I am a professional book artist who has taught bookbinding to more than 500 students of all ages over the past decade. I regularly teach book arts classes in Nashville, Tennessee at Watkins Community Education at Belmont University.

I have also taught bookbinding workshops at the Nashville Public Library, Cheekwood, The Skillery, Austin Peay State University, Lipscomb University, Watkins College of Art, the University School of Nashville, and the Shenandoah Valley Art Center. I've volunteered to lead workshops with non-profit groups such as Thistle Farms and Casa Azafran.

Upcoming classes

Handbound Leather Journals

When: Saturday, October 19, 2024 (9 a.m. – 5 p.m.)

Where: Watkins Community Education at Belmont University in Nashville, TN

To register: Sign up online

Learn to bind a softcover leather book that can be used as a journal, a sketchbook, or a photo album. Using the Italian Longstitch style — a historical binding that dates to 14th Century Europe — each student will create a book with a leather cover that features decorative stitching on its spine, and pages that lay completely flat when open. You’ll leave this class with a completed book, and the skills and resources to continue binding at home. No previous bookbinding experience is required. All materials provided.

Past classes

I teach a different assortment of classes and workshops each semester, but the types of classes I typically teach are included below.

Introduction to Book Arts

Learn the basics of bookmaking — and more than a dozen binding styles — in this introductory class. Over nine weeks, students will become familiar with the materials, tools, techniques, and vocabulary of handmade books. Students will create their own books each week, starting with simple folded structures and building toward intricate books that can be used as journals, sketchbooks, photo albums, and sculptural displays. We will explore the essentials of paper grain, folded signatures, hardcover and softcover books, and sewing by hand. The class will also include the opportunity to view and handle a collection of professionally made examples. You will leave this class with an assortment of your own handbound books, and the skills and resources to continue binding at home.

Handbound Leather Journals

Learn to bind a softcover leather book that can be used as a journal, a sketchbook, or a photo album. Using the Italian Longstitch style — a historical binding that dates to 14th Century Europe — each student will create a book with a leather cover that features decorative stitching on its spine, and pages that lay completely flat when open. You’ll leave this class with a completed book, and the skills and resources to continue binding at home. No previous bookbinding experience is required. All materials provided.

Miniature Book Christmas Ornaments

Create a collection of miniature handmade books that can be turned into eye-catching Christmas ornaments. We’ll make three types of books that can decorate your tree, all while learning the basics bookbinding. One ornament will be a leather-bound book with blank pages, perfect for writing holiday memories inside. The second book will be bound in a lotus style that can hang on your tree in two different shapes: either opened into a three-dimensional star, or folded into a neat diamond. The third ornament be an accordion book that looks like a festive star or snowflake. You will leave the class with three handbound ornament books, and the skills to create more books in the future. No previous bookbinding experience required. All tools and materials provided.

Secret Belgian Binding and Coptic Binding

Learn to make two hardcover books with distinctive stitching patterns and functional structures — perfect for sketching, journaling, or displaying photos. Students will first learn the Secret Belgian Binding, a style with an unusual history and fascinating covers that swivel around the spine of the book. And then students will learn the popular Coptic Binding, which will be sewn with multiple needles, resulting in a beautiful two-color woven binding. Students will personalize their books by choosing from a variety of unique handmade papers and colorful thread. Open to all skill levels. All materials provided. 

Miniature Exposed-Spine Bindings

This sewing-focused course will add eight binding styles to your repertoire. You’ll make a cohesive set of books, each one with a different decorative binding. The covers will be made from Cave Paper, a beautiful and sturdy handmade paper, and the books will be sewn with colorful waxed linen thread. Each book will be approximately 3” x 5” — perfect as a pocket-sized sketchbook or journal. Book structures will include the buttonhole binding, crossed-structure binding, diamond binding, and five variations of the long stitch. You’ll also explore ways to embellish the bindings with gathered stitches and weaving, and you’ll experiment with closures such as buttons, tabs, and wraps. Open to all skill levels. All materials provided.

Paste Papers and Pop-Up Books

Get ready to be messy and embrace spontaneity. We’ll tie on our aprons and spend the first few weeks of class creating our own decorative papers. Students will explore different materials and techniques, such as creating paste papers, painting with ink washes, and working with watercolor resist methods. Then, students will learn different ways to turn their one-of-a-kind painted papers into works of art. We’ll make pop-up books, folded books, and sewn books. Students will leave the class with a stash of their very own decorative papers, a collection of books made from these papers, and the inspiration to continue their creative practice on their own.

Exploring Bindings with Exposed Tapes

Expand your bookbinding skills in this course focused on exposed tapes bindings. The pages of these books will be sewn onto visible supports made from linen bookbinding tapes, ribbon, leather, or bookcloth. Students will make several books, experimenting with different sewing variations and options for attaching the covers, as well as closures and embellishments. Students will learn new techniques and have substantial time to personalize each project. The finished books can be used as journals, sketchbooks, and photo albums. Prerequisite: completion of Introduction to Book Arts, one of Katie’s bookbinding workshops, or comparable book arts experience.

Intermediate Book Arts: Photo Albums

Create a collection of handbound photo albums while expanding your bookbinding skills. Students will complete four photo albums, each with different decorative bindings and cover construction techniques. Class projects include both hardcovers and leather covers, as well as working with the Japanese stab binding, the multi-needle Coptic, longstitch variations, and other elaborate stitching patterns. We’ll discuss the qualities that a book must have in order to properly function as a photo album, in addition to methods for attaching photos, how to incorporate titles on the covers, and the importance of using acid-free materials. Students will have substantial time to personalize their books, which could be used to hold wedding photos, vacation keepsakes, or a photographer’s portfolio. Prerequisite: completion of Introduction to Book Arts, one of Katie’s bookbinding workshops, or comparable book arts experience.

Paper Marbling Intensive

This two-day workshop provides a hands-on introduction to all aspects of the marbling process. Students will learn to prime the paper with alum, prepare the carrageenan bath, and make traditional and contemporary patterns. Intricate designs are created by pulling combs and rakes through floating pigments, which are then transferred to paper, resulting in one-of-a-kind decorative sheets. There will be plenty of time for experimentation, and everyone will leave with a collection of their own marbled papers, which can be used for bookbinding projects or displayed as works of art. Because this is a two-day workshop, students will also have the opportunity to explore overmarbling, which is the process of layering several patterns on one sheet of paper to create fascinating overlapping designs. All materials provided.

Suminagashi Paper Marbling

Create a collection of decorated papers using the meditative method of suminagashi marbling. This Japanese technique floats ink pigments atop a liquid bath. With gentle manipulations — such as blowing across the surface of the water — and a good bit of spontaneity, patterns form and transfer to paper. Students will also explore overmarbling, which is the process of layering several marbled patterns on one sheet of paper to create fascinating overlapping designs. In this one-day workshop, you’ll create dozens of colorful sheets that can be used for bookmaking projects, greeting cards, gift wrap, and other paper arts.

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