| Title | Information |
| Instructor | Erin Fletcher |
| Skill Level | All Levels |
| Length of Workshop | 3 days |
| Date(s) | Friday, June 26; Saturday, June 27; and Sunday, June 28, 2026 |
| Cost | $175 per day x 3 days + $85 material fee |
| Total Pice of Workshop | $610 |
Workshop Description
Finding inspiration in a 15th century limp vellum binding where the cover was constructed like a wallet, Belgian binder Clara Gevaert slowly began to develop her Envelope Binding structure. This simple yet rather elegant structure requires very little adhesive and each cover is folded out of a single sheet of handmade paper into a self-locking “envelope.” The book opens relatively flat and is suitable for lightweight text blocks.
In this workshop, students will create three variations of the Envelope Binding structure. The first two will utilize handmade paper for the covers while showing solutions for binding a thin versus a thick text block. For the third model, students will explore Clara’s layering technique using dyed Tengucho and undyed Kozo tissues to create a more translucent and dynamic cover.
Materials/Equipment to be Provided by Students
- Acrylic fluid paint
- Blue tape
- Bonefolder
- Craft knife
- Cutting mats, large and medium size
- Dividers
- Glue brush, small
- Wide paste brush (about 8″)
- Needle – No. 25 sharps
- Pencil
- Pin vise or awl
- PVA
- Rulers of different lengths with metric measurements (12″/300mm and 20″/500mm)
- Scalpel (with #23 or #25 blade)
- Scissors
- Triangle (with 90° angle)
- Optional:
- More beeswax
- Punching cradle
- Teflon folder
See Materials Glossary for definitions and images
Materials/Equipment to be Provided by Instructor
- Acrylic paint
- Beeswax
- Brushes for dyeing tissue
- Thread (40/3 undyed)
- Paste
Instructor Biography
Erin Fletcher is the owner of Herringbone Bindery, where she crafts one-of-a-kind fine bindings and small editions for various clients and institutions. Her work is regularly exhibited throughout the USA and abroad. Her work is in the collections at the Grolier Club, the Boston Athenaeum, the University of California Los Angeles, and in several private collections[1.1]. She first discovered a love for bookbinding while studying at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. This experience brought her to study bookbinding at the North Bennet Street School in Boston where she graduated in 2012. She regularly teaches book arts workshops online and at venues throughout the USA.
Instagram: @herringbonebindery
