Monique Lallier and Don Etherington will teach a few weeks of classes at their studio in Summerfield, North Carolina. We hope that this location may appeal to students in the east, south and central part of the country. Classes will be held during the summer months and are at a good time for those who cannot attend during the spring or fall. The Lallier/Etherington studio will only accommodate five students at a time, so register early.

Fundamentals of Bookbinding

Intermediate Fine Binding
June18-29
Instructor Monique Lallier
Two weeks, course fee: $1500
This is an entry-level class for the fine binding and book conservation programs, as well as an intermediate class for continuing fine binding students. In this class, students will learn and develop an understanding of traditional bookbinding techniques, beginning with a laced-on leather covered board structure. The class will introduce and further acquaint students with techniques needed in future fine binding and specialty courses at the Academy. Students will become familiar with hand sewing using a sewing frame, rounding and backing, edge decoration, weaving headbands, as well as leather paring and applying leather to their books.

The focus of the class will be on learning and revisiting sound bookbinding techniques with special emphasis on working with leather. Beginning students will complete a half-leather and a full-leather book and intermediate students will complete two full-leather books in the two-week course. No fine binding experience is needed for beginning students. Those new to AAB who wish to take the class as an intermediate student must first send samples of their work for evaluation.

Forwarding and Covering of Textblocks

July 9-20
Instructor Don Etherington
Two weeks, course fee: $1500
In this two-week class, students will learn how to forward and cover textblocks. In the first week, students will concentrate on rounding and backing, board attachment, endband sewing, and board shaping for various styles of binding. In the second week, students will concentrate on selecting various types of leather for covers and paring, and the different methods of covering. The filling-in of boards and endpaper attachment will also be practiced. This class is open to new students at the Academy who have prepared textblocks, or students who have attended the Academy’s Treatments of Textblocks and Sewing, also titiled Basics in Paper Conservation and Sewing Structures.