przeszytu

Przeszytu is a term used in Polish to refer to a binding or sewing method used in book production. In bibliographic and publishing contexts it describes the process of binding gathered sheets together by stitching along the spine, rather than binding by glue alone. The word derives from the Polish verb przeszyć, meaning to sew through.

The basic idea of przszytu is to join the pages (signatures) by threaded stitches that run along or through the spine. The typical workflow begins with folding pages into signatures, aligning them, and creating holes or perforations along the spine area. A needle and thread (often linen or cotton) are then used to sew the signatures together. After stitching, the book block may be reinforced with endpapers and, depending on the method, a cover may be attached to the sewn spine. The resulting binding is usually durable and can allow the book to lie relatively flat when open.

Variants of this technique vary by the exact stitching pattern and finishing. In traditional practice, przszytu is associated with sewn bindings that keep the pages securely bound without relying exclusively on adhesive. It is commonly found in older or artisanal editions, as well as in certain types of notebooks and pamphlets produced with a preference for durable, repairable bindings.

Today, przszytu is less common in mass-market publishing, where glue-based bindings are prevailing, but it remains relevant in artisanal bookbinding, archival work, and high-quality editions where sewing is valued for longevity and repairability.

See also: bookbinding, binding methods, sewn binding.