Bookbinding Course for Beginners

Learn the alchemy of bookbinding fundamentals with our handcrafts short courses at the NSW Guild of Craft Bookbinders in Sydney!

For hundreds of years, books were made by hand - now, you rarely handle a book that isn’t made by a machine.

This bookbinding course intends to re-introduce you to the ancient craft of hand bookbinding. If you have a love for books, this course is for you.

This bookbinding course is the official introductory course of the NSW Guild of Craft Bookbinders. It is held at the Guild’s professionally equipped Ralph Lewis Bindery in Garry Owen House, Writing NSW, Callan Park, Rozelle.

The NSW Guild of Craft Bookbinders is a non-profit organisation with the following objectives:

• To promote and exhibit the art of the hand-bound book
• To maintain traditional craft bookbinding skills
• To seek and exert a progressive influence on the design and technique of bookbinding
• To further the cause of book arts in general

Learning outcomes

You will make:

• Two single-section stitched booklets, binding the NSW Guild’s publication 'The Alchemy of Bookbinding’ as well as your course notes
• A single-section cased-in hardcover book
• A hardcover concertina photo album
• A multi-section French-stitched notebook with a wraparound cover
• If time allows, a full paper Japanese four-hole pouch (fukuro-toji) binding

Course content

What will be covered in this beginners bookbinding course?

In this beginners bookbinding course, you will learn:

• Key bookbinding terminology
• The core skills of accurate measuring and cutting, paper handling, folding, glueing and stitching 
• How to use specialist tools as well as simpler homemade devices

Please note, for this workshop students require good hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills and the capability and confidence to use sharp knives for cutting. Basic numeracy is required to facilitate accurate measurements and calculations. You should be able to follow verbal instructions and understand health and safety information.

Intended audience

Who is this beginners bookbinding course for?

The course is suitable for those who are starting from scratch and also for those who want to refresh their skills learned from a previous bookbinding course.

Course venue

Writing NSW

Room 14, Garry Owen House
Callan Park, Balmain Rd
Rozelle NSW 2039

You can enter the Callan Park through the gate (Gate A) on Balmain Road or off Wharf Road.  

When you come in the Balmain Road gate, you will see an orange sign pointing left to NSW Writing. Follow the road (Park Drive). At the intersection turn left (into South Crescent). There are playing fields to your left. Follow the road and take the first road to the right. You will see another orange Writing NSW sign. This dead end road takes you into the Writing NSW carpark. The building directly in front of you is Garry Owen House. You are at the back of the building.  

When you come in the Wharf Road entrance you are on Cottage Way. Take the first turn left (Callan St), the first turn right (Supply Road), following the road around the sharp kink to the left. Take the next turn right onto South Crescent and finally the next turn left. This dead end road takes you into the Writing NSW carpark. The building directly in front of you is Garry Owen House. You are at the back of the building.

The Ralph Lewis Bindery is at the back of the building. You can enter the bindery directly via the green grille door on the Eastern side of the building (right hand side if you are standing in the carpark facing the building).

Please note: if using a Maps app or arriving via taxi, please use 'Writing NSW' as your destination, and 485 Balmain Road as the Callan Park entry point. Please do not use 'Garry Owen House' as the destination as this sends you instead to the local Garry Owen Hotel.

Course materials

Please bring to class

• Your own lunch
• You may wish to bring an apron. The Guild has clean aprons available for students to use

Additional information

Please note the following:

• Please wear closed-in shoes as an occupational health and safety requirement
• All materials are provided by the NSW Guild
• A take-home beginners kit of tools will be available for optional purchase at a discounted rate
• For ages 18+