For so long I've been doing my amateurish way of binding books, I used any string available because, as long as they're stitched together, it doesn't matter, right? Then again, I started taking the craft a bit more seriously than I've ever previously done. I learned about linen thread and it's the one being used in binding books traditionally.
I researched about them online and what did I find? A 200g spool of thread costs $100. Oh man! I'm not in the US so I'll convert: that's Php4,800.00!!!! Almost 5K for a spool of thread. That's professional-plan-internet for a month with lots of long-distance calls thrown in. That's a very comfortable, air-conditioned studio for a month. That's rent money. *sigh*
So I looked for alternatives. First, the readily available crochet thread, but it's made of cotton and it stretches, and if you stretch it a bit more than usual, it breaks and frays. Second, nylon thread. I have black and white here. Unfortunately, the three strands that make the thread separate each time it passes a hole. And it knots at the slightest move. Not good. Yesterday, I was on a hunt again to find a more acceptable substitute and there at the topmost corner shelf, behind the spools of ribbons, at Carolina's in Megamall, almost hidden from the casual customer, I saw: "kite thread". I had to look at it and feel it between my fingers. I pulled, tugged and tried to smoosh it up to see if it would fray and it didn't. Today, I tried to pull it into punctured holes on paper and it went smoothly. Yay for the find! And for the girl who assisted me there, thanks so much for your patience. She's genuinely helpful.
I haven't given up on that linen thread. I found another one that's $31 for a 50g spool of raw linen string. I might buy it someday, if I so decided to close my eyes, add it to cart, enter and never look back.
