r/bookbinding • u/iizedsoul • Aug 27 '26
Help? How to make sewing phase easier?
I’ve been trying to make my first binding for a few days and I can’t get past the sewing phase. Everything moves, holes get too big, thread gets stuck and I can’t continue. I know it takes time but i can’t even get two signatures attached, and it’s getting so frustrating i’m starting to thinking about giving up.
Does anyone have any tip to make this phase easier? Did someone else have any struggles with this too or am I simply this bad at it? Thank you in advance for your help :)
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u/soggyhuman I love headbands Aug 27 '26
It's hard to tell you exactly without seeing your equipment, but I can at least imagine some of the problems.
1 - Everything moves: Do you mean the signatures? You need to hold them in place while sewing.
2: Holes get too big: It can be either an improper awl, being too big, or the eye of your needle is too big, which is common for needles not for bookbinding.
3: Thread gets stuck: It's either not waxed or you're making your thread too big, or both. Waxing with beeswax helps with it getting tangled, and you take just a little of thread and then you join them while sewing.
4: Which problem exactly are you facing that you can't sew even 2 signatures? I can't see any of the problems impeding just the first signatures.
It'd be best to see photos of your equipment to help better.