I became captivated by bookbinding the moment a creative and inspiring college professor introduced me to the craft during my Art Major studies in Iowa.

Initially, my book compositions featured repurposed diesel truck engine parts as design elements inspired by my father.  Recycled metal components would often blend with stained glass, upcycled found objects, vehicle emblems, and purposeful carvings to form cohesive themes.

After decades of refining my craft, my specialty has become the meticulous hand carving of custom designs or logos, embossing them one inch at a time into leather to create intricate, highly three-dimensional cover art.

I invite you to join me on this artistic journey. With your guidance, we will create a timeless piece that reflects your unique essence, commemorates your special event, or honors your gift recipient with a personalized handmade book, destined to be cherished for generations.

Traditional Craft Meets Contemporary Design

Specializing in creating custom handmade books, I blend traditional cord sewn bookbinding techniques and handmade papers with a contrast of unique contemporary features such as fabricated metal designs, stained glass windows, embossed forms, and mechanical parts.

The Bookbinding Process: Handcrafted with Precision

The process of creating my custom books begins with folding acid-free paper in half and stacking it into “signatures.” Each signature is then hand-sewn around leather cords using a needle and thread, ensuring durability and longevity. Once the sewing is complete, I use a clamp to secure the book and apply archival glue to reinforce the sewn pages. Before the glue dries, I carefully hand hammer the spine to round and tighten it, adding strength and an elegant finish.

Quality Materials and Structural Integrity

To ensure heirloom-quality books,  I reinforce the cover hinges with two layers of 55-pound tensile-strength fabric and use permanently flexible archival glue. Hand-stitched headbands, made from colorful threads wrapped around leather cords, are sewn directly onto the spine ends to provide both decorative appeal and functional strength.

Unique Page Edges: Sculpted or Trimmed to Perfection

Finally, I give each book a distinctive touch by hand-ripping the page edges, creating a sculpted, curved deckled edge. Alternatively, I use a clamp to askew the book and trim each page with a razor blade, allowing for precision straight or angled edges.

Why Choose Custom Bookbinding?

My custom-made books are designed to be treasured and passed down through generations, making them a lasting symbol of your story, memories, or milestones.  Each book is carefully handcrafted with fastidious attention to detail to reflect your unique vision, whether it’s for a special occasion, a meaningful gift, or a timeless heirloom. 

Binding Process Explained

Learn more about the Leather Bookbinding Process and explore step-by-step examples.