Crossed Long stitch pattern bindings

I pulled out my book making supplies to make two leather covered books using alternate patterns of the long stitch for the binding.  The use of long stitch binding dates back to the centuries, and was popular in the medieval times.  Alternate patterns of the simple long stitch binding include altering the length of the stitches, wrapping or crossing long stitches, and using multiple colors of thread.  There are several tutorials on the web for using the long stitch to bind a leather journal.

The first book will have a soft and flexible light green leather wrap for a cover, dark green leather strap to wrap around the album and keep it closed, seven signatures of four folios of acid-free paper with deckled edges, and handmade plant fiber endpapers.  The binding will use long stitch, crossed long stitch and link stitch.

I was able to use a previous template I had made for punching holes in the signatures of the book since they were the same hight.  However, there were fewer folios in the signatures used for this book and I decided to make a new template for the holes of this book's spine that were closer together so the cover would not be too loose.  Once the new template was measured and drawn, it was quick work to punch all the holes through the leather. Accurately placed holes is important to both the function and look of the book and a carefully made template is a great help.

I used a tan 4 cord waxed linen thread for the stitching.  I stitched the leather strap on to the end of the leather wrap using crossed stitches matching the crossed long stitches used to attach the signatures to the leather wrap.  I made a template to position the holes for the stitches that attach the strap to the leather wrap.