A binder in Chicago told me my headbands were 'just decoration' and it stung, but he was right.

I switched from using pre-made cord to sewing my own raised bands with linen thread, and the structural difference after 50 books is honestly wild, so who else has had a piece of harsh advice that actually improved their work?

3 comments

3 Comments

christopher_ellis781mo ago

Honestly, I have to disagree with that binder's take. Calling headbands "just decoration" is a real oversimplification. Even a decorative one protects the top edge of the spine from dust and damage. The real point is whether it's sewn in or glued on. A glued-on one is just trim, but a sewn one, like you're doing now, adds real strength. That structural help matters, especially on a book that gets used. So calling all of them decoration misses the mark.

the_hannah1mo ago

Yeah, exactly. Glued ones are basically stickers. Sewn in does the real work.

emmasingh15d ago

Right? A sewn one is a game changer.