Bookbinding & Journaling Workshop

A two-day workshop with Shuttle Press & Bindery and Thought Fox Writers Den focused on making--then filling--your own handcrafted journals.

Learn the basics of bookbinding while you sew your own pamphlet stitched books. You'll learn a brief history of bookbinding and will receive guided instruction on how to create your own pamphlet stitch bindings.

Select your cover paper, endsheets, and thread color, to create books that are uniquely you. This is a "make and take" class - you will create up to three handcrafted books to take home.

Please Note: All students who attend Shuttle Press & Bindery workshops will be required to sign a liability waiver in order to participate. Letterpress and bindery tools can be dangerous, and can cause significant injury or harm. The class instructor reserves the right to deny instruction to anyone in attendance who displays impairment or an inability to use tools safely and properly. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, students who are feeling unwell should NOT attend in-person workshops. Masks are optional, unless otherwise mandated by state or local officials. If you begin to feel unwell shortly before your workshop, reach out to discuss refund and/or credit options. Thank you for your cooperation!

“Journal writing is a voyage to the interior.” (Christina Baldwin)

A journal is a secret place to share your thoughts, process experiences, interpret dreams, capture memories, make to-do lists, and record the books you’ve read, the wines you’ve tasted, the places you’ve been. Journaling can be therapeutic, inspiring, creative–it can be anything you want it to be. It’s a means by which to discover yourself.

We’ll explore a variety of journaling styles (junk journaling, travel log, gratitude journaling, and more) and learn how the practice can make us better writers. We’ll study the journals of creatives like Leonardo da Vinci, Frida Kahlo, and Lynda Barry, then do guided exercises to get our creative juices flowing.

Journal-making workshop will be held at the Shuttle Press and Bindery studio in Stonington, Connecticut’s historic Velvet Mill Building. Check out the ambience!

Journaling workshop led by Lara Ehrlich, founder & director of Thought Fox Writers Den and author of Bind Me Tighter Still (Red Hen Press, 2025) and Animal Wife, a collection of stories about women’s transformations from girls into wives, mothers, and monsters. Animal Wife won Red Hen Press’s Fiction Award judged by Ann Hood and was published by the press in 2020.

Dana Campbell has over a decade of experience with bookbinding and letterpress printmaking. Her work explores the place where craftsmanship meets utility - creating bespoke, handcrafted stationery that delights those with a deep appreciation for paper. She also offers book repair and restoration services at her Stonington, CT based studio/shop. When not in the studio, Dana enjoys writing poetry, hiking, and sending snail-mail to loved ones.

Lara Ehrlich is the author of the novel Bind Me Tighter Still (Red Hen Press, 2025) and Animal Wife (Red Hen Press, 2020), a collection of stories about women’s transformations from girls into wives, mothers, and monsters. She is the founder and director of Thought Fox Writers Den, which builds community and supports writers of all levels with in-person and virtual workshops, coaching, events, and more.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

The Velvet Mill, 22 Bayview Avenue, Stonington, United States