Martina creates a leather-bound spell book using traditional bookbinding techniques. She starts by staining the pages with tea, then sews the signatures together with jute rope and attaches them to a text block. The text block is covered with a thin fabric and PVA glue, and the edges are stained with black coffee. Martina uses thin plywood sheets as covers, which she drills with holes at an angle to accommodate the hemp rope. She thins down the leather around the edges and spine, then glues it to the spine and covers. The leather is burnished and dyed, and the edges are treated with wax. Martina adds decorative elements, including Celtic patterns and brass ornaments, and attaches the corner protectors. Finally, she treats the surface with wax, and the spell book is complete.
Here are the key facts from the text:
1. The project is to create a leather-bound spell book.
2. The book's pages are stained with tea to give them a yellow color.
3. 52 pieces of paper are stained, making a total of 13 signatures.
4. Each signature contains 4 pieces of paper.
5. The pages are put in a book press to flatten them after folding.
6. The signatures are sewn together to make a text block.
7. The spine is covered with PVA glue and a layer of thin fabric.
8. The edges of the pages are stained with black coffee to make them darker.
9. The covers of the book are made from thin plywood sheets.
10. The holes for the hemp rope are drilled at an angle so the rope lies flat.
11. The leather used for the book is 2-2.5 mm thick.
12. The leather is thinned down around the edges and spine.
13. The leather is glued to the spine and shaped with a bone folder.
14. The leather straps are made by cutting and shaping leather, and attaching buckles with double cap rivets.
15. The leather is dyed dark brown and burnished to make it smooth.
16. The design on the front and back covers is made by carving and cutting patterns into the leather.
17. The leather is softened with water to bend it around the covers.
18. The excess leather is cut off and the edges are burnished and dyed.
19. Corner protectors are attached to the covers with glue and pliers.
20. The final design element is a couple of decorative brass ornaments attached with contact glue.