Workshops | northbranchprojects

Workshops

North Branch Projects offers a variety of bookbinding workshops at a variety of locations, mostly throughout the Chicagoland area. Several schools, community organizations, cultural institutions, corporations, and individuals' homes and studios host opportunities to learn about the book arts.

We welcome invitations from other organizations as well as private parties and work with students from preschool age to seniors. Workshops run from one to three hours. Rates vary depending on number of participants, type of workshop activity, and specific needs of the event host. Please reach out and inquire about possibilities by emailing Regin Igloria directly at northbranchprojects@gmail.com or clicking here.

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Students from Steel City Academy in Gary, IN take part in a workshop during the school's Gear & Flame Week.

Upcoming:

Buttonhole Stitch Bookbinding Workshop with Regin Igloria

Visual artist and educator, Regin Igloria, returns to Elawa Farm to continue his bookbinding series with a workshop on the buttonhole stitch. Ideal for sketchbooks and journals, this workshop showcases a versatile and functional book for multiple uses. The buttonhole stitch is a non-adhesive bookbinding method that allows for a continuous front-to-back cover format with multiple signatures.

Participants will be introduced to a variety of methods for creating unique books using traditional and repurposed materials. No previous experience is necessary, and all materials and tools will be provided.

Saturday, March 21, 2026

11:00 aa.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Elawa Farm Foundation

1401 Middlefork Drive

LLake Forest, IL 60045

847-234-1966

$48 per ticket

Coming Soon...

Saturday, April 11, 2026

1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Open Studio Project

901 Sherman Ave.

Evanston, IL 60202

Registration details available soon

Book Scraps to Scrap Books with Regin Igloria at The WasteShed

Learn to make an upcycled book!

This is an introductory-level course for individuals with little to no experience making books, with an emphasis on using recycled and repurposed materials such as cardboard boxes, food packaging, and found objects. Participants will learn a variety of book techniques, including zines, pamphlets, accordions, and several spine-sewn books. Aside from learning binding techniques, participants will be encouraged to explore content-building possibilities with an overview of collage and transfer techniques using found ephemera to fill the pages of their newly made book.

Saturday, May 2, 2026

1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

The Wasteshed

1754 N. Kimball Ave

Chicago, IL 60647

$28.52 per person