I use the weaver’s knot pretty often, somtimes I don’t cut the thread long enough and osmetimes it’s just too unweidly to use a thread that is long enough for 20+ signatures.

I’ve used several types of knots in my bindings and i have to say that I like the weaver’s knot the best. It’s not the smallest, but it serves it’s purpose well. It’s a knot that tension holds it in place, pull on the wrong side of the thread and it indoes itself. It’ reversable so if you screw up somewhere you can fix it. I like that.

First form a loop: I curl my thread down and then up:

Then form an upside down U shape:

this shape then is pushed through the loop you made previously:

Now you need to pull this a little tighter so you can control it when you attach it to your old thread:

Be careful when pulling or you’ll get a really long tail and no loop, and that thread is expensive!

Here’s the finished loop:

I usually work my loop a little smaller but I thought it would be a good idea if I made it bigger so you could see it mroe easily.

Now you’re ready to loop this over your old thread! Loop it so the working end- or the end you plan on putting a needle on i headed in the direction you plan on sewing- the tension it will create is essential to this knot.

Pull the loop tight around the old thread (black in this picture) but don’t pull it tight yet! You do this buy pulling on both the working end and the tail end. At this point you can slide the thread aroundon the old thread and position it where you want it. i like to put it over a station soit doesn’t flair my spine too much. You can also hide it some place where it can’t be seen. Here’s what it looks like:

At this point you have it positioned where you want it and you need to pull it tight. You do this by grabbing the working end and the tail end and you pull them away from each other hard, and you’ll feel the knot “click” or slip into place. It will look like this:

The final step is to twist the tail and the old thread together, DON’T PULL ON THE TAIL, it will release the knot and you’ll have to start all over again!

Practice this a little bit and it become second nature and you’ll be able to tie it on the fly without thinking about it!

       

 

       

 

I just finished making this journal it has a few finishin touches and it will be good to go. The stats:
150 pages of 80lb Strathmore drawing paper- hand torn on one edge
Dark Distressed Sheep hide
Backed with street map and map of US
Pocket in back for loose odds and ends
Raw edge flap with strap- extra thick
Natural linen thread to sew
Linked long stitch in a diamond pattern- I call it a spider webbed diamond.
Eyelets to reinforce the stations on the spine

The one thing that it needs is the artists collage which will be attached to either the front or back cover.

Here are the pictures:

One of the thigs that I really like about this sewing style is that it is not difficult to do per se- it’s is after allat it’s heart JUST a long stitch. It’s the linking that causes the issues. If the sewing tension isn’t kept just right through out the sewing you get lopsided diamonding, which can look like hell. You have 2 choices when you screw up- either go back and fix it OR suffer with it. I can’t suffer with it. I screwed up the tension on a signature and pulled it way too tight. So the next section I couldn’t pull the thread tight enough to make the diamond the same size as the last. Of course i didn’t realize it until I had finished and TIED off the book. So I went back in and cut the thread and reworked it. i’m happy to say that all is well and the fix isn’t noticable. And the spine is 100% better with it fixed than without. I’m very happy with the patternign and the way that the book shaped up!

I just finished an order for a custom journal and I’ll put up it’s stats and pictures.

240 pages of hand torn kraft paper pages
12 signatures
Quadruple Spine braid and double false end bands in black linen thread
Chestnut brown distressed leather
Blue marbled paper backing
Raw edge flap and long thick strap to close it
It measures 5.5X5.5 inches and a fat inch and a half thick

It’s perfectly sized for a bag or just for regular use. I’m quite in love with it and am jealous of its new owner. (I’m so practical I rarely have trouble parting with my work, usually paying rent makes up for it, but this time it’s a little more difficult- because I just like this journal.)

Pictures:

This deep reddish brown journa is now up on eBay HERE!
It’s a nice size, I’ve been using one this size for a while now to record the basics about the books I’m making- color of leather, inner paper, pages spine sewing style along with it’s number.

       

 

I’ve got the small red-brown leather journal up on ebay now, it’s HERE!

I like this leather a lot, it’s much tougher feeling than much ofht eleather I work with. It’s quite nejoyable.

       

   

So this smooth leather journal is up on ebay now. It’s HERE!

 

I have a couple of journals ending today. One is a large 6×9 200 page journal with a distressed leather cover. It’s here:

ON eBay

Here’s a pic of the large journal:

I also have a small really reddish brown colored journal done today. It’s a very cool texture and the color on the screen isn’t right. I had such issues getting a decent shot of it. It’s here:

Also On eBay!

And here’s a pic of the small reddish brown journal that is much less red in person:

After that I have a couple more auctions ending soon.