The making of medieval manuscripts explores the materials and techniques used to create manuscripts produced in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The stages in making a medieval manuscript consist of parchment making, writing, and bookbinding.
Brass Inkwell Inlaid with Silver and Black Compound, Herat, Early 13th century
A scribe cannot write without a pot of ink. The container is portable, presumably with a screw lid, and it is attached by a cord to an oblong pen case. In the scriptorium, ink was held in inkhorns. There are a fair number of medieval recipes for making ink. There are two different types of ink.
Most medieval manuscripts were written on specially treated animal skins called parchment or vellum that were thought to be stronger and slightly springy. The pelts were first soaked in a lime solution to loosen the fur. Once the fur was removed, the skin was stretched and scraped and stretched while still wet. As the skin was dried, the craftsman adjusted the tension so that the skin remained taut. This cycle of scraping and stretching was repeated over several days until the desired thinness was achieved.
Not all medieval manuscripts were written on parchment. The Middle Ages held a long heritage of papyrus writing production. The word papyrus refers to a thick type of paper made from the pith of the papyrus plant. Up until the seventh or eighth century, this fragile Egyptian reed made the inexpensive material suitable for writing rolls but is was not sufficient for texts bound in books. Its pages tend to snap off when they are repeatedly turned, and the folds are not strong enough to support the constant pressure on sewing threads on its spine. The non-durable papyrus was typically a type of manuscript that was crafted into the form of a roll.
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Special Collections Conservation Preservation Department. (2013). Medieval manuscripts: Bookbinding terms, materials, methods, and models.Yale University Library.Retrieved from https://travelingscriptorium.files.wordpress.com
Walsh, J. (2009). Literary patronage in Medieval England, 1350‐1550. Library Review, 58(6), 451-460.doi:10.1108/00242530910969802
Wakelin, D., & Burlinson, C. (2008). Evidence for the construction of quires in a Fifteenth-Century English manuscript. The Library, 9(4), 383-396. doi:10.1093/library/9.4.383
Sewing and Supports most commonly used for Medieval Manuscripts
Once the writing and illuminating had been completed, the parchments or papers was folded and nested into groups called gatherings. The gatherings were ordered in the proper sequence and sewn together onto cords, or leather thongs, that served as supports. After the sewing had been finished, the supports were laced through the channels and carved into the wooden boards that formed the front and back covers of the book. The boards were then covered in leather or a decorative fabric, sometimes with carved ivory or embellished with gems stones or metal. The most elaborate ornamentations were the metal corner pieces and raised medallions that would protect the binding as it rested on a surface.
Scribes and Illuminators by 
Scribes, Script, and Books by 
Medieval Illuminators and Their Methods of Work by 
The Production of Books in England, 1350-1500 by http://www.mia.org.qa/en/textiles/237-metalwork/464-object3302
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/2007.286/
http://evangelicaltextualcriticism.blogspot.com/2015/07/yale-library-website-on-medieval.html