Discover the art of handmade bookbinding in this practical workshop with artist Martine, where you will learn how to create your own beautifully crafted notebook from start to finish.

Guided step by step through the process, you will explore traditional bookbinding techniques while producing a unique A6 stitched notebook to take home.

Bookbinding is the craft of assembling and stitching pages together to create books by hand.

Combining paper craft, design, and construction techniques, handmade bookbinding allows artists and makers to create functional objects that are both personal and decorative.

During the session, you will fold and organise pages into sections, prepare them for stitching, and learn simple binding methods suitable for beginners and the art curious.

You will then construct hard covers using matboard and decorative papers, before assembling the finished notebook and adding optional finishing touches such as a ribbon bookmark.

Through guided demonstrations and hands-on making, you will gain an understanding of the structure and techniques behind handmade books, while developing confidence in paper craft and creative construction.

Participants are encouraged to bring decorative papers for their covers if desired, although a selection of materials will also be available to use during the workshop.

Basic materials provided. Food and drink is also available for purchase throughout the session from our cafés.

This workshop is suitable for beginners and is aimed at ages 16+.

About your tutor

Martine is a bookbinder and maker whose practice explores the creative possibilities of handmade books through paper, colour, texture, and construction.

After studying art from a young age and attending an art academy for over a decade, she later moved to a remote artistic community in Canada, where she discovered the craft of bookbinding through local workshops.

What began as a fascination with traditional journal making soon developed into an ongoing creative practice experimenting with sculptural forms, decorative details, unique bindings, and handcrafted presentation boxes.

Her work celebrates the accessibility and versatility of bookbinding, combining traditional techniques with playful experimentation and personal expression.

Through her workshops, she encourages curiosity, creativity, and confidence in making by hand, showing how simple materials can be transformed into beautifully functional objects.