The Binder's Bench

Three Personalised Gifts Our Customers Keep Coming Back For

Personalising a book doesn't have to mean a long brief and a big budget. Sometimes it's a name, a date, and something worth writing in. Here are three we made recently — and the moments behind them.

5 Things I’ve Learned From a Lifetime of Leather Binding

Most books forgive you for small mistakes. Leather remembers every one. In over two decades of binding in leather, Simon has made every mistake worth making and learned from each of them.   

The Tools You Actually Need to Start Bookbinding (and Some You Don't)

You don't need a workshop full of specialised equipment to make your first handmade book. What you need is pretty simple and what you probably think is essential often isn't. Here's an honest guide...

Inside the Bindery: A Handcrafted Photo Album for Mother's Day

There's a photo album on the bindery bench this week with a chestnut leather cover and black card pages.  It's going home this week, one of the last Mother’s Day pieces leaving the bindery. Here's ...

A Handcrafted Gift That Actually Lasts: Mother's Day at SB Libris

Some gifts sit on a shelf. Others get used until they’re perfect. A hand-bound book from us is made to be the second kind, the journal someone fills, the album someone reaches for on quiet Sundays....

How to Choose Your First Bookbinding Project

You save twenty beautiful books on Pinterest. You close Pinterest. Nothing changes. If that's where you are with bookbinding, here's how to pick your first project — and actually start.

The First Book is Often the Most Important

If you’ve been thinking about learning bookbinding but aren’t sure where to start, you’re not alone. The first handmade book is rarely perfect — but it’s where everything begins. Here’s what to exp...

What Beginners Often Worry About?

When people first ask about learning bookbinding, there’s usually a moment of excitement. And then,almost straight after, a few doubts start to creep in. Things like: Am I creative enough?Is it too...

What Kind of Person Enjoys Bookbinding? (You Might Be Surprised)

You don’t need to be “artistic” to enjoy bookbinding. In fact, the people who love it most are usually just curious — drawn to the process, the materials, and the quiet satisfaction of making somet...

Why So Many People Are Turning to Bookbinding Right Now

In a world full of screens and constant noise, many people are rediscovering the pleasure of making things by hand. Bookbinding is one of those crafts — slow, satisfying, and deeply rewarding. Here...