My sister asked why I bother with hand-sewn signatures

She said 'isn't it just the inside?' while I was working on a gift for her. It made me realize I'd been treating the structural work as a chore, not the foundation. Anyone have a favorite stitch pattern that feels more like part of the craft?

3 comments

3 Comments

taylor9291mo ago

Kettle stitch is actually a single stitch, not a pattern.

riverp372mo ago

Oh wow, that comment from your sister would have stung! It's so easy to miss the point of the work that holds everything together. My go-to is a simple kettle stitch, but I add colored thread that matches the cover. It makes the sewing a visible part of the design, not just hidden structure. What kind of gift are you making for her? Maybe the stitch can add to the story of the piece itself.

barbara3992mo ago

How do you keep the colored thread from fraying or looking messy on the spine? I tried that once with some waxed linen and it just bunched up weird. Maybe my tension was off.