First Attempt Greek Sewing - Bookbinding (& First try Sawing Pages & Celtic Weave Variation 😄✌️)

Update March 2025: I shared a tutorial for the Greek Sewing. Check out these two links:

Part I : Greek Sewing - How to Sew EACH HALF - Bookbinding Tutorial
   • DIY Greek Binding Pt. 1: How to Sew Each H...  

Part 2: How to Tie Together Each Half of Greek Sewing
   • DIY Greek Binding Pt. 2 — How to Tie Off &...  



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Soon to be creating two art journals for a couple very special people so I am practicing Greek Sewing and some Celtic Weave variations along with attempting to saw holes in the book pages with the fine saw that just arrived. Below time stamps are narratives for each section lol! It was a journey! The Greek sewing is a keeper. Credit goes to Keith Smith and his book, “Non-Adhesive Binding Vol. 3: Exposed Spine Sewings”

Time stamps:

00:17 preparing the pages...

01:19 cutting the covers (out of the box my etching press came in 😄

01:40 sawing holes in pages

02:35 Greek sewing in progress

03:34 Greek sewing - Connecting the two halves

05:37 Celtic weave in progress

06:01 Celtic weave - connecting the two weaves

08:12 Finished! Footage of completed book


00:17 Recycled book from a thrift store. I read clips as I worked. Only good vibes 😄

Concerning the saw... (01:40)
It was my first attempt at sawing signatures — always battle the holes being off when using an awl - even if my measurements are crooked, at least the holes are all in a straight line! Lol! The cuts ended up so much cleaner than using an awl! - snagged the saw off Amazon for $10 - Label says it’s a Zona Fine Kerf Razor Saw
NOT an affiliate link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000BR...

The Greek sewing: 02:35
My first try at Greek bookbinding! Love the thicker links. It’s a lot like double needle coptic link stitch except you link 3 signatures below, then sew each half of the book before joining them together. The tricky part is combining the two halves! (Sewn in 5 hours straight yesterday when I should have been cleaning house 😂). Will post the linking of the two halves soon! Got all the footage so I’ll be posting a step by step video before long. 😄
.Pssst... the sawn holes worked very well and are very straight!

03:34 Clip of my first attempt at attaching the two halves of this Greek sewing... learning the binding from Keith Smith’s book series Volume 3. Was trying to make it as short a clip as possible but first try it’s a little choppy... Will be practicing again on the next little book experiment. 😄 You are basically sewing in a figure 8 pattern with the two threads to combine the halves.

05:37 If it can be done with the Greek binding... 🤔 ... Seen it on Pinterest, but no tutorial... Working the Celtic Weave from both covers in... but ran out of time this morning before school 😫... argh!

06:01 Attaching the two Celtic Weaves. I looked, but could not find a tutorial on this so gave it my best guess... Talking as I go lol!


Music and video edit with Enlight Video Leap
Music Credit: “Fsharp Tell Her,” “World Happiness 01,” “By the Campfire,” via Enlight Video Leap

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I am a process artist, printmaker, and art teacher. My art is not only my means of expression, but also an adventure—the creation process as rewarding as the end result.


To see more completed art and what I’m currently working on Instagram @inkandspirals
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