Treat yourself to building new skills this holiday season as you join instructors Babs and Heather for a day or weekend of book arts at our beautiful Atelier.  Whether you use them or gift them (hopefully both!), making your own handmade books can be an immensely satisfying early-December creative break amidst the holiday madness!

Bookbinding Day 2: Multi-Signature, Kettle Stitch Sketch Book
(Skills: Complex paper management, measurement and cutting; multi-signature book construction, kettle stitch, strap attachment)

Whilst all are welcome, basic bookbinding knowledge is highly encouraged for Day 2 of our fabulous Bookbinding Weekend.  If needed, opportunities to skill-build can be found in Heather’s Simple Bookbinding Class on October 3, on Day 1 of our Bookbinding Weekend, or via your own self-sourced education materials.

In this class, under the guidance of our two experienced instructors, you will begin the day learning to safely measure and cut sheets of paper into sections (note - students taking Day 1 will have the opportunity to begin this step beforehand). These will then be assembled into the signatures/folios that will make up your book.

Next, you will design your own aesthetic by mixing and matching from our assortment of cover papers, colorful binding threads, and fabric closure straps. We will provide the materials and tools, but feel free to bring your own if you wish.

Finally, you will construct your book using the Kettle Stitch method to bind your signatures together into a stunning 5.5” x 7”, exposed spine, soft cover book.

With any remaining time left in the class, you will be supplied with an array of art materials to adorn and begin filling your book with sketches, scratches, scribbles, notes and/or musings.

*Safety disclaimer - precise bookbinding requires the use of sharp tools.  If requested, our instructors will introduce low-risk methods for breaking down paper (tearing and/or scissors).

Heather Batts has a BFA (with a concentration in oil painting) from Southern Methodist University.  A multiple-disciplinary, lifelong maker/learner, she has managed to squeeze some form of creativity into the many stages of her life across multiple cities including Seattle, London and New York City. She is currently working with (and creatively combining) the media of watercolor, book arts, suminagashi marbling, and Japanese woodblock printmaking.

Babs Birgfeld brings a unique blend of high-end design instincts and hands-on creativity to the bookmaking studio.  She honed her sharp eye for detail, color and premium materials at Neiman Marcus as a Visual Merchandising Manager and Product Development Buyer. Babs began creating these custom mixed-media journals while taking watercolor classes at LDBA, searching for a unique, flat-laying book to hold her own art and writings. Today, she loves creating these handmade books to provide a unique canvas for others to channel their own creativity.

cost: $225
12-4 PM   
Sunday, Dec 6, 2026
LDBA Atelier
Class limit: 10