#dcb bindery

I clawed my way into the light, but the light is just as scary by romcommie, binding by DCB Bindery

Summary: You're lying. You're leaving the important parts out again. You're ignoring what's happening in the house, you're ignoring the red string that's supposed to be leading the way, time-adherent. Of course. That's because all strings can be cut, all strings can wind up dead ends, all things can be taken away, including time. The string's not red because of the poetry of it all, bub. It's red because someone's bled all over it.

Ever since I found the beloved name, exiled, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it or the series it belongs to. Thank you to @bromcommie for letting me bind this incredible work for this year’s Binderary!

Specs: Accordion binding with hardcovers and half A5 sheets as tabs, A6, 31 pages.

On the process: This was one hell of a gauntlet, from typesetting free verse poetry to my first foray into accordion binding. I ended up quite pleased with the typeset, but it was impossible to take proper pictures of all the details, so please forgive my rambling description.

This singular accordion binding contains both parts of the series, which starts at either end of the book. Each side reads like a regular book, with coordinating hard covers, title pages, etc. The two parts are printed on opposite sides of the same sheets. So depending on which cover you read from, you’re getting a different book in the series. A few elements in the title, series, and other supplemental pages are inspired by the use of morse code in the poems.

Mirroring the narrative, all elements in the common denominator of all truth start off in red. The text then gradually turns black as we arrive at the end. This ‘back cover’ is where the beloved name, exiled starts on the other side. Similarly, the gradient is present where all elements start in black and goes to red, mirroring where the narrative starts and ends.

Given the two characters featured in these two parts and their journeys, the significance of these opposite colors representing their endings was so fun for me to execute.

The gradient is also most prominent and easiest to follow along the line on the bottom where the page numbers are, an exciting element to bring to the accordion binding. Except it was impossible to take pictures of the effect because the accordion expands into a very long book. But I promise the line on the bottom goes from red to black and vice versa for each respective work in the series.

The binding itself was really tricky, not least because the paper I used was very thin. Glueing every single page was finicky, tedious, and took a lot of trial and error. I refuse to discuss the skew.

Overall, this was actually a fun challenge to typeset and an interesting new type of binding for me to try. I just wish it wasn’t so hard to take pictures highlighting all the cool details I was excited about executing.

Savage God by PottersPink, binding by DCB Bindery

Summary: Past, present, future, Steve knows Bucky Barnes. It’s why he recognized him when he found him in that alley in April of 1942, even though Bucky was older, stronger, wearier; he called himself The Asset, and had a metal fucking arm. He flinched when Steve tried to touch him, and when Steve told him he loved him, his first response was to ask why. The Asset was only with Steve in 1942 for a few days, but it’s enough to change the course of Steve’s life forever; the journey to becoming Captain America is coloured with urgency, with an undercurrent of fear and determination that in the end he just can’t manage to hide from everyone — But it was all for nothing. Steve saves Bucky from Zola, just to lose him on the train. Their second chance, wasted. Seventy years later, Steve wakes up in the twenty-first century, and he doesn’t know whether to be heartbroken or hopeful when some of the things Bucky revealed to him in 1942 start falling into place.

Specs: Square back bradel, red edges, marbled patterned endpapers and endbands, A6, with slipcase.

A gripping read from @potterspink, undoubtedly one of my all time favorites. I’ve revisited this fic over and over again and it is no less satisfying to read each time!

On the process: I knew I wanted to base the design of this binding around a matchbox, and decided to go with Diamond matches. Really liked how it turned out, especially with the striker design on the spine of the book. Had a lot of fun bringing in elements of the story into the slipcase design too, and the slipcase construction was so much simpler and easier than I expected!

I’m quite pleased with the matches marking parts one to three as well, adding a little pop of red that ties everything together. I’m binding three editions of this fic for Binderary so check out the paperback & collector's edition for a more in depth look at the typeset!

The Weight of Gold by dreamsinthewitchouse, binding by DCB Bindery

Summary: “The plates around your neck,” the man says. “It’s your name on them, isn’t it? I’ve seen men wear those before.” Steve nods, lifts his hand to his dog tags. “On the boat?” he asks, rubbing the metal between his fingers. The man tilts his head and blinks at Steve, a slightly sad twist to his mouth. “No, Steven. On the bottom of the ocean.”

Specs: Mini binding approx. 30 x 40mm and an A7 square back bradel. Matching marbled patterned endpapers and endbands, star cutout, and gold edges on the A7.

An enthralling mermaid au from @dreamsinthewitchouse that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about since I first read it. Such an intriguing and mesmerizing take on these two and their fate!

On the process: Kicking off Binderary with a tiny book that I bound during @renegadepublishing’s mini bind along! I’m quite pleased with how it turned out, especially how the cutout peeks into the marbled endpapers. I can’t emphasize how tiny and cute this book is.

Originally I only wanted to do the mini binding for this fic, but I couldn’t help myself and bound an accompanying regular sized version. Somehow the cutout was much easier on the tiny book, but I did like coloring the edges gold for the bigger version.

More DCB Bindery Projects

Savage God by PottersPink, binding by DCB Bindery

A must read that’s as thrilling as it is cathartic. Thanks @potterspink for letting me bind your work!

Specs: A6, paperback, with self-ended endpapers and a hinge. I’m binding three editions of this fic for Binderary so check out the slipcase & collector's edition!

On the process: I had a really hard time on the typeset for this fic. Mostly I struggled with the visual language to communicate the different parts and sections and years that the narrative jumps between. It took me so long to settle on something that isn't too distracting but still feels natural the way it does originally on the webpage. I did have fun with the one-off spreads, though, like the local news and 911 transcript.

The idea behind the cover design for the paperback was something that’s reminiscent of pulp magazines and classic sci-fi covers from the early 20th Century. Overall I’m really happy with the final look of this paperback!

Savage God by PottersPink, binding by DCB Bindery

My take on a Collector’s Edition of this spectacular fic by @potterspink. Check out the slipcase & paperback editions I bound for Binderary!

Specs: Square back bradel, black edges, pink endbands, flexible made sewn-on endpapers, A6.

On the process: A more elaborate design inspired by Diamond matches. I based the patterned endpapers and black edges on the matchbox design, and I’m so happy with how they added to the overall look!

Honestly I feel like I improved on a lot of skills in these past few bindings, not least of which are half-decent jobs on trimming, sewn endbands, and colored edges. Took my time and redid multiple parts when I screwed them up and I’m really glad that I did.

More DCB Bindery Projects

Portland, Maine by BonkyBornes, binding by DCB Bindery (dontcallmebree)

Summary: It was a mutual separation if there was such a thing. They were going to different colleges across the country and neither of them wanted to do long-distance. Besides, they knew the statistic: only 2% of high school relationships lasted, and while they did last longer than the national average, the odds were against them. Or, after nearly two decades, Bucky finds Steve again in the small town of Portland, Maine and they spend the week together.

Specs: Millimeter binding, square back bradel, green edges with gold sprinkling, white endbands, gold endpapers, 63 pages, A6. With an accompanying unpublished alternate fic as bonus content.

A favorite of mine from @bonky-bornes that lands exactly where it should and digs into all the softest crevices of your heart. Melancholic and full of heartache, reading this felt like a painful, refreshing bout of rain.

On the process: It was so much fun trying to typeset something stripped back yet still elegant to match the tone of this story, and I really ended up liking the clean look of this. The snippet of the summary on the back was a last minute choice that I ended up adoring.

I wanted a nature-inspired, rainy feel and look, so in addition to the umbrella and images, I decided to do gold sprinkled edges over green to emulate raindrops and add a bit of sparkle. Overall, I think this is pretty close to what I had in mind!

You Make My Heart Skip A Beet by musette22, binding by DCB Bindery (dontcallmebree)

Summary: “I made soda bread.” Steve lets out the 6’2” supersoldier equivalent of a squeak. “Oh, I love soda bread,” he says eagerly, rolling forward on the balls of his feet like he does when he gets excited. “My Ma used to make it all the time when I was growing up.” The tips of Barnes’s ears turn red, and he mutters something that sounds suspiciously like, “I know.”

Specs: Single section bradel binding, straight back, bookcloth spine covering, pamphlet sewing, brown endpapers, 27 pages, A6.

An incredibly sweet comfort read I keep coming back to, a guaranteed pick me up for any bad day. Thanks @musette22 for letting me bind this adorable work of yours!

On the process: For my first Binderary project, I tried a single section binding to match the typeset meant to resemble a recipe book! The typeset was honestly a blast, and I had fun making sure the elements of a recipe book correspond with the narrative, from the headers to the illustrations to the notes sections substituting what would have been blank pages.

This was also my first foray into bookcloth and pamphlet sewing. Bookcloth worked well enough but I wish I had done a tighter job with the sewing. All in all a great start to Binderary!

all messed up with nowhere to go by girlbookwrm, binding by DCB Bindery (dontcallmebree)

Summary: “You make me promise to try, every time before we say goodbye. “Whatever happens, you always stand up, Steve.” And I will. I'll try, Buck. I'll try to pick up where you left off." After the Snap, Steve starts writing in Bucky’s journal.

Specs: Full leather binding, false shoulders, oxford hollow, gold made endpapers, white endbands, 117 pages, A6.

A heartbreaking and incredibly grounded take on life after the Snap that puts in the work of seeing everything through. Thanks @girlbookwrm for letting me bind your gorgeous work!

On the process: An attempt at a full leather binding to close out Binderary! So many things went wrong with this one, before I even got to the torture that was dealing with leather. Learned that I really like the oxford hollow and really hate working with this leather specifically.

The typeset was probably my favorite part, because I knew I wanted it to look like the journal they’re writing in. Bringing that to life was really fun and I’m quite happy with how it turned out!