Request a workshop
I am happy to teach by request in a location of your choice, whether that’s here on Iona or travelling farther afield to your location. Listed below are some ready-to-go workshop topics, or get in touch with your own ideas and we’ll work together to sculpt a bespoke workshop suited to your topics, interests, and skill levels. If you’d like me to teach for your group please contact me for availability and further information.
4-in-1 (turning) box – A full day workshop making a clever wee box that opens up to reveal four trays. Suitable for beginners and those with some experience.
Debossed and inlaid book covers – A full day workshop making a simple hardback book with debossed and inlaid designs on the covers, using booklcoth and paper materials. Suitable for beginners and those with some experience.
Glaswegian stab binding – A full day workshop making a modern stab bound book with sewing inspired by the designs of Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Suitable for beginners and those with some experience.
DIY stab binding design – A two day workshop walking through the steps to creating your own stab binding designs. We’ll finish by bringing those designs to life on a stab bound book to take away. Suitable for those with some experience. The first day of this workshop can be run as a Glaswegian stab binding workshop, open to beginners as well as those staying on for the second day.
Mackintosh inspired long stitch binding – A full day workshop for lovers of books and the work of Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Create your own blank book with leather spine and decorative stitching on the spine. Suitable for beginners and those with some experience.
Make your own sketchbook – A customisable workshop that can be tailored to suit your group’s availability, as this can be either a 2 hour, half day, or full day workshop. The type of binding will depend on the time available. Everyone will complete the workshop with a lay flat sketchbook or journal of their own making. Sketchbooks can also be covered with papers decorated by the students prior to the class (with advance coordination to ensure suitable paper with correct grain is used). Suitable for beginners and those with some experience.
A bevy of booklets – A full day workshop in which we will make a number of different basic bindings that can be easily replicated at home with a very basic set of tools. Both single page and folded page bindings will be used. Ideal for book artists looking for ways to shape their work into books or new binders to learn a range of techniques in a short space of time. Suitable for complete beginners.
Concertinas for artists – A full or half day workshop walking through the steps of making concertina books. The full day version includes time for participants to decorate their own covers, the half day version uses pre-decorated papers. Suitable for beginners.
Mini book ornaments – A half day workshop making fully operational tiny book ornaments. A great seasonal workshop as the books can be hung on Christmas trees are used in gift decoration. Suitable for beginners and those with some experience.
Bookbinding taster session – A short two hour hands on session for complete beginners. Students will finish two small books. All tools and materials are provided.
Upcycled book – Take a beloved piece of cloth (old t-shirt? baby blanket? favourite tea towel?) and repurpose it as the cover of a new book, made completely by you in this one day workshop. Suitable for beginners and those with some experience.
Typography for book artists – This is a presentation rather than a workshop, covering basic concepts of typography for use both on and in books. One hour, requires use of a large screen or projector.
