Tuesday, May 19, 2009

New Bindings


Spending hundreds of dollars to travel somewhere to attend a bookbinding workshop is kind of out of the question for me these days. Instead, I finally decided to purchase Keith Smith's Non-Adhesive Binding: Books Without Paste or Glue Volume 1. This purchase has been a long time coming, and frankly, I don't recall what life was like before...

I'm picking out the bindings I like best, and just jumping right in! So far, I've worked on the longstitch / linkstitch and the slotted cover longstitch.

I didn't really like the look of the slots for the longstitch, so I just used my hand drill punch to pierce the holes in the cover. I really like the look of this much better than the slots. So far, I've only done the one.



The longstitch / linkstitch is just a fabulous binding. As you can see, I've been playing around a bit with it. The book with the large circles on the front was my first.

These books (and some others I've been working on) are on their way to an open house for this weekend. A good friend will be showing them, as I will be in the paper studio making wedding invitations.
Hopefully people will love them as much as I do.

Inside each journal will be a bookmark with my information, the book specs, and this little thought I wrote down this morning while having my coffee:

every journal has a life of its own.
more than a record
more than a trip taken

a thought
a feeling
a moment in time.

it is a life.

a process.

a beautiful extension
of
the human experience.



4 comments:

  1. Love the stitching I'll have to look into getting a copy of this book:)

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  2. I have three of his books, and though I have poured over them I have only made a couple. I am doing more fiber art rigt now, but this makes me want to go get out my screwpunch!

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  3. Susie,

    I love your blog! Great photos and journaling! Your books look incredible. Are the brown covers leather? I love Keith Smith's books! Years ago I taught myself how to do the piano hinge. There is so much valuable info in his first book. To me it is a bookbinders bible. Book Arts is my favorite art medium. I hate to say I have not made a book in two years. I teach high school art and have been doing mostly collage, ATC's and examples for my classes. Hopefully next year I can teach book arts to my students as I will have advanced classes. Your origami bouquets are fabulous!

    Linda

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  4. Thanks to everyone for your support and encouragement....
    I agree -- the Keith Smith books should be required reading for all book makers!:)
    Linda -- yes, the brown covers are leather. They were upholstery remnants I got on the cheap. (gotta love other's scraps)
    susie

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