Coptic Bound Journals with Handmade Lokta Paper Covers

I bought this cover paper in the summer on a nice day out with my oldest child. I was nervous to use it; I have owned lokta paper books before but hadn’t made any books with it yet. The thick, handmade paper from Nepal turns out to be as lovely to work with as it is beautiful and durable. Making these kept me sane around Election Day, and I hope to have imbued them with some peace, too. I kept this design simple – but precise. The patterned paper covers boards are cleanly covered with white card on the interior pages. It’s all sewn together carefully by hand, using 100% linen thread from Northern Ireland. Inside, 192 lines pages of 24lb Classic Crest in Natural White wait for your pens and pencils – even your inky fountain pens. 

Binding: Coptic style with 18/3 thread (100% linen and waxed by hand; Handmade Lokta Paper over boards

Innards: 24lb Classic Crest in Natural White; 192 lined pages

The very first book that we would recognize as such, a codex, was bound in a similar manner to these books. The signatures are sewn directly to the covers and to one another, creating a strong binding. The lack of spine material makes it possible for these books to open flat, and the possibilities for interior formats and cover materials are nearly endless.