Dates: Sundays, May 3-31 (5 meetings)

Hours: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

Instructor: Jennifer Pellecchia BB '19

Students will learn the foundations of bookbinding by combining hands-on exercises and discussion. The class starts by exploring non-adhesive structures: soft cover pamphlet, Coptic, historical longstitch, and link stitch. The class ends with a look at case bindings, with the creation of two hardcover flatback bindings. Students also learn different structural elements, sewing variations, and covering and cutting techniques using various materials, tools, and equipment. Throughout the course, discussions will cover terminology, paper grain and folding, selecting proper materials and tools, and adhesives and their properties.

Tools & Supplies: Please bring a notebook and a pencil. All other tools and supplies are provided for this class.

Prerequisite: None

Age Requirement: Students must be 18+ to attend adult CE classes. No one under 18 years old is permitted to register for an adult class, even if accompanied by a parent or guardian. 

Dates: Saturday, May 9th & Sunday, May 10th (2 meetings)

Hours: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

Instructor: Amy Lapidow BB '95

In this two-day workshop, students will get a quick introduction to various bookbinding techniques by exploring three different book structures. The class will begin with a simple pamphlet and continue with constructing two multi-signature books, known as flatback case binding and link stitch binding. Finally, students will construct a box to house all of their creations. Bookbinding 101 is a great way to familiarize yourself with bookbinding and is perfect for those who are curious about the craft. All levels of experience are welcome to register.

Tools & Supplies: Please bring a notebook and a pencil. All other tools and supplies are provided for this class. 

Attire: This is a general list of how to dress for the shop environment, please contact ce@nbss.edu if you have any questions.

• Closed-toe, comfortable, and protective footwear (sneakers or boots)
• No loose clothing
• Long pants suggested
• No loose jewelry
• Long hair must be tied back

Prerequisite: None

Age Requirement: Students must be 18+ to attend adult CE classes. No one under 18 years old is permitted to register for an adult class, even if accompanied by a parent or guardian. 

Date: Friday, May 15 - Sunday, May 17 (3 meetings)

Hours: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

Instructors: Mitchel Gundrum BB '21 & Martha Kearsley BB '95

This workshop is dedicated to creating reproductions of historical endpapers using linoleum blocks and printing on a press, as well as exploring options for printing without a press. Students will learn to draw and transfer patterns to linoleum blocks, carve the patterns into the blocks, and print the designs, both individually and as a group. No printing experience is necessary. The class will be printing multiple colors for each of the endpaper designs, so emphasis will be placed on planning and organization, color separation, and the fundamentals of carving and relief printing.

Tools & Supplies: All tools and supplies are provided for this class.  

Attire: This is a general list of how to dress for the shop environment, please contact ce@nbss.edu if you have any questions.

• Closed-toe, comfortable, and protective footwear (sneakers or boots)
• No loose clothing
• Long pants suggested
• No loose jewelry
• Long hair must be tied back

Prerequisite: None

Age Requirement: Students must be 18+ to attend adult CE classes. No one under 18 years old is permitted to register for an adult class, even if accompanied by a parent or guardian. 

Dates: Saturday, June 6th & Sunday, June 7th (2 meetings)

Hours: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

Instructor: Ariana Rutledge BB '22

In this two-day workshop, students will get a quick introduction to various bookbinding techniques by exploring three different book structures. The class will begin with a simple pamphlet and continue with constructing two multi-signature books, known as flatback case binding and link stitch binding. Finally, students will construct a box to house all of their creations. Bookbinding 101 is a great way to familiarize yourself with bookbinding and is perfect for those who are curious about the craft. 

Tools & Supplies: *Please bring a notebook and a pencil. All other tools and supplies will be provided for this class. 

Attire: This is a general list of how to dress for the shop environment, please contact ce@nbss.edu if you have any questions.

• Closed-toe, comfortable, and protective footwear (sneakers or boots)
• No loose clothing
• Long pants suggested
• No loose jewelry
• Long hair must be tied back

Prerequisite: None

Age Requirement: Students must be 18+ by the class start date to attend adult CE classes. No one under 18 years old is permitted to register for an adult class, even if accompanied by a parent or guardian. 

Please Note: North Bennet Street School will be undergoing exterior construction this summer, which may cause occasional noise or temporary changes to building access.

Date: Sunday, June 14th (1 meeting)

Hours: 8:30 am - 4:00 pm

Instructor: Bill Hanscom

During a day of intensive folding, students will explore the intersection of origami and bookbinding. The techniques of traditional paper-folding will be put to work creating structures that draw inspiration from many corners of bookbinding. The accordion fold, the codex, albums, maps, and even boxes and envelopes will all make appearances. Your hands, supplemented by only the simplest set of tools, will transform flat sheets of paper through folding (and the occasional cut), resulting in a variety of elegantly simple and dynamic structures. Each offers many possibilities for experimentation with media and exploration of the reading experience.

Tools & Supplies: *There is an additional $20.00 materials fee due to the instructor on the first day of class. The instructor accepts cash, checks, or Venmo. All other tools and supplies will be provided for this class. 

Attire: This is a general list of how to dress for the shop environment, please contact ce@nbss.edu if you have any questions.

• Closed-toe, comfortable, and protective footwear (sneakers or boots)
• No loose clothing
• Long pants suggested
• No loose jewelry
• Long hair must be tied back

Prerequisite: None

Age Requirement: Students must be 18+ by the class start date to attend adult CE classes. No one under 18 years old is permitted to register for an adult class, even if accompanied by a parent or guardian. 

Please Note: North Bennet Street School will be undergoing exterior construction this summer, which may cause occasional noise or temporary changes to building access.

Dates: Saturday, June 20 - Tuesday June 23 (4 meetings)

Hours: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

Instructors: Chena River Marblers; Regina & Dan St. John

Learn to create marbled papers using pre-20th century processes. The labor-intensive approach involves the preparation of paints by mulling together prepared natural pigments, binder and a beeswax fixative. Additional substances are added to control spreading and to achieve specific patterns. Because the beeswax is embedded in the paint, a completed paper can be polished to a smooth, lustrous finish using an agate burnisher. In making classic marbled papers, we have added the use of some pigments that were unavailable to our predecessors, but the process, as described above is the same.

Tools & Supplies: *There is an additional $95.00 fee for tools and materials due to the instructors on the first day of class. The instructors accept cash, check, or credit card. All other tools and supplies will be provided for this class. 

Attire: Please wear shoes that are comfortable for standing in (and that you don't mind getting wet!). Clothes may get paint on them, so please dress accordingly or bring an apron. 

Prerequisite: None

Age Requirement: Students must be 18+ by the class start date to attend adult CE classes. No one under 18 years old is permitted to register for an adult class, even if accompanied by a parent or guardian. 

Please Note: North Bennet Street School will be undergoing exterior construction this summer, which may cause occasional noise or temporary changes to building access.

Dates: Saturday, June 20th & Sunday, June 21st (2 meetings)

Hours: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

Instructor: Ariana Rutledge BB '22

Students will learn the basics of direct gold tooling with egg glaire from a historical trade-style approach. They will learn how to set their type and how to mark up the surface of their leather, along with many other tips and tricks. The skills learned in this class, although directly related to a quicker, trade bindery method, can be helpful to any type of gold finishing work. Success as a finisher comes only with significant practice and patience; the goal of this class is to provide students with the opportunity to get a feel for the process so that they are equipped to continue to practice on their own.

Tools & Supplies: * Please bring a notebook, pencil, and a leather book you'd like to tool (not required - practice spines will be provided). All other tools and supplies will be provided for this class.

Attire: Students should bring an apron, smock, or wear clothing that they don't mind getting dirty.

Prerequisite: None

Age Requirement: Students must be ages 18+ by the class start date to attend adult CE classes. No one under 18 years old is permitted to register for an adult class, even if accompanied by a parent or guardian. 

Please Note: North Bennet Street School will be undergoing exterior construction this summer, which may cause occasional noise or temporary changes to building access.

Dates: Friday, June 26 - Sunday, June 28 (3 meetings)

Hours: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

Instructors: Chena River Marblers; Regina & Dan St. John

This is an ideal workshop for marblers with some experience who are ready to seriously improve their skills by learning a series of new patterns. Some of these patterns have been created by students in former workshops and are just too beautiful to be forgotten. The other patterns are a specialty of Chena River Marblers and are a series of perfectly planned and executed twice-marbled papers. Time will also be devoted to other fascinating marbling techniques. 

Tools & Supplies: *There is an additional $65.00 fee for tools and materials due to the instructors on the first day of class. The instructors accept cash, check, or credit card. All other tools and supplies will be provided for this class. 

Attire: Please wear shoes that are comfortable for standing in (and that you don't mind getting wet!). Clothes may get paint on them, so please dress accordingly or bring an apron. 

Prerequisite: Beginner Paper Marbling (Acrylic) or equivalent experience. If you have questions about your experience, please contact ce@nbss.edu. 

Age Requirement: Students must be 18+ by the class start date to attend adult CE classes. No one under 18 years old is permitted to register for an adult class, even if accompanied by a parent or guardian. 

Please Note: North Bennet Street School will be undergoing exterior construction this summer, which may cause occasional noise or temporary changes to building access.