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I was sure a Coptic stitch would fall apart on a big book, but I was wrong
For a 400-page art book project, I was stuck between a standard case binding and trying a Coptic stitch for the first time. I picked the Coptic stitch because the client wanted it to lay flat, and after using 4-ply Irish linen thread, the thing is solid as a rock. Has anyone else used a Coptic stitch on a book over an inch thick and had it hold up okay?
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xenawhite1mo ago
My first try at a thick Coptic book looked like a toddler's art project. The covers flopped around like a fish. Turns out I was using thread better suited for a pamphlet. Swapping to a heavy linen cord and really packing the stitches tight made all the difference. The book has to be built like a brick from the first signature. A blunt needle helps, but the real trick is just using thread that doesn't give up.
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juliahall29d ago
Do you really think the thread is the main problem here? I've made plenty of thick Coptic books that hold up great, and I still use regular waxed thread, not some heavy linen cord. The trick for me is getting the sewing stations spaced right and keeping consistent tension. I've seen @xenawhite's work and it's solid, but I think people get too caught up in gear when the real issue is how they're managing the sewing sequence itself. A blunt needle helps keep from shredding the pages, sure, but I've never had covers flop around unless I was rushing the sections. Maybe it's less about the thread and more about how patient you are with each stitch.
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barbarac951mo ago
Did you have to use a special needle to get through that many pages, or did the thick linen thread do most of the work? I always figured the covers would start to wobble on a book that size.
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