CaiLun.info - Paper & Bookmaking Blog

Thursday, September 11. 2008

Paper-backing fabric: Your own book cloth

A bunch of people have asked me over time how to use their own fabric for book covers. In other words, they want to know how to turn their own fabric into book cloth.

The bottom line is, you need to back you fabric with some form of paper. Japanese tissue paper (kozo) is tough yet flexible so it's a great choice.

As for the adhesive between the fabric and backing paper, wheat/rice should be used. Paste is better because it dries transparent and it does not set instantly so it will you give time to maneuver. You'll also need some form of big brush (bamboo brush is great) or rubber roller to get rid of the bubbles.

The following video explains the gist of paper-backing a piece of fabric. The use of a scraper to spread the paste is just, I think, amazing.

Paper-backing silk for binding books

However, here are a few things that I'd do it differently:
1. I'd not apply glue to the fabric, it's just easier not to.
2. I'd mount the fabric-paper combo onto a clean vertical glass surface, and smooth it with a big bamboo brush. It's more economical.
3. I'd put a piece of scrap paper between the glass surface and the bookcloth so that I can lift the bookcloth up easily.
Posted by Dennis in Tools & Techniques Videos at 14:06 | Comments (21)



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Hi, Dennis!

I just sent you an email today, and now I saw you posted something about it in your blog.

I dont know what Im doing wrong, the thing is, after dried, as soom as I release it from the board I did exactly as the guy on this video) the paperbacked cloth assumes a "pipe" form, it curls automactically, I tried to iron it back to its position, but doesnt work.

Is there a difference between using wheat/rice paste or CMC (methyl cellulosis) ?

Thank you!

Ricardo
#1 Ricardo on 2008-09-22 16:15 (Reply)
I'd definitely make sure the tissue is completely saturated/soaked with the paste before applying the fabric onto it.

This is important for applying glue to any kind of paper to prevent curling. The fiber on the paper needs to soak up all the moisture to expand. If the paper is not expanded fully before applying fabric/board, it will curl upon drying.
#1.1 Dennis on 2008-09-22 17:01 (Reply)
Paste has to be cooked and prepared for use. Methyl cellulose isn't sticky by itself (low tackiness) and it's usually used with something else as a mixture (e.g. PVA). Methyl celluose is what comprises of the fiber in paper so in a way it helps paper bonding together.
#1.2 Dennis on 2008-09-22 17:07 (Reply)
Thanks for the info Dennis!

When you say soak the paper with paste, can it be understood as you are applying paste in both sides of the paper? Or just the one in contact with the fabric/cloth?

Dont the excess of wheat paste come through the cloth and stain it?

Thanks!

Ricardo
#2 Ricardo on 2008-09-22 18:25 (Reply)
Hmm "soaking" is probably a misleading word. "Saturating" is more accurate. You apply as much paste as possible on the paper so that it saturates with mositure and expand, without excess. Scrape off the excess paste. You only need to apply on the side that makes contact with the cloth.

The reason why you want to use paste is that it will dry transparent -- no matter what kind of glue will seep through the fabric, therefore using one that dries transparent is important.
#2.1 Dennis on 2008-09-23 16:39 (Reply)
Im trying your technique in 2 different ways:

I tried your directions (saturating the paper with paste, laying the fabric on top of it).
I found very hard to eliminate the air bubbles from it, even using a brayer the borders start getting wrinkled.

then I tried weting the fabric to eliminate the bubbles and make it very flat, saturate the paper with past and lay it over the fabric, then use the brayer to eliminate the air bubbles.

this second method seems to work better than the first.

But since you recommend the first I described, I am probably doing something wrong .... the fabric doesnt get flat after dry, but very iregular surface...

Half of the fabric stays flat, and the other half all warped.
I believe the fabric is stretching when moisted (due the effort Im putting on it to get rid of the air bubbles), and after dry the fabric returns to its regular position, but the paper is attached to it, making it warp.

The problem them is:

How do I get rid of the air bubbles of the fabric and pasted paper, without streching it to a position that is not going to be hold when dry?

Im using a scraper and a rubber roller to get rid of the bubbles, but sometimes I have to pull the fabric by its borders, with my fingers, to flatten a bubble that became a wrinckle withe the rubber roller pressure...

I tried to make it on a vertical glass surface but it didnt hold on vertical...

Any clues?

Thank you!
#3 Ricardo on 2008-09-24 12:52 (Reply)
I think using a scraper and brayer will stretch and stress the fabric fiber way too much that it would curl upon drying. Trying using a semi-firm brush such as a bamboo brush so sweep the bubbles out gently. Pull the fabric up from the paste (that's why you need to use paste not PVA) and remount if you got wrikles and folds. I don't think you need to wet the fabric other than applying paste onto the wrong side.
#3.1 Dennis on 2008-09-25 11:03 (Reply)
Hi, Dennis.

I think its the source of the problem... I just made another try, lets see if its gonna work (but I used the brayer on this one :-(( hope it works...

What type of bamboo brush you are referreing to? I googled it and came some many different results (like those for chinese caligraphy, etc...). Have any picture?

Thanks!
#4 Ricardo on 2008-09-25 15:44 (Reply)
Do a Google (image) search on "japanese bonsai broom" and those will be the soft bamboo brushes that you can use. I know, it's a little bit obscure. Took me a while to figure out the search term. They are hard enough to push the bubbles out but not hard that it will break the fabric & paper. You can always use a handheld broom as well -- as long as the bristles are soft.
#4.1 Dennis on 2008-09-25 16:53 (Reply)
Thanks Dennis!

I will look around and see if I can find these brushes locally.

I will let you know about any developments I make.

Ricardo
#5 Ricardo on 2008-09-25 23:25 (Reply)
Talas has a bunch of big Japanese brushes that should work well with your need... but they are pricey! http://apps.webcreate.com/ecom/catalog/product_listing.cfm?ClientID=15&CategoryFullID=243
#5.1 Dennis on 2008-10-01 16:50 (Reply)
Hi, Dennis.

Did you see the price of those brushes?

One of them is US$890, !!

But thanks anyway. Now I know better which type of brush/broom to look for locally.

Ricardo
#5.1.1 Ricardo on 2008-10-01 17:02 (Reply)
Hi, Dennis!

Its me again...
I bought a broom and tried it, but the paper is still curling after dry. After many experiences, I think its curling due the paper Im using (not that good).

Do you think it will curl if I use japanese paper? I found a supplier of japanese paper, but the variety is so huge, that I got lost. which one am I supposed to buy?

this is the page of this supplier:

http://www.worldpaper.com.br/prod_restaura.html

any hint?

thanks!

Ricardo
#6 Ricardo on 2008-10-07 17:16 (Reply)
Yes, there are in fact a lot to choose from! Try something not too thin (see-through) but definitely not too thick. As it's a backing, the fabric already has some weight. I'd say something between 10-20GSM, depending on the weight of your fabric.
#6.1 Dennis on 2008-10-08 11:58 (Reply)
Hi, Dennis!!

I tried another fabric and it worked! It didnt curl. So the issue was with the type of fabric I was using.

You asked about pictures of any books I made. I didt made anything yet :-( Only lots of trial and error...

AS I said to you, Im really interested on the coptic method. I tried the link you sent me, but its offline...

How thick the paper used as pages/signatures is supposed to be?


Thnks!
#7 Ricardo on 2008-10-14 23:57 (Reply)
Thank you VERY much for the video + tips. The video has recently been updated, by the way, with sound: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=_CNSlTpI0Gg

I want to mention, I know NOTHING about bookmaking, and was supposed to make an artist book for a class, and thought, well how hard can it be to make the cover... $35 in material and many attempts later... I finally came out with some very nice rayon cloth. --and I owe that completely to your good advice here.

Here's what finally worked:
wheat paste cooked to a perfectly smooth oatmeal consistency (almost but not quite pourable).
used much smaller fabric and paper than in video.
rayon fabric evenly dampened and smoothed out but NOT glued. paper laid out on top (as in video) overlapping fabric and allowed to glue down onto board.
rolled out with rolling pin.
left to completely dry.

ended up with a few spots of bleedthrough, but much worked, and I'm guarding the good bookcloth with my life!

tip on choosing cloth: if it looks or acts funny when damp-- you have your work cut out for you. of course rayon is a difficult fabric to work with when wet -- so this really made my first bookcloth attempt that much more difficult.
#8 barbara on 2008-11-21 22:38 (Reply)
Just looking at your site and thought you might be interested in my version of bookcloth- works very well and no issues of curling etc. I simply use the iron-on fusible webbing, straight on to the fabric, then remove the backing paper and iron on tissue paper. Works with all types of fabric and doesn't add any extra thickness, and preserves the "feel" of your material, which can be affected by glues. Just take care to keep the fabric "square" when applying the webbing.
Cheers!
#9 Sue Fisken on 2009-01-02 19:14 (Reply)
I just tried a product called Steam -a-Seam 2 to adhere cloth to book boards. It is mostly used by quilters in creating appliques. Has ahy one used this for bookbinding? After placement you apply heat with a steam iron and voila it adheres and wothout a wrinkle!E
#10 Paul Wank on 2009-03-15 20:24 (Reply)
The only issue that I can see for those who need their books to be archival, this product may not be archival/acid-free, which I am not sure if it is. Thank you for your suggestion!
#10.1 Dennis on 2009-03-16 12:14 (Reply)
Hi there,

Thanks for the info in this article. I was wondering though, I was confused by the ongoing conversation in the comments, so I have a question for you. Is methyl cellulose the same as wheat paste or is that something different? If so could you provide a link for where to wheat paste and how to cook it? Thanks so much for your time!
#11 Bukola on 2010-11-24 13:31 (Reply)
Methyl cellulose is weaker than wheat/rice paste, but it doesn't need to be cooked. You should be able to find cooking recipe for pastes with Google.
#11.1 Dennis on 2010-12-17 13:24 (Reply)

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