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| Hello From the Editor |
When I was in fourth grade, we started each day with thirty minutes of Silent (imperative) Reading (fakeable). We’d sprawl across the scratchy classroom rug, absorbed in the paperbacks grabbed from the two cockeyed spinners in the corner. There was a dreamy communal feeling to that half-hour — concluding with many not-so-silent squabbles over who got the new Goosebumps next.
It’s tempting to idealize an era when concentration felt less hard-won. But my love for books hasn’t waned. It’s just… evolved. I don’t have that precious, if imposed, time on the rug. Instead, I can read whatever book I want, picking from the many indie bookstores, libraries, or Libby audiobooks (invaluable for hands-on projects).
Of course, books are more than just the ideas they hold. As reading becomes increasingly intangible, the physical form of a book seems even more expressive.
So today, we’re celebrating everything bookish: reading, writing, making, marking. Whether you want learn about bone folders or make use of that scrap paper you’ve been saving, we’ve got something for you.
Reader beware, you’re in for a scare share!
– NAOMI SKWARNA, EDITOR
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| 1 |
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| We Tried It |
| A menacing bookmark, Martha Stewart’s favorite tool, a bookish book, and tasty washi tape
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| 2 |
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| New/Now/Next |
| Boutique book subscriptions
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| 3 |
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| Q&A |
| Discussing the art of bookmaking with Ido Agassi |
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| 4 |
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| One Small Practice |
| A scrappy miniature book |
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| 5 |
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| Final Thought |
| Spine tingling |
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| “As far back as he can remember, he always wanted to be a bookmark.”
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Some links in this email are affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you make a purchase.
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| Paperback Paradise Bookmark (Set of Five)
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| Why we like it: Sure, you can use a gum wrapper as a bookmark (anything outside of dog-earing the page is technically legal), but this guy? He means business. Shock, delight and ultimately add a bit of convenience to you and your friends’ lives with this reasonably-priced pack of five mafioso frog bookmarks.
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| Why it might not be the right fit: You would prefer to mark your page with a threatening horse. |
| Verdict: It feels good to have a nice strong bookmark at hand. And doesn’t that frog’s face motivate you to read more? |
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| The Book-Makers: A History of the Book in Eighteen Lives |
| Why we like it: Adam Smyth’s The Book-Makers is a book nerd’s delight, offering an entertaining look into the wild history of print. No dusty archives here — this is a lively, page-turning celebration of the renegades, visionaries, and obsessive craftspeople who (physically) shaped the objects we love and/or use as door stoppers.
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| Why it might not be the right fit: You’re waiting for the movie version.
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| Verdict: Yes yes yes, hobbies are great, but sometimes it’s nice to improve your mind from the comfort of your couch.
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| Fiskars Traditional Bone Folder |
| Why we like it: It’s one of Martha Stewart’s favorite tools for a reason! This multi-purpose bone folder from Fiskars may be plastic, but it is an excellent shape, weight, and texture for all your folding and burnishing needs. Bone folder purists will insist on the necessity of actual bone, but this affordable variation is a prudent choice for starting out.
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| Why it might not be the right fit: You already have several bone folders, because that’s just who you are.
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| Verdict: If you’re bookbinding in any capacity, this tool is going to come in handy. Affordable, versatile, and vegetarian, it makes a practical addition to any hobbyist’s toolkit. |
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| Mel Andrel Sunday Pasta Washi Tape |
| Why we like it: Catnip for all scrap bookers, zine makers, and gourmands! Mel Andrel’s Sunday Pasta washi tape adds a delicious and darling touch to your paper crafts. Perfect for bordering layouts, securing ephemera, or customizing journals, Andrel’s illustrations will bring a tasty, tactile warmth to your next project.
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| Why it might not be the right fit:
You won’t stand for farfalle.
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| Verdict: GUILTY! Of being adorable.
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Book subscription boxes have had a quiet moment recently — and we want more. When algorithms decide everything from the next autoplayed show to the next meal, it’s tempting to throw lo-fi caution to the wind and put your next to-read in the hands of a human curator.
The options have gotten specific in interesting ways. Mr B’s Reading Spa (UK-based, worth the shipping) builds recommendations around a personal questionnaire that goes deeper than your average “what did you last enjoy?” Books Are Magic’s Emma’s First Edition Club leans into collector culture, with author-signed copies that feel like treasures. Main Street Book’s Matchbox Monthly keeps things small and surprising. And the century-old Book of the Month subscription has quietly become a reliable shortcut for people who want contemporary reads, beautifully packaged in their signature royal blue box.
None of these are a substitute for chatting with your favorite indie bookseller or local librarian. But if your reading has felt a little flat, or you just want to bring an element of chance to your shelf life, a book subscription can function like a nudge from a well-read friend. And who doesn’t love getting parcels in the mail?
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Ido Agassi’s path to bookbinding began at 17, when his father — an avid collector of books and art — invited him to join the private press he founded. That early immersion sparked Ido’s now thirty-year commitment to the craft, shaped not by formal training but by curiosity, improvisation, and an eagerness to learn from mistakes.
As a self-taught bookmaker, Ido developed techniques that are distinct to him: using brass weights for nearly every task, marking with a needle for precision, finding techniques for handling temperamental materials like glue. These methods now form the backbone of his teaching, where he guides students toward building a solid foundation so they can eventually design and create books on their own terms.
His classes, which teach members how to make hardcover books, pocket journals, soft portfolios, envelopes and more, emphasize accessibility and resourcefulness, encouraging makers to work with simple, often reused materials. It’s an approach rooted in Ido’s belief that creativity flourishes on a strong foundation of craft, and tools are adaptable.
We recently chatted with the artist and Top Teacher about his evolution as a bookmaker, how he dreams up and builds his Skillshare lessons, and the beautiful books that live on in his imagination.
Skillshare: As a self-taught bookmaker, what were some of the earliest lessons you learned through your successes and mistakes?
Ido Agassi: I discovered many advantages by learning without a formal education, because I’ve made many mistakes and learned from them. When you know the results you want to achieve but are not sure what the steps are, you invent yourself and the way you do things. Today I know my innovative approach and improvisations are quite unique and I see it really helps my students learn the craft. For instance, making sure to mark with a needle to have the same size of marks, instead of sharpening the pencil every time.
What motivates you to create new lessons about bookbinding?
My biggest motivation is my students and their curiosity. I want to help them acquire a sound base of knowledge so they can make their own book designs and implement what they learned with their own creativity.
What do new students tend to struggle with most when getting a handle on this discipline?
I think one of the most challenging and underestimated things is working with glue. But I have ways to overcome this by gluing the thicker material first and making sure the grain direction is correct. [Ido demonstrates how to do this in his classes].
Which of your classes do you recommend for an absolute beginner?
All my current classes are for beginners, but if I could recommend one, it would be my Pocket Journal class. I created it in a way that a complete beginner could do without previous experience, and with tips for improvising tools and using simple recycled material. So you can make it from anything and for every occasion to carry in your pocket.
What is the most beautiful book you’ve ever encountered in your life, and what made it so special?
It’s hard to choose with all the beautiful books I’ve seen. The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer, printed by William Morris in 1896 at his Kelmscott Press, is a beautiful masterpiece. Also, The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe, in a French edition (titled Le Corbeau ) translated by Stéphane Mallarmé and featuring illustrations by Édouard Manet is another honorable mention.
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When you don’t know where to begin, start with what you’ve got — and use it to make a tiny trash accordion. To wit, your prompt is to make an accordion book, as per artist and illustrator Shelley Skail’s fun and easy Make Miniature Books: Bookbinding for Beginners. The class contains several lessons that build on each other, but starts with the remarkably simple and satisfying guide for making a mini accordion book. Watch Lesson #4, and then do the following:
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Set a five-minute timer. Stalk your environment for paper — this could be a strip of lovely gift wrap, the comics section of the newspaper, an old watercolor sketch. Nothing too precious, and big enough to fold into sixteen equal parts. When the timer goes off, collect a ruler, craft knife, cardboard or cutting mat, and set up at your work surface. Watch Shelley’s instruction (Lesson #4) again if needed, then make your mini accordion book. Fifteen minutes, tops!
Use this scrappy technique to make a handheld game, a unique birthday card, or a tiny pocket journal.
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| Make Miniature Books: Bookbinding for Beginners |
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There are many ways to love books, but if decision fatigue is getting you down, simply go to your book shelf and take a look at what you’ve collected over the years. Touch the spines and see what memories come up. Some of these books were gifts, some of them were for school, and some of them have a provenance you’ve likely forgotten. Books are friends, and like all friendships, sometimes the easiest way to reconnect is just to say hello, I missed you.
Until next time! 📚
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One for the books! Enjoy 20% off your membership
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| Explore your biblio-creativity with Skillshare. |
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| Offer valid on annual memberships. Offer expires 07/31/2026 at 11:59 PM UTC. After one year, your subscription will automatically renew at the full annual price. We will email you reminders prior to renewing. You may cancel at any time, effective at the end of the billing period. |
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