A Cheng Book ~ with pale blue artist's paper covers
These small books are designed for use as pocket journals ~ or notebooks ~ or small sketchbooks for artists. The variables ~ covers ~ papers ~ width ~ height ~ extent ~ are not defined. I have used the word 'small' since the method of binding lends itself to smaller books ~ and would need to be modified to withstand heavy use at larger sizes.
The name Cheng refers to the method of construction ~ open spine ~ limp and sewn folio covers ~ no adhesives used.
The sewing technique combines single section ~ pamphlet sewing ~ and twin section methods to produce a serviceable hinge relying on the strength of the thread for longevity appropriate to a notebook. A great advantage of this method is the possibility ~ with care ~ to remove and replace any section ~ or signature. New sections can be added at any later stage with little knowledge. The whole book can be made ~ in an hour or so ~ by anyone with the patience and skill to work with needle and thread [120986]. There are notes on making such a book [120948]
The books illustrated above use a heavyweight ~ handmade ~ artists' watercolour ~ paper for the covers. These are folded into a folio so that they can be sewn onto the rest of the book block as if they were part of it. The book with the pastel blue cover papers uses paper named as 'de Nîmes'. This paper has extra strength ~ derived by the very high portion of linen fibres in its construction. The other has an artist's paper with petals infused into the cotton rag mix. Both these papers were handmad at the Two Rivers paper mill based in Somerset, UK (now working out of a new facility at Watchet). The covers have some deckle edges and some cobble-cut edges [121970].
The book size is approximately 5"x4" (10x14cm) ~ the main consideration being economical use of the more expensive cover boards which are cut down from a 20"x16" size. The covers are fractionally larger than the internal pages ~ common practice with many books. (These overlaps are called 'squares' in stiff-board covered books ~ possibly called Yapp here.)
The internal pages are a thick ~ lightly cream tinted ~ UK made ~ cartridge paper that is designed for all media use. There are 64 sides on 32 leaves ~ sixteen folios.
The construction style ~ with visible stitching ~ is described in more detail on another page [120951]. Making a Cheng Style of book would be a very suitable for newcomers to bookcraft ~ and for any age capable of handling an awl and needle with safety.
