#ficbinding recs

[darkodomain]

one of the more obscure projects i’ve been working on (i think—i don’t know how well-versed the average internet user is in danny phantom fic)

PHANTOM OF TRUTH :: HAIJU

i tried a couple new techniques on this one bc it was a smaller project so i felt i had some room to play around and while it was an immensely frustrating time working on it, i’m not unhappy with the way it turned out <3

now onto shadow of a doubt, already typesetted and printed and ready to be bound!

[ohmightydevviepuu]

fanbinding: the reason birds can fly

the story: the reason birds can fly by philthestone

genuinely i sometimes wonder if i am the only person who has read this little gem of a fic. canon-divergent post-s5 finale and an absolute delight of absurdity and ... reality from Henry Mills' POV as he heads to college after everything he has survived.

the binding: sewn boards paperback legal quarto. designed to look like an american school kid's composition notebook. took me ages to line up the notebook lines and then they didn't print that way so i had to trim it pretty much by hand using a guillotine. speckle design from stock imagery printed on sparkle HTV. modified spine with bookcloth, no backing, to give it that rounded feeling. in retrospect, i might have made a few different choices; if i ever print it again i might try black kraft paper with white sparkle HTV so the feeling of negative space is different. but this bind has been in progress over a year and i'm happy just to be holding it in my hand.

yes, the first page is on the wrong page. yes, i (mostly) did that on purpose. lol.

[discodinosaur]

✧˖°. A Stranger's Heart Without a Home by morninstarjoy ✧˖°.

I have been patiently waiting for @morning-star-joy to get their copy before posting this and it’s FINALLY there!

I am so honoured that you let me make you one too! I had the best time with these and everything came together so well! I love the brown typeset ✨

I reached out to @snifsnouf-art about using their work for the endpaper, title page and jacket, and they were so patient and kind with me ✨ thank you for letting me use these, they’re so stunning!

To finish these off, I had these revolver charms leftover and they screamed Joel to me and were perfect??

I am deeep into my Joel Miller brainrot and will need approximately another 5-7 working days to get over how well these came out.

Typeset, printed and handbound by me!

Link again because you've got to read this! <3

More photos under the cut!

[gargoyleandgremlinpress]

The Dragon by Mairead Triste and Aristide

My final book of Fanfic Writers' Appreciation Day! The Dragon by @the-cimmerians is a casefic horror slashfic (the m/m kind... but really, a bit of both) circa 1999, for the TV show The Sentinel, the origin of the Sentinel/Guide trope in fanfic.

In the late nineties, Sentinel was one of the ubiquitous slash fandoms, up there with due South, X-Files, and Highlander. I fully admit I have only ever seen the pilot and some fanvids, but I absorbed SO much canon and fanon from fic over the years.

At one point, I swear I had a printed, coil bound copy of The Dragon (like the one at the end of this post about Ghosts by Torch) so of course it needed to make its way onto my to-bind list. Gay pining, eventually requited! A serial killer! Folklore monsters!

This was a fun one to play around with some of the visual elements. Black and red and silver for the cover, and I am not sad that the edges got a bit drippy with the splattering. The endpapers are red lokta paper and I went through some contortions with trimming to keep the raw edges on the paper, for the VIBES. The batwing motif fits in with the folklore, and the handprints fit a very specific scene in the story. (THAT one. The under the bed one.) Plus, teeth.

I'm pretty happy overall with how it all came together, and fit with the overall mood and themes of the fic, and with being able to share some older fic and fandoms.

Happy FFWAD, Aristide!

[sits-bound]

Bound: Pucks and Recreation by @doggernaut

If you follow my main account, this might seem familiar. That’s because I released the podfic of this the other day. I felt bad for taking so long to finish it (it was for Fandom Trumps Hate) so I decided to send the author a bound copy of it as well. The USPS was uncommonly efficient and it made it to her in two days, so it’s a good thing I released the podfic when I did!

I’m really happy with how this came out. I have nothing to complain about. It definitely makes me want to stick to matte htv from now on, that’s for sure.

Body: Corundum Text

Titles: Franklin Gothic

Drop caps: Primot

Cover graphics: the Noun Project

Oh wait, I thought of one tiny thing I’d fix: when I initially printed it, I didn’t notice that the font I used for the section dividers (which were cute little hockey sticks) didn’t work for some reason, so I had to change to more generic section dividers. So if I could go back, I’d take the time to find a different hockey-related section divider instead.

So not a big deal AT ALL. Even I will concede that.

Anyway, if you’re a fan of Check Please or Parks and Rec (and especially if both!) read this delightful fic or give it a listen!

[etherati]

I'm so proud of this bind!

So this is What Light Tastes Like by AshesAndHoney, and it's just such an endearing, sincere, and sexy execution of the "they wander around the countryside dealing with ever increasing levels of sexual tension and accidental feelings, while figuring out how to put it all together" trope. Which, I gotta say, I love being in a fandom where that's a common trope because ❤️💛🩵

The cover is done entirely by sunprinting with cyanotype treated fabric-- no augmentation or editing whatsoever, entirely printed with the power of the sun. I've included some process pics for this one because I really wanted to show that off. It's also my first typeset using Affinity, which allowed me to do some really fun things with the chapter header pages.

Legal quarto with patterned endpapers from French. The titling font is Swingset BB, the window icons are from the font Nature Boho, sun dingbats from the font Cute Sun, full page spread graphic is a stock photo that was heavily edited, and headbands are sewn on.

Done in advance for Fanfiction Writers Appreciation Day 2024, will be shipping second copy to the author as part of this event.

[hms-tardimpala]

Ficbinding: The Inexhaustible Silence of Houses by Askance

The fic: SPN, Castiel/Dean Winchester, T, 31.8k I've been trying to read more longfics* this year in order to get my brain used to reading again, and I've followed rec lists to do so. That means I'm only now discovering the big classics and popular authors of the fandom, and I'm having a great time. This fic is a beautifully crafted horror story that gripped me and that I didn't want to let go. I rarely read Cas POVs but this worked great on me. This story has everything that makes horror great: an unreliable narration, an oppressing atmosphere, and hints you catch too late.

*With my attention span, "longfic" starts at 25k words.

The bind: After several books that were a little complex or eccentric, I wanted to do something simple. I used my beautiful dark green cloth (my camera murdered the true color of it) because the story is set in a forested area. Dean and Cas settle in an old house, so it seemed fitting to use that magnificent magnolia endpaper that could be a wallpaper in a house like that. I used pale pink headbands and ribbon because 1) I've never used pink in a bind and 2) it's charming and I really wanted to represent that atmosphere of coziness the start of the fic has. Dean and Cas try to settle down and make a home of their own in the fic, and I thought that these colors would call to mind an old house fairly well.

I didn't use a lot of decorations this time, I kept the typesetting plain, like I imagine the books that Cas collects in the fic are. I put a house on the title page and a house in flames at the end of the book, iykyk. The only notable thing is that I used a serif font, which I wouldn't normally do for Supernatural. That's because most fics I read are in Dean's POV, and he's a sans serif guy, unlike Cas. Obviously. Anyway, I looked for the fonts that would be the easiest to read in a small book (A6 format, final size 12,6cm x 9,5cm).

Craft specifics to add?

Everything went very well this time except for the trimming of course. I think I played it too tight, I wanted to trim too little and the signatures twisted in the guillotine, so I ended up with an uneven textblock. I reprinted it all, trimmed by hand, sanded the edges (I'm still perfecting that technique) and I was good to go. There are little imperfections because I sanded before I sewed, but I like them.

I'm really proud of the spine, it ended up nice and round. I didn't let the glue dry for as long as usual before I took a hammer to the spine. Should do it again.

The corners are good and this cloth with paper backing took to the grey board like they were making love. It feels so tight and clean.

I used new tools I'm incredibly happy with: a rotary cutter and a quilting ruler.

Fonts: Optimus Princeps (title and author name), Garamond (chapter titles), Gentium Book Basic (text). All free on Dafont.

Materials: Green cloth from Schmedt, 2mm grey board, 80g/m² ivory-colored paper, synthetic bookmark and headbands. Endpaper from Schmedt.

Feel free to ask me more about materials and fonts (or whatever), it won’t bother me at all to tell you what I used, I just can't think of anything else right now.

[teleportbooks]

Ficbinding: Cut Him Out in Little Stars by @chaoticandrogynous

This has been possibly my favorite fic of the past year--in which Wei Wuxian is reborn as a comet. To paraphrase the comment I left when I first read it, it does such a good job conveying the enormous scale of both space and immortality. I never expected to have so many feelings about comets. And I found myself wanting to reread it almost immediately, which bumped it up in my bookbinding queue (...and then I didn't get to binding it until a year after I typeset it, but such is life).

The details: I had some beautiful galaxy paper from a scrapbook paper pack I'd been hoarding, which I knew I wanted to use for the cover. However, this particular paper pack isn't in print anymore and I needed to make two copies, so the two books ended up having slightly different designs.

The title font is "Tycho's Elegy" which is based on the handwriting of Tycho Brahe, who is not referenced given a very minor offhand mention in this fic so ... close enough? At any rate I think it's a beautiful font. I found some old astronomy drawings and modified them to use for the title page and chapter headings.

The endpapers are a really cool paper where the pattern is actually made from different colors of paper fiber, rather than being a printed pattern. And as I've been having fun with edge foiling I decided to go ahead and add a star patterned holographic edge. I did a foil title on the front cover, but my foil quill wasn't cooperating with the bookcloth I used, so the spine title is iron-on vinyl.

Usually I sew my books with white thread but this time I used purple (and in a case of 'this probably amuses me and no one else,' it appears every 24 pages, -- again, close enough? it had to be a multiple of 4 lol).

[creativelyunori]

The next binding project has begun and it’s already going wrong,,,

[wordsintimeandspace]

Two more books, this time for the Third Law Of Fluff series by The_Lonely_has_always_had_me. The first book collects the first two stories, The Morning After and The Night Before, while the second book contains the third story, The First Date. I love this series so much and I'm really happy with how this turned out!

I have a whole block of foiled paper in different patterns so I tried that for covers for the first time. It was a bit of a pain because of the thickness, but I'm very pleased with the result so I will definitely use more of it.

[nocturnus33]

The meaning of dandelions, by Endrina. This is the second volume of "The Secret Language of Plants".

As with most of my bindings, this book is "not perfct" at all, yet it joins my bibliographic collection of beloved imperfections. I like how it turned out despite everything.

This tome is full of errors due to my lack of concentration. I think I should change the name of this blog to "Adventures of an ADD fic binder". As some of my worst ADD days, yesterday wasn't the best day for me to try anything! The thing is, I had a great time binding this weekend, so no amount of mistakes will take that away. I still like my little green book.

Unlike volume 1, this time I remembered to put the headbands, yet I forgot the bookmark. More importantly, I got the series name wrong on the spine!

What I like?

I like the green cover, and how it looks next to its companion, the yellow tome. Likewise, the little dandelion seed on the back cover really charms me.

What could I have done better?

Apart from placing the correct title of the series?, I could have transferred the HTV with less temperature. There are plate marks on the cover.

I should have added the endpapers - I had them ready and forgot!

Plus, add the bookmark.

For those with little experience in fandom, this fantastic fic can be read for free on AO3. Just remember to leave a constructive comment for the author.

 @llendrinall 

[dagonetsclippedthreads]

Binding of See Me Once, See The Way I Feel by the gifted @elrhiarhodan!

A binding to fit a work about people brought together by the legacy of entomologist Adalbert Seitz. Green three quarter leather binding, marbled endpapers, and tipped in copies of Seitz' butterfly plates, all based on different editions of his books on macrolepidoptera.

I’m really enjoying binding as a method of celebrating and validating transformative works as well as a pro-community gesture. In keeping with that idea, I’m happy to make the author a copy at no cost for themselves if they’d like one. Thanks!

[ohmightydevviepuu]

fanbinding: given the choice [part one]

well, this one has been printed, sewn and glued--complete with boards--for almost a year. i just hit a block with perfecting the final steps because it involved hopping between 3 different computers. worked out in my favor, though, because i was able to use the most beautiful bookcloth for the spine strip and push myself to finish something i'm really happy with.

the story given the choice by @iverna

one of the true classics. a season 3b divergence with no missing year but plenty of adventure. technically part one as this is a WIP and this is not even inclusive of everything that's been posted. just stopped at a natural stopping point so that i could enjoy it. and honestly--this story is so good that i'm just so grateful it stops at a natural stopping point and i have what is already written to enjoy as many times as i choose.

the binding half-letter folio sewn boards. cover art by @iverna printed inkjet on canvas and finished with a decorative gloss. titling in HTV glitter. bedazzled because of who i am as a person.

[hippolotamus]

A while ago @eddiebabygirldiaz asked me if I could have a fic I adore, that I could hold in my hands, what would it be? It was honestly such a cruel ask but I eventually came up with an answer. And then, because my brain is swiss cheese, I promptly forgot 😅

Fast forward to yesterday when a beautiful edition of Pick a Star on the Dark Horizon (Follow the Light) by @buddierights shows up in the mail.

It is exquisite and I’m so excited to have been given this gift from one of my favorite humans. There aren’t enough words to describe what I feel about it, except to say I am an exceptionally lucky hippo 💖

[gargoyleandgremlinpress]

I'm declaring it the week of the pamphlet bind, because this is the second of three I've got in my backlogged queue of fanbinds to share.

Sometimes, a vaguely ridiculous idea gets ahold of you and won't let go.

When I discovered that there were not one, but TWO short MDZS modern AU fic with the incredibly specific meet-cute premise of "character A encounters a swarm of bees, and character B is the beekeeper who rescues them," I decided I needed to bind them. Together. And they were both short, so a quick pamphlet bind was the perfect solution.

I think I did this two summers ago, and would probably do a bit better with the text placement on the cover now, but I stand behind all the bee theming in the typeset unreservedly.

There must be something about the Twin Jades of Lan that not one, but TWO authors looked at them and said, you know what? Beekeeper.

So here we have, both with awesome titles, Save the Bees (Ride a Beekeeper) by @ariaste and Covered in Bees by @scarlettohairdye.

Public domain images, cardstock cover, sewn with some orange crochet cotton, because god knows I have enough random thread around. To make up for the disreputable cookie sheet used for an atmospheric industrial space background in my last post, this one is photographed on the orange and yellow stripes of a rainbow plain-weave tablerunner I wove out of the accumulated scrap basket at the weavers' guild.

And lovely authors, if either one of you would like a copy, I would be happy to make you one, or share the digital files with you.

[ianthelordof]

Voltron Binds

VLD was my first fandom and there are soooooo many great fics!

nothing's quite as sweet by dimpleforyourthoughts

Title page photo to prove that I didn't get the title wrong everywhere *cries*

First time printing a book on newsprint (which is a bit of a pain in the ass, but has really nice color and feel) and first time making my own graphics to use in the typeset. (The little cat faces were traced over a photo of my cat Sparks!)

you build your tower (but call me home) by @parchmints

I was halfway through rereading this online when the cover design assembled itself in my brain and I could not keep reading until I had it bound.

Impulsively painted the page edges with metallic black paint and have 0 regrets! So sparkly

Authors: if either of you two are interested in a physical copy of your work let me know, I'd love to make that happen!

(My other binderary books)