Upcoming bookbinding workshops.
Letterpress + Coptic 2-day immersive workshop
Day 1: Letterpress Printing with Moveable Type Studio
Participants will explore hands-on letterpress printing, using both traditional and contemporary techniques to create textured and varied prints. Each participant will create a variety of prints, some that will wrap the boards of their book’s cover, and others that will feature as book pages inside. Participants may even choose to swap/collate pages with others in the workshop, to create a unique memento of a collaborative workshop experience.
Location: Moveable Type Studio, The Paint Factory, 115 Hyde Rd, Yeronga
Date: Saturday 29 November 2025
Time: 10am to 4pm with a 45min lunch break
Day 2: Coptic Bookbinding with Shelbyville Bookbinding
In this Multi-needle Coptic bookbinding workshop, participants will use their letterpress prints (from the day before) to create their own unique A5-sized journal/sketchbook/memento book, with hardboard front/back covers wrapped with letterpress prints (or other selected cover paper), and a variety of different papers inside the book, interleaved with the letterpressed papers as a special feature.
Participants will learn the traditional technique of Coptic binding (using multiple needles) to hand-sew their book with its distinctive chain-stitching sewn vertically across an exposed spine with coloured linen thread, making a beautiful and personalised keepsake of the weekend.
All tools and materials are provided as part of the workshop, but you are welcome to bring your own items from home (i.e. A3 cutting mat, a metal ruler, craft knife, pencil, awl, bonefolder), and any other sheets of fancy/coloured/found papers if you want to use these in your book.
Location: The Nest Creative Space, 31 Ferry Rd, West End
Date: Sunday 30 November 2025
Time: 1pm to 5:30pm with a mid-afternoon tea/coffee break
Class size is limited to 8 people, so there will be plenty of flexibility and individual attention. For bookings via Humanitix click here.
Leather journals (cross-structure)
Learn how to make a classic A6-sized journal with soft leather covers, coloured thread, and filled with your choice of assorted papers. Click image for more info…
Past event: Secret Belgian binding
Make a hardcover A5-sized journal with paper-wrapped covers, hand-stitched with a distinctively linear thread pattern across the spine. Click image for more info on the workshop, and how to make a booking.
Past event: Criss-cross fancy stitched A5 journals
Make the perfect A5-sized sketchbook or journal with buttery soft-leather covers and a mix of papers, all hand-sewn using a decorative criss-cross Longstitch binding. Click image for more info on the workshop, and how to make a booking.
Past event: Wrap-around leather journals (with closure)
Learn how to make your very own wrap-around soft-leather journal, hand-sewn in coloured thread using various Longstitch binding techniques, featuring a variety of papers inside, and finished with a magnetic closure. Click image for more info on the workshop, and how to make a booking.
Past event: Multi-needle Coptic binding (A5-sized)
Discover the traditional craft of Coptic bookbinding by making an A5-sized Coptic-bound book, with either classic hard-covers (fancy paper wrapped), or a soft-leather front cover, and featuring distinctive chain-stitching sewn across an exposed spine. Click image for more info on the workshop, and how to make a booking.
Past event: Hardcover Longstitch journals (leather spine + hard covers)
Learn how to make a useful and practical journal with a soft-leather spine and two hardboard covers, hand-stitched using coloured thread and a beautiful Longstitch binding technique.
Past event: Japanese stab-bound books
Learn a variety of Japanese stab bindings, by making four different notebooks using the most widely recognised Oriental bindings: Traditional 4-hole; Noble; Tortoiseshell; and Hemp-leaf stitching patterns. Click image for more info on the workshop, and how to make a booking.
Past event: Travellers’ notebooks (and sketchbooks)
Create your own version of this modern classic, a leather A5-sized notebook holder with a coloured elastic strap closure, filled with 3 handmade notebook/sketchbook inserts that are infinitely adaptable and customisable. Click image for more info on the workshop, and how to make a booking.
Past event: Leather journals (cross-structure)
Learn how to make a classic A6-sized journal with soft leather covers, coloured thread, and filled with your choice of assorted papers. Click image for more info…
Past event: Secret Belgian binding
Make a hardcover A5-sized journal with paper-wrapped covers, hand-stitched with a distinctively linear thread pattern across the spine. Click image for more info on the workshop, and how to make a booking.
Past event: Criss-cross stitched A5 journals
Make the perfect A5-sized sketchbook or journal with buttery soft-leather covers and a mix of papers, all hand-sewn using a decorative criss-cross Longstitch binding. Click image for more info on the workshop, and how to make a booking.
Past event: Wrap-around leather journals (with closure)
Learn how to make your very own wrap-around soft-leather journal, hand-sewn in coloured thread using various Longstitch binding techniques, featuring a variety of papers inside, and finished with a magnetic closure. Click image for more info on the workshop, and how to make a booking.
Past event: Coptic binding (A5-sized)
Discover the traditional craft of Coptic bookbinding by making an A5-sized Coptic-bound book, with either classic hard-covers (fancy paper wrapped), or a soft-leather front cover, and featuring distinctive chain-stitching sewn across an exposed spine. Click image for more info on the workshop, and how to make a booking.
Past event: Hardcover longstitch journals (leather spine + hard covers)
Learn how to make a useful and practical journal with a soft-leather spine and two hardboard covers, hand-stitched using coloured thread and a beautiful Longstitch binding technique.
Past event: Japanese stab-bound books
Learn a variety of Japanese stab bindings, by making four different notebooks using the most widely recognised Oriental bindings: Traditional 4-hole; Noble; Tortoiseshell; and Hemp-leaf stitching patterns. Click image for more info on the workshop, and how to make a booking.
Past event: Travellers’ notebooks/sketchbooks
Create your own version of this modern classic, a leather A5-sized notebook holder with a coloured elastic strap closure, filled with 3 handmade notebook/sketchbook inserts that are infinitely adaptable and customisable. Click image for more info on the workshop, and how to make a booking.
Past event: Leather Journals (cross-structure binding)
Learn how to make a classic leatherbound journal, with your choice of papers inside, hand-sewn with coloured thread, and using a traditional technique known as Cross-structure binding. Click image for more info on the workshop, and how to make a booking.
Past event: Secret Belgian Binding
Try your hand at making a hardcover journal with Secret Belgian Binding, featuring fancy paper-wrapped covers and hand-stitched with a distinctively linear coloured thread pattern across the spine. Click image for more info on the workshop, and how to make a booking.
Past event: Criss-cross A5 Journals
Make the perfect A5-sized sketchbook or journal with buttery soft-leather covers and a mix of papers, all hand-sewn using a decorative criss-cross Longstitch binding. Click image for more info on the workshop, and how to make a booking.
Past event: Wrap-around leather journals (with magnetic closure)
Learn how to make your very own wrap-around soft-leather journal, hand-sewn in coloured thread using various Longstitch binding techniques, featuring a variety of papers inside, and finished with a magnetic closure. Click image for more info on the workshop, and how to make a booking.
Past event: Coptic bookbinding (A5)
Discover the traditional craft of Coptic bookbinding by making an A5-sized Coptic-bound book, with either classic hard-covers (fancy paper wrapped), or a soft-leather front cover, and featuring distinctive chain-stitching sewn across an exposed spine. Click image for more info on the workshop, and how to make a booking.
Past event: 'A5 Leather Wrap-around Journals', hosted by Paper Boat Press
Spend an afternoon learning how to make your very own A5 wrap-around soft-leather journal with bookbinding expert, Michelle Vandermeer.
Michelle will teach you how to hand-stitch using Longstitch binding techniques (with your choice of three variations: straight, gathered, and French-linked). Finish it off with either a magnetic closure or a wrapping leather strap.
Click on image for more details and bookings info.
Past event: 'A5 Leather Wrap-around Journals', hosted by Paper Boat Press
Spend an afternoon learning how to make your very own A5 wrap-around soft-leather journal with bookbinding expert, Michelle Vandermeer.
Michelle will teach you how to hand-stitch using Longstitch binding techniques (with your choice of three variations: straight, gathered, and French-linked). Finish it off with either a magnetic closure or a wrapping leather strap.
Click on image for more details and bookings info.
Past event: Kids’ free school holiday workshops: Bard Books (Thursday session)
Kids and carers, roll on in and join this creative workshop where you will be able to piece together your own 'Bard Book', a notebook that you can use to record all of your Shakespearean musings or simply sketch some memories of the day.
Click on image for more details and bookings info.
Past event: Kids’ free school holiday workshops: Bard Books (Tuesday session)
Kids and carers, roll on in and join this creative workshop where you will be able to piece together your own 'Bard Book', a notebook that you can use to record all of your Shakespearean musings or simply sketch some memories of the day.
Click on image for more details and bookings info.
Past event: Kids’ workshops: Create your own Travel Journals (Sunday sessions)
Kids, come on an expedition these holidays to create your very own travel journal! Hand stitch and bind together a special one-of-a-kind memento for all your holiday tales -make your own travel journal with brightly designed postcard covers and colourful waxed-thread stitching, hand-sewn using a traditional 4-hole Japanese stab-binding technique. Click on image for more details and bookings info.
Past event: Kids’ workshops: Create your own Travel Journals (Saturday)
Kids, come on an expedition these holidays to create your very own travel journal! Hand stitch and bind together a special one-of-a-kind memento for all your holiday tales -make your own travel journal with brightly designed postcard covers and colourful waxed-thread stitching, hand-sewn using a traditional 4-hole Japanese stab-binding technique. Click on image for more details and bookings info.
Past event: Leather Journals (cross-structure binding)
Learn how to make a classic A6-sized journal with soft leather covers, coloured thread, and filled with your choice of assorted papers. Click image for more info on the workshop, and how to make a booking.
Past event: A5 Hardcover Sketchbook bookbinding workshop - hosted by Naracoopa Gallery, ‘4107 Bayside Open Studios’
Learn how to make your own A5 Hardcover Sketchbooks/journals (art-wrapped hard-covers, leather spine, and criss-cross longstitch binding). Click image for more info on the workshop, and how to make a booking.