I had the pleasure and privilege of attending Karen Hanmer‘s “Medieval on the Go: The Girdle Book” class during the 2015 Focus on Book Arts Conference. During the class, I created this anatomically correct model of a Medieval girdle book.
Notable features of this model include:
- the textblock is sewn with packed sewing over raised double cords
- the spine shape of the textblock was created by the natural swell caused by the packed sewing – no hammering was used to create the shoulders
- the textblock was consolidated with an initial vellum patch lining between the cords, then a second slotted lining of suede was applied over the first lining
- sewn endbands of silk over a cord core – the ends of the core are laced into the boards
- shaped wooden boards
- the boards are laced in via the sewing cords
- covered in full teal suede
- okay this part is probably not 100% historically accurate in terms of material and color, but it looks GREAT!
- the “tail” is finished off with a Sailor’s knot collar of plain leather
- metal bosses
- a metal clasp I made myself!
Front board and fore-edge 
Bosses on the back board 
Clasp and bosses on the front board 
Clasp options crafted from brass wire 
In progress shot, showing the book wrapped during covering, to make sure the suede sticks to the spine correctly 
Before covering, showing my notes on the boards so I knew where to lace in versus lacing out 
Lacing in of the cords in progress, before the ends were sheared off 
Girdle book open, showing how it does not have any kind of endpapers or paste-downs on the boards 
Applying the leather spine lining to the textblock 
Before endbanding, with pieces of paper inserted inbetween each signature to help me find the middle