{"id":10197,"date":"2015-12-06T01:00:42","date_gmt":"2015-12-06T06:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/?p=10197"},"modified":"2025-09-15T15:47:17","modified_gmt":"2025-09-15T19:47:17","slug":"bookbinder-of-the-month-kathy-abbott","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/2015\/12\/06\/bookbinder-of-the-month-kathy-abbott\/","title":{"rendered":"Bookbinder of the Month: Kathy Abbott"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AsYouLikeIt-KathyAbbott\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Jumping back to 2008 with this binding of William Shakespeare’s As You Like It<\/em>. Kathy Abbott<\/a> bound this 1903 Roycroft Shop edition in full scarlet goatskin. The cascading hearts are black goatskin onlays. The head edge is gilt using moon gold.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve noticed that you never title your bindings. What are your reasons for this choice? Are you ever criticized for this decision by collectors or other binders?
\n<\/strong>I wouldn\u2019t say criticized but it is often commented on! I like the reader to be curious about what\u2019s inside the book, without actually \u2018telling them\u2019 what it\u2019s about. For me, a book\u2019s design must flow freely across the front board, the spine and the back board without interruption. I feel that a title would break the flow in my work. This is purely personal: I have seen many binders use titling beautifully as an essential element of their design but this is just not for me, at least for now that is! All of my bindings are housed in bespoke drop-back boxes and the title of the book is always on the box, so it\u2019s not a problem.<\/p>\n

The free-flowing design for this book is a nod towards the love letters that Orlando leaves for Rosalind in the trees of the forest.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Jumping back to 2008 with this binding of William Shakespeare’s As You Like It. Kathy Abbott bound this 1903 Roycroft Shop edition in full scarlet goatskin. The cascading hearts are black goatskin onlays. The head edge is gilt using moon gold. I\u2019ve noticed that you never title your bindings. What are your reasons for this […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[12,68,13],"tags":[1941,1867,1939,1148,1942,1177],"class_list":["post-10197","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-binder-of-the-month","category-bookbinding","category-feature-book-of-the-week","tag-as-you-like-it","tag-bookbinding","tag-kathy-abbott","tag-leather-binding","tag-roycroft-shop","tag-william-shakespeare"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2Btis-2Et","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":10278,"url":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/2015\/12\/27\/bookbinder-of-the-month-kathy-abbott-4\/","url_meta":{"origin":10197,"position":0},"title":"Bookbinder of the Month: Kathy Abbott","author":"Erin Fletcher","date":"December 27, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"This 2006 binding from Kathy Abbott is Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost\u00a0with illustrations by Berkeley Sutcliffe. The binding is covered in full pink goatskin and includes multi-colored goatskin onlays. The top edge is colored pink to match the leather. One of the reasons that I wanted to do this interview with\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "binder of the month"","block_context":{"text":"binder of the month","link":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/category\/binder-of-the-month\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/NewYorkRevisited-KathyAbbott.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/NewYorkRevisited-KathyAbbott.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/NewYorkRevisited-KathyAbbott.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/NewYorkRevisited-KathyAbbott.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10293,"url":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/2015\/12\/31\/bonus-bookbinder-of-the-month-kathy-abbott\/","url_meta":{"origin":10197,"position":1},"title":"Bonus \/\/ Bookbinder of the Month: Kathy Abbott","author":"Erin Fletcher","date":"December 31, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"I am ending my interview with Kathy Abbott with a bonus post. The binding above is Winged Chariot by Walter de la Mare. Kathy completed this binding in 2012 by covering the book in full burgundy goatskin. The tooled designs are done in Caplain leaf and the head edge is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "binder of the month"","block_context":{"text":"binder of the month","link":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/category\/binder-of-the-month\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/WingedChariot-KathyAbbott.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/WingedChariot-KathyAbbott.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/WingedChariot-KathyAbbott.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/WingedChariot-KathyAbbott.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10261,"url":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/2015\/12\/20\/bookbinder-of-the-month-kathy-abbott-3\/","url_meta":{"origin":10197,"position":2},"title":"Bookbinder of the Month: Kathy Abbott","author":"Erin Fletcher","date":"December 20, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"The 1926 Nonesuch Press edition of Herman Melville's Benito Cereno\u00a0with illustrations by E. McKnight Kauffer was bound by Kathy Abbott in 2013. The book was bound in full grey goatskin with recessed paper inlays. The head edge was gilt in Caplain leaf to appear distressed. I would love to talk\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "binder of the month"","block_context":{"text":"binder of the month","link":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/category\/binder-of-the-month\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/BenitoCerano3-KathyAbbott.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/BenitoCerano3-KathyAbbott.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/BenitoCerano3-KathyAbbott.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/BenitoCerano3-KathyAbbott.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10182,"url":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/2015\/12\/01\/december-bookbinder-of-the-month-kathy-abbott\/","url_meta":{"origin":10197,"position":3},"title":"December \/\/ Bookbinder of the Month: Kathy Abbott","author":"Erin Fletcher","date":"December 1, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"On a Calm Shore\u00a0is a 1960 edition by Frances Cornford with illustrations by Christopher Cornford. In 2015, Kathy Abbott bound this copy\u00a0in full grey goatskin with recessed and embossed onlays with relief printing. The edges are decorated and printed to match the design on the covers. Can you walk us\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "binder of the month"","block_context":{"text":"binder of the month","link":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/category\/binder-of-the-month\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/OnACalmShore5-KathyAbbott.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/OnACalmShore5-KathyAbbott.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/OnACalmShore5-KathyAbbott.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/OnACalmShore5-KathyAbbott.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10247,"url":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/2015\/12\/13\/bookbinder-of-the-month-kathy-abbott-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":10197,"position":4},"title":"Bookbinder of the Month: Kathy Abbott","author":"Erin Fletcher","date":"December 13, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"In the interview at the beginning of the month, I asked\u00a0Kathy Abbott about Tomorrow's Past, an exhibit inspired by S\u00fcn Evrard's article in The New Bookbinder, Volume 19. The idea is to rethink the\u00a0approach of repair work in a contemporary and more visible way. In this post Kathy explains the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "binder of the month"","block_context":{"text":"binder of the month","link":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/category\/binder-of-the-month\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/QHoratiiFlacci4-KathyAbbott.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/QHoratiiFlacci4-KathyAbbott.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/QHoratiiFlacci4-KathyAbbott.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/QHoratiiFlacci4-KathyAbbott.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1291,"url":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/2012\/09\/02\/bookbinder-of-the-month-sybil-pye-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":10197,"position":5},"title":"Bookbinder of the Month: Sybil Pye","author":"Erin Fletcher","date":"September 2, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"In 1931, Sybil Pye bound this copy of Christina Rossetti's\u00a0Poems from Gregynog Press. \u00a0A full leather binding of dark green goatskin with inlaid shapes of bright green and natural goatskin. \u00a0Gold tooling is done with her custom brass tools. \u00a0This binding is owned by the Wormsley Library. \u00a0","rel":"","context":"In "binder of the month"","block_context":{"text":"binder of the month","link":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/category\/binder-of-the-month\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/poems.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/poems.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/poems.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10197","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10197"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10197\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10275,"href":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10197\/revisions\/10275"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10197"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10197"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10197"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}