Janette Miller and Peter Goodwin in the Auckland Bindery filming the first Bible DVD in 2008

Peter Goodwin invited Janette Miller   to work in his small bindery on a daily basis and do the menial jobs. It was a revelation. Watching a true master craftsman at work was a privilege and so that others could share in his craft and knowledge  and realizing that book binding was  a dying craft she decided to experiment by filming 'Restoring the Family Bible' the first DVD of Book Binding with Peter Goodwin Series using an ordinary but good DV Camcorder and editing on a basic TV edit program that came bundled with her computer.

 

The series was so successful becoming an Amazon.com best seller and it still is for it shows how a journeyman Book Binder  actually did the job. Five other DVDs and YouTube tips followed. Sadly Peter Goodwin died quite suddenly at the age of 84 but he is with us for posterity as thanks to this set of DVDs his craft will live on forever.

 

Janette Miller became a very  skilled bookbinder. She was particularly good at leather books and in fact in his last few years Peter Goodwin  got her to do the sewn headbands on the most valuable books as his fingers were no longer up to it. There is a knack to sewn headbands and Goodwin recognized an expert when he saw one. Possibly because Janette could use a thimble!