A Soft Leather Binding

My work so far has given me enough confidence to try something a little more challenging. Therefore, using instructions from Meisterin Katarina Helene von Schonborn's website, I decided to construct a soft leather-covered Coptic book.
When David and I were in Paducah, Kentucky last year, we visited the Lower Town artist area where we discovered two fascinating studios. The artists were generous about providing tours of their workshops. Our first stop was with leather worker Phil Phillips, who has figured out how to make a living at his craft by not only creating the usual handbags and belts, but also hats, motorcycle gear, and authentic props for both historical films and Civil War re-enactments. From him I purchased a small piece of leather that is a perfect size for the Coptic book cover. The other artist was a Ike Erwin, bookbinder/restorer, married to a decorative paper artist Charlotte Erwin. Ike showed us his workshop and gave me numerous suggestions about what materials I needed and where to get them. We also purchased some pieces of decorative paper made by Charlotte. These have inspired me to work more creatively.
My project would be a simple journal. Before undertaking the binding, I laid out the pages as if this were a medieval manuscript, creating initialed pages, one for each month. This is a small book (about 4 x 5 inches) with enough pages for notes describing each month's activities. It has four signatures of 24 pages (sides) each. The typeface I used for the initial letters is an interpretation of Golden Cockerel, designed by Eric Gill in 1929 for the Golden Cockerel Press and cast by H. W. Caslon & Co. Of course, my letters are hand drawn, not printed.
Each letter is in a box with my own decorations related to the month. Since I live in Florida, these are not the typical summer, fall, winter, spring pictures. Instead, you will find water, sun, sea creatures, and a sandcastle for various months plus my favorite fruit strawberries for January, when they are just beginning to reach their glorious peak here.
Once the letters were complete and the leather cut to size, I could begin the binding. I used a fairly heavy waxed linen thread. The photos show a few steps in the process. I am quite pleased with the results so now I am searching for another form that will take me a step farther in my education. I hope to find a binding class that fits into my summer schedule.