She's done! And I absolutely LOVE how she turned out! π
I was absolutely terrfied of my first time rounding a book spine. But I am so happy how it turned out. It was actually quite fun once you overcome the hesitation to tackle a book (least of all one which you just made yourself) with a hammer. Photodump and some more bookbinding nerdery below the cut. ^_^
Initially I wanted to go for a "classic Austen-esque" style of flowers and swirls and all that with this bind. Which did not quite work out the way I intended but I still love the results.
Also, a huge and hollering THANK YOU to the lovely @s-u-w-i for giving me permission to use this gorgeous portrayal of Anne and Frederic for this project. From the very beginning I just KNEW I wanted this piece to be the first thing you see when opening the book. If you don't know their tumblr already go check it out! It is brimming with absolutely amazing art (Austen, Tolkien, greek mythology and lots and lots of original stuff) that I love to distractions.
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I was tagged by the wonderful @lyragoth to share an update on one of my current WIPs (thank you! π).
So here's a bit about my hardcover bind of Jane Austenβs "Persuasion" thatβll enter a new and quite terrifying stage once I work up the courage to continue.
(And no, I have not been frustrated out of my mind by it so that the only solution is to bash the whole thing to pulp with a hammer ^_^)
I finally completed my typesetting and printed the whole thing over the weekend. 304 pages. Whew! I came out with a total of 19 signatures so that sewing this beauty will take a while. Good thing I love that part of bookbinding!
And then I want to finally try my hand at rounding a bookβs spine for the first time (thus the hammer). The intended effect is this nice and elegant curve of the spine and fore-edge of the text block:
Folio Society seems to have gotten the hang of it, letβs see how thatβll work out for my Jane! π
Tagging with absolutely no pressure @emmathefanficgal, @hobbitwrangler, @ailendolin, @selmas-teashop, @daughterofthesunlands, @erathene, @esta-elavaris, @robiberon , @sotwk and anyone else wanting to share a project they are currently working on!
Still totally obsessed with browsing old public domain pattern and art books for inspiration for bookbinding projects.
Aren't these gorgeous? And don't they somehow whisper "Gwaith-i-MΓrdain" to you in a soft and seductive voice?
I think I know EXACTLY which author to woo for permission to bind their sublimely gorgeous Celebrimbor fic to use these! (even if it will remain a WIP for quite some time)
Extracted from the 1849 edition of "Floriated ornament : a series of thirty-one designs" by Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin available here if anyone wants to check out the rest.
Tolkien Short Fic Bookbinding Project: Would you just look at this beauty?! Aaah! πππ
Sorry in advance for the huge photo dump and way too many exclamation marks but I just finished my very first 100% handmade book and am near delirious with happiness how it turned out! π
Thank you SO MUCH again to all of the wonderful authors who kindly gave me permission to bind their amazing short stories for this project (full list of stories here, check it out - I beg of you - they are all so incredibly good). But even more importantly: Thank you for creating all of your fantastic stories and sharing them with the world!!ππ
Also: A big thank you to all the kind souls out there who showed an interest in this little project and cheered me on along the way! Your interest and support truly meant a lot! π
If anyone is interested in recapping the making of this book you can do so here and here.
And now, please excuse me: I have a fantastic book to snuggle up with in bed for the rest of Sunday night! π
One last time: Tagging those who expressed an interest in status updates and/or the finished project: @ailendolin , @illegalcerebral , @celebrimborsapron , @sotwk @nocompromise-noregrets , @from-the-coffee-shop-in-edoras , @emmathefanficgal, @tathrin , @sun-snatcher , @self-destructinganimal , @balrogballs
On a whim I attended a 3 day course on bookbinding in early 2025 and am still having so much fun with it. Since I just finished my first 1 kg pot of glue (well... kind of "finished it"... a 3-week heatwave turned the remaining 10% into an near immovable goo thus finishing it for me) I thought it would be nice to do a little round up of the story so far.
I didn't snatch photos of all notebooks before giving them away but I still like the look of the overall collection ^_^
Not sure if starting my second pot of glue with my first ever spine rounding is such a good idea in case it goes horribly wrong. But still very excited for when I manage to stock up and continue!
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After finishing my first ever bind of Tolkien Short Fiction last autumn @celebrimbor-apologist half-jokingly asked me what it would take to get a handbound edition of their drop dead gorgeous βRings of Powerβ fics. Turns out the answer is quite simple: a bit of patience for my over-excited, happy squealing to subside (seriously, I was SO happy you asked!). And then a lot more patience for me to descend into and re-emerge from my typesetting-and-material-fussing rabbit hole to get some actual binding done.
And since I can be a bit greedy at times I've made it identical twins. I love how they turned out and am so very much looking forward to snuggling up with my copy in bed over the weekend.
The volume features 12 stories from the "All You Good People" collection over on AO3 (published there under the pen name hopeful_foolx) and is a mixture of fics I had already fallen in love with ("Sunflowers" my beloved and "A Song for the Doomed"), fics warmly recommended to me by dear mutuals (Trust like the Wind -- thanks again, @self-destructinganimal and @ailendolin ππ) and stories I've had on my reading list for ages ("Drown it Out" , "Long As You Run" and many more).
If you are looking for some beautifully quiet stories about Elrond, Gil-Galad, Celebrimbor, Camnir, Vorohil and the rest of the elven gang brimming with wonderful characterizations, utter heartbreak and the healing power of friendship I cannot recommend these enthusiastically enough!
Thank you so much again, @celebrimbor-apologist, for creating and sharing your stories with all of us!! π
++++
Material used for this bind:
Brillianta bookcloth in burgundy
Peppin Press giftwrap paper from their "Chinese Art" booklet for the cover
HahnemΓΌhle Zeichenpapier Ingres 100 gr/sqm for endpapers
HP Office Premium paper 90gr/sqm for the text block (not ideal, especially in terms of grain direction, but still has a nice texture and I could source it offline)
Attempted and finished my very first rebind of a well-loved paperback this week!
Soo happy with how it turned out! π
And it was so much fun to look for materials matching the content: gorgeous yet understated Japanese katazome paper for Sophie on the cover and extravagant bird prints for Howl as end papers.
Definitely an improvement to what we started with, no? ^_^
Tolkien Elves Bookbinding Project: Complete Line-Up and β‘β‘ Fic Rec β‘β‘ List
I guess it was inevitable. After >3 decades of being in love with Tolkien's world and half a year of dabbling in amateur bookbinding I am making my very first book totally from scratch. And not just any old book. An anthology of some of my all-time favorite Tolkien short fics! (*squee*)
I am over the moon that some truly amazing writers have given me permission to bind their wonderful work for this project.
If you are in the market for some brilliant storytelling and wonderful diverse takes on Tolkien's elves I cannot recommend these stories (and their writers in general) enough! Go check them out and leave some well deserved love! ππ
2025/10/26 Update: It is done!! And itβs a real book!! π
"Three Weeks on the Nimrodel" by @from-the-coffee-shop-in-edoras (Haldir x reader, 3.1k words, rated: General)
Haldir, Marchwarden of Lothlorien, might not be the easiest company for three weeks of guard duty up a solitary mallorn tree. But something is different this time. β Perhaps my all-time favorite story about the beauty of falling in love without needing a lot of words or grand gestures.
"Understanding" by @nocompromise-noregrets (Rumil of Lorien & Eowyn, 3.6k words, rated: Teen)
In the aftermath of the Battle of Helm's Deep Eowyn shares a quiet moment with one of Lorien's warriors. β Sometimes a story plainly refuses to let go of you long after you finished reading it even if you can't put a finger on why exactly. This is one of those rare gems.
"Transformed" by @sotwk (OMC Prince of Greenwood x reader, 2.5k words, rated: Teen)
3 words only: Werewolves. In. Mirkwood. β Need I really say more? Well then perhaps: Delightfully oblivious friends-to-lovers, gripping angst with a happy ending and a wonderful good dad Thranduil.
"In the Halls of Healing" by @illegalcerebral (Galadriel & Celebrimbor, 6.2 k words, rated: General)
Two old friends reunite in the Halls of Mandos. β An absolutely gorgeous piece about friendship and learning to forgive yourself with an absolutely stellar cast.
"Finding a New Purpose" by @celebrimborsapron (Celebrimbor x OFC, 19k words, rated: Explicit)
Eregion fell. Celebrimbor survives and now has to pick up the pieces of what used to be his life. β A gorgeous story about coming to terms with your past and braving new beginnings. Featuring a wonderful leading couple and a whole flock of delightful supporting characters.
"Spun Together" by @esta-elavaris (Haldir x OFC, 6k words, rated: Teen)
Every elf in Lothlorien knows of Marchwarden Haldir. Liawyn does too, of course, even though she has never spoken to him. Just caught glances of him across a busy market square. Until... β If Jane Austen were alive today she would need to read this and take some serious notes. Sooo much delicious pining condensed into such a short piece.
"In Lieu of Flowers" and "Celebrian" by @self-destructinganimal (Galadriel x absentee!Celeborn, 1k words, rated: Teen) and Elrond Meeting his wive for the first time (200 words, rated: General)
Galadriel mourns the absence of her husband and Elrond meets his wive for the first time. β Yes, I am fully aware that this is two stories by the same author. But hey: my anthology my rules! I could not choose between them for the life of me. Read them. Youβll see why.
"Hope and Ruin" by @ailendolin (Elrond & Elendil, 1.5 words, rated: Teen)
Even the strongest soul has a breaking point. The Battle of Eregion has been fought. And Lost. Elrond needs a hug. And Elrond gets a hug. β An absolutely beautiful and devastating punch in the guts.
"Of Half-Wits & Fools" by @sun-snatcher (Elrond x reader, 5.6k words, rated: General)
You and Elrond have known each other for ages and simply cannot stand the sight of each other. Alright, maybe barely tolerate each other. Perhaps, in time, can learn to grudingly accept each other... Or do you? - Absolutely peak oblivious bickering idiots in love with a delicious side order of long suffering Gil-galad and Galadriel.
"A Lifetime" by @celebrimbor-apologist (Celebrimbor & Elrond, 8.5 words, rated: Teen)
Five times Celebrimbor finds Elrond. And the one time Elrond finds Celebrimbor. Just in time. β This gorgeous, quiet story simply healed something in me.
"The Vampire King" by @gloomwitchwrites (Thranduil x Reader, 1.8k words, rated: Mature)
Something is lurking in the depths of Mirkwood. And itβs not just spiders in the dark as an intrepid messenger to the Elvenking is about to find out. β Peak Gothic Romance vibes and an unexpected spin on our dear Thranduil.
"A Nightingale in Mirkwood" by @tathrin (Glorfindel x Galion, 4.7k words, rated: Teen)
A chance meeting in Mirkwood before Glorfindel heads off for war. -- Amazing prose and unbelievable chemistry between two fantastic male leads.
"Living Arrows Sent Forth" by @balrogballs (Elrond & Thranduil, 4.3k words, rated: General)
Two very different fathers meet on the eve of Arwen's wedding. -- I only came across this gem recently but it is one of those stories you just know you'll come back to again and again and again.
As always: Thank you all so, soo incredibly much for your amazing stories!! π
