Japanese Bookbinding

Thin Ice Press: the York Centre for Print is running a Japanese Bookbinding workshop on Friday 10 July, from 15:00 to 18:00. It's a three-hour session that takes you through traditional Japanese binding techniques, and it's taught by Master Printer Nick Gill.

The afternoon starts with the basics: an introduction to the bookbinder's tools and a look at paper grain, which is one of those things you don't really think about until you're working with it. From there, you'll move on to practising different types of visible stitching, the kind of exposed sewing that gives Japanese binding its distinctive look. By the time you're finished, you'll walk away with your own hand-bound book, made with washi-style paper, and a better sense of how versatile these techniques are.

Thin Ice Press is tucked away in Peasholme Green (YO1 7PW), in the garden of St Anthony's Hall with views over the city walls. It's a printing press, a museum, and a gallery all in one, so it's a fitting place to spend a few hours getting stuck into a craft like this. The workshop is aimed at adults with an interest in printing, bookbinding, and traditional hand-skills, and you don't need any prior experience to join in.

It runs from 15:00 to 18:00 on Friday 10 July, and places cost £60.