Making Books By Hand – The Prototypes

 

Music: Lucky, Jason Mraz feat. Colbie Caillat

 

 

 

Pictures of small sewn books that I have been making. I like sewn books because of the way they lie flat when you write on them. It also gives a more durable ‘feel’ compared to stapled/punched books.

All of the materials used are recycled. For the first set of pictures :

1.  The boards which I used to form the book covers came from the cardboard that you get in a stationery pack. I collect stationery for my correspondence and I just couldn’t bear to throw anything away. Yes, I also use the plastic packet that the stationery came in! Nothing is wasted!

2. The multi-coloured cover is actually a scrap piece of gift wrap!

3. The red spine cover is an excess piece of cardstock from a  birthday card project.

4. And the paper for the signatures, is actually a big piece of white board paper that was supposed to be part of a decorating project.

The second book is the first time I’ve ever done an exposed stitched book. I couldn’t find suitable bead to cover the head and the tail ends so it kinda looks weird.

This book has four signatures of pink and violet paper, and it also has flaps on the cover.

The multi-colored one took an hour to make, with all the cutting, sewing and gluing.

The old rose covered book was more time consuming because I lost my bookbinding needles! I experimented with my curved beading needle ( I poked my fingers with it a few times!) and finally settling on an ordinary sewing needle with an eye big enough to accommodate a double stranded thread.

I’m happy because my bookbinding skills have improved, especially when making holes on the spine and signatures. I used a hammer to force this itty bitty needle to make holes before. Since I couldn’t find an awl, I bought a bodkin, now poking holes is easier.

When it comes to cutting,sewing, gluing, and hammering, I enjoy these things a lot. I do find measuring stuff a bit tedious! I have no patience at all. I have to be very relaxed and well concentrated. Plus, I need a spacious amount of room when measuring and marking.

I would “guesstimate”! Sometimes I end up getting it accurate, but the usual scenario is I will be left with unusable pieces of crap…err scrap.

If I can get good enough at this I can make my own journal! That is my ultimate goal.