The Ultimate Album

Wire edge styles use metal wire along the binding edge. The metal wire is exposed at regular intervals along the edge, creating knotting or sewing stations where thread attaches one page or section to the next. The result in all cases is a binding that opens exceptionally smoothly and flexibly. 

Your workshop project uses wire edge binding to solve the problems inherent in conventional album structures, for example, a binding that opens poorly; non-archival mounting of the images; and a lack of protection of the images from handling and abrasion. 

Over the course of three days you will attain  basic wire edge skills that will enable you to produce a highly-functional, archival album. 

Your workshop project utilizes a binding unit we call a “page panel”. A page panel consists of a core board wrapped with paper that traps a wire along the edge. The layered construction produces a stiff panel. The thickness of the page panel can be adjusted to accommodate inclusions within the page panels. 

We will focus on a page structure that holds an image—and holds it archivally.  Our wire edge album features a binding that opens smoothly and lies flat for effective display. No glue touches the images which are captured in a mat-style page panel. The page structure protects the image by holding it in a recessed well built into the core board. 

You can expect to produce about a half dozen page panels (featuring your own images), and then bind them together into a codex structure. Please bring six to eight images (up to 4 x 6 inches, vertical format). Images should not be trimmed. You need at least a quarter inch border beyond the image.

Your album’s covers will consist of decorated aluminum sheet laminated to a carrier board. The carrier board is a page panel modified for use in a cover. 

All levels of experience are welcome.