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Bonjour, I’m Clémentine, aka Turbochat!, an artist and craftswoman born in 1987 in Saint-Dié, a quaint town in the Vosges region of France, where I still reside with my elderly cats, cozy wool sweaters, and towering stacks of books that always seem ready to collapse. My life has been a winding path, filled with struggles, particularly when it comes to mental health.

For years, I battled with depression and anxiety, making it nearly impossible to fit into a “normal” job. I tried and failed at so many jobs, feeling lost and out of place, until finally, into my thirties, I decided to turn my lifelong love for art and craft into my main source of income. Since childhood, I’ve been creating nonstop—it was time to embrace that passion fully.

More info: turbochat.bigcartel.com | Instagram | pinterest.fr | turbochat.tumblr.com

#1

I Created This Cover Using The Japanese Plant Printing Technique Tataki Zome

I Created This Cover Using The Japanese Plant Printing Technique Tataki Zome

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My true calling? Bookbinding. I’ve been self-taught since 2009, driven by the belief that anything can become a book and anyone can make one. The journey hasn’t been easy—I still wrestle with imposter syndrome because I never formally learned bookbinding. But I’m slowly learning to overcome my self-esteem issues and trust in the skills I’ve honed over the years.

#2

Coptic Box-Style Binding With Flower Petal-Included Paper And Pure Silk Fabric: My Covid Lockdown Masterclass Featuring Days Of Sashiko Embroidery

Coptic Box-Style Binding With Flower Petal-Included Paper And Pure Silk Fabric: My Covid Lockdown Masterclass Featuring Days Of Sashiko Embroidery

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#3

Coptic Binding With Japanese-Style Embroidered Cover And Mixed Handmade Paper

Coptic Binding With Japanese-Style Embroidered Cover And Mixed Handmade Paper

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When it comes to my work, I have a deep love for ancient, traditional techniques. I’m fascinated by Coptic binding, one of the oldest known methods of codex binding, which involves intricate stitching that leaves the spine exposed, revealing the beautiful craftsmanship behind the book’s structure. Japanese binding, with its elegant simplicity, and the French stitch, known for its strength and decorative potential, are other favorites of mine. But I don’t limit myself to just the old ways. I also explore more modern binding techniques, always eager to experiment and push the boundaries of what a book can be.

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#4

Secret Belgian Binding With Double-Pulp Paper, Wooden Beads, Pure Wool Thread, And Indian Blockprint Fabric

Secret Belgian Binding With Double-Pulp Paper, Wooden Beads, Pure Wool Thread, And Indian Blockprint Fabric

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I make my own handmade paper, recycling all sorts of used paper and adding vegetal fibers such as flowers and herbs from my own garden, as well as tea leaves from my daily tea. This gives the paper a unique character and a personal touch. Additionally, I mostly use vintage, antique, used, salvaged, and repurposed fabrics in my work, with a particular love for textile art from the Orient. For me, bookbinding is a harmonious blend of the old and the new, where history meets innovation, and every piece tells a story.

Working with natural materials like paper, cotton, wool, linen, and silk brings me a deep sense of peace.

The process of making handmade paper and binding it into a book is more than just a craft to me—it’s a way to channel my creativity, manage my mental health, find beauty in the everyday and honor craftsmanship.

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#7

Heart-Shaped Book In The Style Of Medieval Cordiform Books, Bound In Luxurious Wild Silk

Heart-Shaped Book In The Style Of Medieval Cordiform Books, Bound In Luxurious Wild Silk

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Sharing this art with others is just as important to me as creating it. I sell the books I make in my online shop and offer workshops in my studio for all ages and skill levels, because I believe that bookbinding is an art everyone can learn and enjoy. It’s not something to be hidden away or reserved for experts—it’s a way for anyone to find solace and satisfaction in creating something with their hands.

Art, for me, isn’t just about making something beautiful—it’s about healing, making a statement, and contributing to something bigger. I’m deeply committed to social justice, equality, feminism, and popular education. I see art as a common good, a tool for social transformation, and a way to bring people together.

#8

Secret Belgian Binding With Indian Blockprint Fabric And Beads Made From Real Seeds

Secret Belgian Binding With Indian Blockprint Fabric And Beads Made From Real Seeds

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#9

Notebook With Round Pages, Indian Blockprint Fabric, Ink-Dyed Edges, And An Antique French Police Button

Notebook With Round Pages, Indian Blockprint Fabric, Ink-Dyed Edges, And An Antique French Police Button

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Here is a collection of my favorite books I made—I hope you will enjoy discovering them as much as I enjoyed crafting them. If you like my craft, consider joining me on Instagram, visiting my shop, or sharing my work on your social media. More visibility could really help me, as I struggle to sell my books online and run my small business.

#10

Mystical Coptic Bound Book With Antique Sari Fabric, Seed-Embedded Paper, And Gold-Edged Pages

Mystical Coptic Bound Book With Antique Sari Fabric, Seed-Embedded Paper, And Gold-Edged Pages

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#11

Coptic Binding With Round Pages And Custom-Dyed Gradient Paper

Coptic Binding With Round Pages And Custom-Dyed Gradient Paper

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#12

Coptic Binding With Vintage Indian Sari Fabric And Paper Dyed With Natural Mineral Pigments (French Ochres)

Coptic Binding With Vintage Indian Sari Fabric And Paper Dyed With Natural Mineral Pigments (French Ochres)

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#13

Japanese Bound Book With Indigo-Dyed Indian Blockprint Fabric, Silver-Edged Pages, And Handmade Ceramic Beads Crafted By Myself

Japanese Bound Book With Indigo-Dyed Indian Blockprint Fabric, Silver-Edged Pages, And Handmade Ceramic Beads Crafted By Myself

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#14

French-Style Binding With Mulberry Paper And Antique Indian Sari Fabric, All Nestled In A Carved Marble Box

French-Style Binding With Mulberry Paper And Antique Indian Sari Fabric, All Nestled In A Carved Marble Box

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#15

Whimsical Pocket-Bound Book With Real Feathers And Tea Paper Pages

Whimsical Pocket-Bound Book With Real Feathers And Tea Paper Pages

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#16

Secret Belgian Binding With Round Pages, Ink-Dyed Edges, Indian Blockprint Fabric, And A Genuine Animal Vertebra (Found In The Forest)

Secret Belgian Binding With Round Pages, Ink-Dyed Edges, Indian Blockprint Fabric, And A Genuine Animal Vertebra (Found In The Forest)

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#17

Books Covered In Vintage Handcrafted Embroidery (Discovered At A Local Flea Market), With Lichen-Included Pages And Walnut-Dyed Edges

Books Covered In Vintage Handcrafted Embroidery (Discovered At A Local Flea Market), With Lichen-Included Pages And Walnut-Dyed Edges

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#18

Japanese Binding With Layered Cotton Fabric Cover And Porcelain Beads

Japanese Binding With Layered Cotton Fabric Cover And Porcelain Beads

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#19

Heart-Shaped Book In The Style Of Medieval Cordiform Books, Bound In Hand-Embroidered Fabric From An Antique Indian Wool Shawl

Heart-Shaped Book In The Style Of Medieval Cordiform Books, Bound In Hand-Embroidered Fabric From An Antique Indian Wool Shawl

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#20

Coptic Bound Book With Indian Blockprint Fabric And Ink-Dyed Page Edges

Coptic Bound Book With Indian Blockprint Fabric And Ink-Dyed Page Edges

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#21

This Book Is My Masterclass: The Cover Embroidery Took Days Of Work And Was My Christmas 2023 Vacation Project

This Book Is My Masterclass: The Cover Embroidery Took Days Of Work And Was My Christmas 2023 Vacation Project

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#22

Modern 'Winged Envelopes' Binding: Entirely Folded And Glued With My Handmade Paper, Decorated In A Marble Paper Style

Modern 'Winged Envelopes' Binding: Entirely Folded And Glued With My Handmade Paper, Decorated In A Marble Paper Style

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#23

Belgian Binding With Round Pages, Paper Embedded With Rose Petals From My Garden, And A Cord Hand-Embroidered During A Long Night Of Insomnia

Belgian Binding With Round Pages, Paper Embedded With Rose Petals From My Garden, And A Cord Hand-Embroidered During A Long Night Of Insomnia

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#24

Petite Book With Ribbon Binding And Cover Made From A Page Of An 18th-Century Antique Book

Petite Book With Ribbon Binding And Cover Made From A Page Of An 18th-Century Antique Book

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#25

Coptic Binding With Indian Blockprint Fabric, Antique Metal Bead, And Hibiscus Fiber Paper

Coptic Binding With Indian Blockprint Fabric, Antique Metal Bead, And Hibiscus Fiber Paper

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#26

Coptic Binding With Traditional Japanese-Style Embroidered Cover And Pages Containing Fibrous Plant Inclusions (Tea, Rooibos, Lichen, Flowers, Citrus)

Coptic Binding With Traditional Japanese-Style Embroidered Cover And Pages Containing Fibrous Plant Inclusions (Tea, Rooibos, Lichen, Flowers, Citrus)

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#27

Stunning 4-Meter Accordion Book In A Box Binding, Featuring Antique Sari Fabric, Jingles, And Gold-Edged Pages

Stunning 4-Meter Accordion Book In A Box Binding, Featuring Antique Sari Fabric, Jingles, And Gold-Edged Pages

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#28

Coptic Binding With Mulberry Paper, Embroidered Indian Fabric, And Traditional Tibetan Bead

Coptic Binding With Mulberry Paper, Embroidered Indian Fabric, And Traditional Tibetan Bead

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#29

Enchanting Grimoire-Style Book Crafted From Citrus Paper And Antique Tapestry Fabric, Bound With Mohair Wool

Enchanting Grimoire-Style Book Crafted From Citrus Paper And Antique Tapestry Fabric, Bound With Mohair Wool

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#30

Coptic Bound Book With Tea Paper, Indigo-Dyed Indian Blockprint Cotton, Wool Thread, And Tiny Bells

Coptic Bound Book With Tea Paper, Indigo-Dyed Indian Blockprint Cotton, Wool Thread, And Tiny Bells

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#31

Whimsical Pocket-Bound Book With Real Feathers And Tea Paper Pages

Whimsical Pocket-Bound Book With Real Feathers And Tea Paper Pages

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#32

Secret Belgian Binding With Traditional Ajarakh Indian Blockprint Fabric And Antique French Police Buttons

Secret Belgian Binding With Traditional Ajarakh Indian Blockprint Fabric And Antique French Police Buttons

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#33

Simple Leather Notebook With Japanese Handmade Paper Endpapers

Simple Leather Notebook With Japanese Handmade Paper Endpapers

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#34

Ribbon-Bound Book With Chinese Rice Paper And Upholstery Fabric

Ribbon-Bound Book With Chinese Rice Paper And Upholstery Fabric

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#35

Book In Coptic Binding

Book In Coptic Binding

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Bonus for scrolling to the end: The artisan in her studio (I'm laughing in the last picture because the photographer made a joke)