A Trial Terminology for Sewing Through the Fold

This guide is an aid to recording a sewing thread's path through the folds of a book. While historical bindings have come down to us; a specific, accompanying terminology of construction, if it ever existed, has not been recorded. We have attempted to fill this gap by supplying a "trial" vocabulary for descriptive recording. The sewing process/product is broken into three categories—the motions of a thread to form a stitch; the patterns formed by a sequence of stitches, either in the fold or across the spine; the broad structure of text-block construction.

A stitch, the first viewpoint, is defined as the motion of a thread from a sewing station exit to a sewing station entry. Thirteen words make up the stitch vocabulary.

I. Sewing Stitch

	Link	pass under another thread
	Slip	pass under itself
	Loop	circle around a support
	Lap	pass over a support
	To-the outside	in the direction of head or tail in relation to sewing direction
	To-the-inside	away from head or tail in relation to sewing direction
	Forward	continue in direction of progression
	Reverse	continue opposite to direction of progression
	Drop	move downward
	Climb	move upward
	Angle	move diagonally
	Continue-on	enter a station in the same section
	Change-over	enter a station in a section different from that exited

Patterns, the second viewpoint, are sequences of stitches. The thread at the innermost folio of a section can be located and observed throughout the book. The sequence noted can be described by the fold pattern terminology. Fold patterns are divided into two types—periodic and continuous. Periodic have intervals between some of the stations and continuous do not.

II. Sewing Pattern

Fold pattern

Periodic—intervals between some stations

in-line
staggered
erratic

Continuous—without intervals between stations simple

simple
multiple
head to tail
skip station

The other type of sewing pattern is the backbone pattern. These patterns are the sequences of stitches seen on the backbone of the book.

Backbone pattern

chain
rib
chevron
step

The third viewpoint is structure. Supported sewing utilizes a shared part to which the sections are secured via the thread. Unsupported sewing uses only the thread to secure the sections to each other.

III. Sewing Structure

Supported sewing

Unsupported sewing

SAMPLE

Unsupported structure.

Chain pattern across spine; in-line, periodic fold pattern. There are four sewing stations—A is at the head and D is at the tail. Two needles are used, each sewing between two stations—A & B or C & D. They sew independently but identically. Enter at A, continue-on to B, exit, drop to-the-outside, link, climb, enter at B, reverse, exit at A, drop to-the-outside, link, climb, changeover and enter at A in the next section.