Sewing Thread Options
Waxed and unwaxed linen thread are two very traditional sewing materials. However, you can sew a Japanese stab book with any material that will not rip or tear when pulled and stretched vigorously. Your sewing thread also needs to be thin enough to fit through the eye of a needle and through your sewing hole but round enough that it has some visible weight.Here are some different sewing thread options:
- Waxed/unwaxed linen thread
- Ribbon
- Hemp (as long as it is thin enough in diameter)
- Cross stitch thread
- Quilting thread
- Shoelace
- A strip of fabric
- Bias tape
- Rope
- Leather
You can experiment with different sewing threads. If it rips, your knots come undone, or you don’t like the way it looks, you can always cut the threads and start over with another material. Experiment with different materials to achieve the look and quality you want.
Some of the sewing thread options I listed above are a bit slippery, like ribbon or cross stitch thread. These kinds of materials are strong enough to use but don’t hold knots very well. To solve with this problem, put a little bit of PVA glue all around the knot when you’re finished.
Other Decorative Touches
To add a little extra something to your book, you can use eyelets or grommets (if you can find them small enough) in your punched sewing holes. I like to do this especially with Coptic books, and it would also work for Japanese stab. Just put some PVA in the hole before you attach the eyelets or grommets so they stay put.
