decoration techniques.
July 2024 in Minneapolis, MN and 2018 and 2019 in Alexandria, VA
Suminagashi for Kids
Immerse yourself in suminagashi (“floating ink”) paper marbling! This in-person workshop includes the history of paper marbling across cultures—from its origins in 12th-century Japan and China to its development in Turkey to the present day—and detailed demonstrations of basic techniques and patterns. Come away with unique marbled paper that you can use to make cards, books, collage, and more!
Oct 2024 in Minneapolis, MN
Exploding Books
In this in-person workshop, explore two sculptural book forms that tend to explode out of your hands! The ‘petal fold’ book and ‘Turkish map fold’ are made of folded pages that are glued together with hard covers. These playful book structures are an approachable way to experiment with adding content to make an artist’s book, a sculptural book object, or an elaborate handmade card for a loved one.
Nov. 2024 in Minneapolis, MN