Baile Mor Books

11/08/2026

I'm delighted to have a binding in Festival Bindings, on now until 29 August at National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh. Of the Western Isles by Gertrude Bone is alongside some rather spectacular design bindings from other Licentiates and Fellows of Designer Bookbinders UK. It's bound with dyed J Hewit & Sons Fair Goat spine and Scottish roe deer parchment covering the boards, dyed to tie in with the spine.

I'm looking forward to seeing all of them for myself later this week. If you're in or near Edinburgh, do have a look!

05/08/2026

Sometimes I love the smoothness of parchment, or the graininess of leather. Sometimes I want a really firm, smooth paper.

But sometimes I rejoice in the soft flexibility and texture of handmade papers. Like today. Very much enjoying these lokta and khadi papers in all parts of this book.

(With a little bit of fish parchment thrown in, of course.)

30/07/2026

If this isn't the definition of book-nerdery, I'm not sure what is. What would I possibly want with a knackered version of just Volume 1 of an encyclopaedia set? Despite the fact it leaves leather dust on every surface it touches? Because out of the 831 pages, 11 are about bookbinding!

Some day I'll get around to fixing up the book. In the meantime it's in quarantine and I occasionally get it out to look at those 11 pages.

(Cycolpaedia of Useful Arts and Manufacture, edited by Charles Tomlinson, 1851 for anyone curious.)

25/07/2026

Fish parchment, cotton cloth, seaweed flecked endpapers. 🐟

15/07/2026

What's even better than a cutaway model? How about a really small cutaway model?

Made this miniature book earlier this year with ... but went slightly off piste (sorry Karen) by downsizing significantly.

14/07/2026

* DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS ON THE ROAD! *

After a slightly quieter spell, Designer Bookbinders will be on the road twice in August!

Firstly, we will have a stand at the Society of Bookbinders Conference at York University from the 14–16 August 2026. Please come and say hello if you are attending the conference.

And secondly, we are also very pleased to announce an new exhibition called, "FESTIVAL BINDINGS" which is an upcoming display of contemporary bookbinding by Fellows and Licentiates of Designer Bookbinders that will be taking place at The National Library of Scotland (George IV Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1EW) from the 10-29 August 2026.

We are currently working on updating our website with further details. There will also be much more to report about each of these events on our social media channels, including sharing images of some of the wonderful new bindings that you will be able to see displayed in Edinburgh.

Stay tuned for more!

09/07/2026

Finished and sent off. ☑

Of the Western Isles, a design binding I've been working on for the last couple of months, is now on it's way to take part in a Designer Bookbinders UK exhibition that will be in the National Library of Scotland 10-29 August.

I'm not usually able to get to DB exhibits, so quite looking forward to seeing this one! Pop in if you're in Edinburgh for the festival.

09/07/2026

https://www.designboom.com/design/book-together-closer-look-contemporary-bookbinding/

the art of holding pages together For centuries, the finest bookbinding was meant to disappear. The sewing was concealed beneath leather, the spine covered by cloth, and the intricate engineering that held every page together remained hidden beneath the surface. A well-bound book was judged by its ...

01/07/2026

There was quite a lot of interest in bone folder 'soup', so here's an update: they soaked in walnut oil (because that's what I had, thank you Tesco mis-delivery) for a little over a week. Doesn't need to be that long, but that's how long I was away. They've now been scrubbed with dish soap twice, rested in newsprint overnight, and are not leaving any oil marks behind. Ready to go for another year or so! And this marbled / mottled look they get is a lovely bonus.

27/06/2026

The book nerd version of Where's Wally / Waldo: find the holidaying bookbinder in the bookshop.

I found a book on the preservation of leather bindings and a catalogue of antiquarian fine bindings in the V&A. And when not in a bookstore, saw plenty of castles, ruins, pine martens, and badgers. Good holiday all round. Back to work on Monday.

Paparazzi photo compliments of