My Story…. the journey to Belfast Bound!
My journey into bookbinding started way back in 2012 and, geek that I am, came from Doctor Who! The character River Song had a Tardis journal, which I wanted! I saw some on sale online but they were pretty pricey so I decided to make my own! After a good bit of online research, the purchase of a couple of manuals and practice with old documents the book was done. It looked great, but lacked a little in functionality. However the bookbinding bug had set in.
I built my own presses with salvaged wood but struggled with trimming the edges of hand cut paper straight, I needed a press and plough. The plough I bought and made a larger press. But I won’t pretend to have 10 years of experience in bookbinding!
In 2013 I upped sticks and moved to London. It simply wasn’t possible to continue my bookbinding hobby with a big city lifestyle. Just before covid I suffered a mental health crisis and was unable to work. As I recovered my mind kept drifting back to my old bookbinding hobby as I had found the process therapeutic and fulfilling.
I signed up for a course at the City Literary Institute in Central London. Here I had the privilege of being taught by world renowned bookbinders with bucket loads of experience. Classes continued via zoom during lockdown. I also started an Etsy shop and blog called ‘Stowbound’ as I was living in Walthamstow (of E17 ‘90s boy band acclaim).
However I was struggling with a relationship breakdown and my mental health continued to waiver. I was still based in London but, after spending Christmas 2021 ‘back home’ at my parents I started to question what I wanted. So had the choice of struggling on in London, where I could take the more advanced classes, or coming back to Northern Ireland permanently and find my own way of learning at my own pace.
I chose the latter. I’m so glad I did as it meant I could spend more time with my dad before he suddenly passed away last summer.
I have now had my precious presses, materials and other tools brought over from London and have decked out ‘The Bindery’. I am now able to bind books from start to finish.
Belfast Bound has arrived!