Adv Bkbind

~AND CRAITING MIX[D-M[DIA BOOK~
J[AN NIN[ ST[ IN
UI
<
;a
r-
-<
~AND CRAITING MIX[D-M[DIA BOOK~
,.
"',.
"'
ttl
I:
::c
c:
"'m
~
(/) -<
tn
J[ANNIN[ STllN
Text 2011 by Quarry Books

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be
reproduced in any form without written permission
of the copyright owners. However, the publisher
grants permission for the purchaser of this
book to copy the patterns for personal use. All
images in this book have been reproduced with
the knowledge and prior consent of the artists
concerned, and no responsibility is accepted
by the producer, publisher, or printer for any
infringement of copyright or otherwise, arising
from the contents of this publication. Every effort
has been made to ensure that credits accurately
comply with information supplied . We apologize
for any inaccuracies that may have occurred and
will resolve inaccurate or missing information
in a subsequent reprinting of the book.
First published in the United States of America by
Quarry Books, a member of
Quayside Publishing Group
100 Cummings Center
Suite 406-L
Beverly, Massachusetts 01915-6101
Telephone: (978) 282-9590
Fax: (978) 283-2742
www.quarrybooks.com
Vi sit www.Craftside.Typepad.com for a behindthe-scenes peek at our crafty world!
Digital edition: 978-1-61058-021-2

Softcover edit ion : 978-1-59253-687-0
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available
Stein, Jeannine.
Adventures in bookbinding: handcrafting
mixed-media books I Jeannine Stein.
p.cm.
ISBN-13: 978-1-59253-687-0 (flexibound)
ISBN-10: 1-59253-687-5 (flexibound)
ISBN-13: 978-1-61058-021-2 (e-book)
1. Bookbinding--Handbooks, manuals, etc. 2. Handicraft. I. Title.
Z271.S73 2011
686.3--dc22
2011004914
CIP
ISBN-13: 978-1-59253-687-0
ISBN-10: 1-59253-687-5
Digital edition published in 2011
elSBN -13: 978-1-61058-021-2
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Design: Debbie Berne Design
Photography: Ken Chernus
Illustrations: Mike Wanke
Technical Editor: Marla Stefanelli
Printed in China
i INlRODUCllON
I
I
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
I
1
i G[TIING STARTfD
---------r------------------------------------------------------------------I
I
2 i NHDlt-HlT[D JOURNAl
3 i JtWaRY &MtTAl rocKtT SKtTC~BOOK
19
---------~-------------------------------------------------------------------
29
---------L------------------------------------------------------------------1
I
4 ! WOVlN MN BOOK
41
---------.------------------------------------------------------------------I
5 i flU~~ DOll SKtlC~BOOK

6 i CANVAS COllAGt .DtA BOOK
7 i f0lYM tR ClAY DIARY
49
I
I
---------r------------------------------------------------------------------1
61
---------~------------------------------------------------------------------
I
73
---------L-------------------------------------------------------------------
!
I
I
QU lT[D WORKBOOK
85
---------i--------------------------------------------------------------------I
9 ; D[COUrAG[ ~OOD &WIN[ JOURNAl

I
I
97
---------r--------------------------------------------------------------------1
10 [ llNO-rR Nl[D SK[IC~BOOK
109
---------~--------------------------------------------------------------------
I
11
i CROC~tl NOltBOOK
---------L--------------------------------------------------------------------121
1
I
i TtM rlAltS
I
I
130
---------r--------------------------------------------------------------------1
i R[SOURC[S
I
142
---------~---------------------------------------------------------------------
i ACKNOWltDGMtNIS
144
---------L-------------- ------------------------------------------------------1
I
i ABOUl I~[ AUl~OR 144

I
---------L---------------------------------------------------------------------
INTRO DU CTI 0N
BOOKS ARE MY PASSION.
The first book I ever made-a
crafts into my books. Since doing that, my books have be-
cased-in journal with a hard spine-seemed like a magi-
come more interesting, new creative paths have opened, and
cal creation, and I was completely enthralled with creating
I feel more confident and capable as a book artist and crafter.
books by hand.
When I started making these mixed-media books, I
Since then, I've explored making books with a variety
wasn't the only one intrigued by the idea. I showed a friend,
of materials, structures, and purposes. And although books
an accomplished crocheter, a leather journal I made with a
are my primary focus, bookbinding isn't the only skill in
scallop-crocheted border, and she instantly wanted to know
my repertoire.
how to make it. I realized that integrating other crafts with
Like many crafters, I've learned how to do a lot of things
bookbinding would be a great way to get artists and craft-
throughout the years. As a child, I sewed, did needlepoint,
ers excited about creating their own books, photo albums,
knitted , and embroidered. And as an adult, I've learned
journals, and sketchbooks. I thought it might also get book
how to make jewelry, weave, quilt, crochet, and work with
artists interested in incorporating different materials and
polymer clay and metal. A crafter's curiosity is perpetual-
mediums into their work.
as soon as we see an amazing handmade creation we usually

want to learn how to make it.
I may not be a master at everything, but I like the fact
that I know enough to put together a quilt or a necklace if

the mood strikes. I can also incorporate elements of those
ADVENTURES IN BOOKBINDING
You may fall in love with new techniques or rediscover

old ones while creating these books. I had so much fun
making these projects, and I hope you enjoy making them
as well.
to those who have some experience in a craft, or to novices
-,- - -- -- -- - - -- - - - - - - -,- The shortcut projects are for those

: SHORTCUT : who like the look of a particular craft
-,- --- - - -- -- -- - ---- - -.but want a quick way to get there.
who are intrepid enough to dive in and give it a try. They're
The shortcut quilted book, for example, uses a cut-up vin-
designed to be fun and stress-free, and the bindings are
tage quilt for the covers.
straightforward. Some of the books are intended as sketch-
------- --- --- --- --- _,_
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
The illustrated step-by-step projects in this book are geared
books and have extra features such as pockets and foldouts.

Since sketchbooks are personal items, and artists have
The master-level projects take the
MASTER
: books to new heights. I asked various
_,_ - - -- - - - - - - - - - - -- - _,_
highly skilled artists to create the
definite likes and dislikes about types and styles of paper,
covers, and then I bound the books to show how the proj-
feel free to substitute whatever paper you like to work with.
ects can be collaborative. These books are meant to be both
I find that 90-lb. (185 gsm) watercolor paper is perfect for
inspirational and a catalyst to foster creative partnerships.
almost any medium and isn't too heavy to work with in a

text block.
Each of the step-by-step projects contains a primer and
Books are meant to be used-don't let them languish

on a shelf or in a drawer. Remember that a handmade book
comes to life when it's filled not with blank pages, but with
instructions on the specific craft to help you get started.
words, drawings , photographs, paintings, and collages.
If the craft is new to you or you haven't done it in a while,
Creating things by hand is always an adventure, and I en-
take a little time to practice techniques with scrap materi-
courage you to take the plunge and start exploring.
als. It will make the process more satisfying and ultimately

produce better results.
CHAPTER
1
LEARNING THE BASICS
of bookbinding makes for more
A few of the materials used in the various projects may
successful and trouble-free projects. If you're new to creat-
be unfamiliar to some experienced binders. But give them
ing books by hand, familiarize yourself with these tips and
a shot- working with supplies such as felt , fabric, clay,
tools. After a while, tasks such as folding paper and punch-
and yarn will expand your repertoire and open new creative
ing signatures will become second nature and streamline
paths. Feel free to substitute bindings whenever possible,
the process.
creating books that are distinctive and carry your signature.
Bits of ephemera and embellishments for collage can be kept in

see-through vinyl pockets.
rARTS o~ ABOOK
Head
Books have an anatomy, just like living things. The following

are some of the terms used in various projects.
HEAD:
TAIL:
Top of the book
Bottom of the book
Where the signatures are sewn or pages are bound.

The spine of a book may be open (to show off decorative
stitching) or closed.
SPINE:
FORE EDGE:
Spine
Fore edge
Where the pages open
Where the covers connect with the spine to allow

the book to open. Because the hinge gets a lot of use, book
cloth or leather are often used to cover it because they are
strong and durable.
HINGE:
TEXT BLOCK:
FO LI 0:
Tail
The inside pages of the book
A single piece of paper folded once
Several folios nested together form a signature.

Signatures are then sewn together to form the text block.
When folios are nested, the cut edges will begin to push
out; this is called the fore-edge creep, or just creep. Heavier
paper will create a larger creep. Some people retain this feature because it bears the mark of a handmade book, but the
protruding edges can also be easily trimmed off for a neater
look. Place the signature on a cutting mat and firmly hold a
metal ruler on top, just to the left of the creep. Using a utility
knife with a sharp blade, make long, continuous cuts against
the ruler until the creep is removed. The creep can also be
cut off with a heavy-duty guillotine cutter. Because the creep
adds width to the signature and text block, keep this in
mind when determining the size of the covers.
SIGNATURE:
10
Folio
Signature
Fore-edge
creep
TOOL~
CUTTING AND FOLDING TOOLS
Good cutting tools are book artists' best friends. Most are in-
expensive and, if kept in good condition, will last for years.

While paper cutters are handy for quick cuts and trimming
multiple pieces of paper, sometimes papers are too big or

fragile to be cut with a trimmer and must be cut by hand.
CRAFT KNIFE:
A craft knife is essential for cutting paper
and cardstock. Choose one that feels good in your handmany now have ergonomic features such as rubber grips
STANDARD BONE FOLDER:
Nothing makes a crisp, clean
that are comfortable to use. Replace the blade at the first
fold in paper and cardstock like a bone folder. First crease
sign of dulling or if the tip breaks off (A).
paper with your hands, then run the edge of a bone folder
along the fold. Bone folders are also good for smoothing
UTILITY KNIFE:
This is best used for cutting heavyweight
cardstock, chipboard, and book board. Again, pick one
paper after gluing. Most are made from cow bone, but plastic
ones are also available (E).
that's easy to use. I like the Olfa snap-off cutter because it's
Thicker than the standard bone
lightweight and blades break off easily with a pair of pliers.
TEFLON BONE FOLDER:
I keep mini pliers in my tool kit for just this purpose (B).
folder, this one won't leave marks on paper or book cloth.

Although pricier than a standard folder, it's a handy tool to
SCISSORS:
A good pair of scissors is a must in any tool kit.
have in the arsenal (F).
Make sure blades stay sharp and clean. Some people keep
separate pairs for fabric and paper (C).
CUTTING MAT:
A good-quality, self-healing cutting mat is
RULERS
A sturdy metal-edge ruler (G and H) is a must for trimming
necessary when cutting anything with a craft or utility knife ,
paper and book board. To cut safely, measure the area to be
when poking holes with an awl, or when setting eyelets.
cut and make small marks at the top and bottom of the ma-
Although they are available in different sizes, I go for the
terial. Line up the edge of the ruler with the marks and hold
largest one that my worktable can accommodate. Always
firmly, making sure fingers are behind the cutting line. Cut
keep the mat completely flat or it may warp (D).
against the edge of the ruler with a craft or utility knife.
GETTING STARTED
11
Some metal rulers come backed with a thin strip of cork.

While this helps keep the ruler from moving, it also creates
a small space underneath the ruler under which the knife
blade can get caught, making for uneven cuts. Instead, glue
a piece of 300-grit sandpaper on the back of the ruler with
PVA to prevent it from slipping.
When cutting book board, you may need to make several
passes through the board to cut all the way through. Make
sure your knife blade is sharp, and don't move the ruler
between passes.
NEEDLES AND THREAD
BINDING NEEDLES:
These are typically long and thin,
closed-spine as well as some open-spine books. Available
with a slightly dulled tip and an eye usually large enough to
in ivory as well as a range of colors, it can be run through
accommodate four-ply waxed linen thread. Darning needles,
beeswax (M) a few times for easier sewing.
found at any fabric store, are a good substitute and can be

dulled by running the tip across sandpaper (I) .
WAXED LINEN THREAD:
Waxed linen thread is extremely
strong and comes in a variety of colors, making it perfect

CURVED NEEDLES:
The C shape of these needles makes it
for showing off intricate open-spine stitches such as Coptic.
easier to slip between signatures when sewing bindings such
Four-cord thread is the standard size, but it's also available
as the Coptic stitch (]).
in a range of thicknesses, from thin two-cord up to twelvecord, the thickest. Keep in mind that thicker thread adds
TAPESTRY NEEDLES:
These have blunt tips and large eyes,
bulk to the width of the spine (N).
perfect for thin ribbon or hemp cording (K).

OTHER THREADS:
UNWAXED LINEN THREAD:
This standard binding thread
ing books, but they must be strong, pliable, relatively thin,

and not stretchy. Test before making a final project (0).
(L) for most books is strong, pliable, and perfect for
BASIC TOOL KIT
craft knife
awl
binding needles
These tools and materials are used in almost
utility knife
bone folder
glue brush
cutting mat
metal ruler
scrap paper for gluing
scissors
pencil and eraser
every bookbinding project, so keep them close

at hand. They will be used in some combination
in every project in this book.
12
Various materials can be used for bind-
AWLS AND DRILLS
GLUE STICKS:
An archival glue such as UHU is perfect for
tipping in pages or adhering pocket tabs (T).

BOOKBINDING AWL:
This tool is great for punching small
holes in signatures and covers. Look for a sturdy awl with
DOUBLE-STICK TAPE:
a sharp point and fairly thin, even shaft for punching holes
ing papers (U).
Use for gluing pocket tabs and layer-
in signatures and book board (P). Larger holes in book

board can be made with a heavy-duty paper punch (like the
REPOSITIONABLE TAPE:
Post-It correction and cover-up
McGill paper drill) or an anywhere punch, which is used
tape (and similar brands) won't tear paper and is perfect for
with a hammer and comes in various sizes. A Japanese screw
tacking down binding threads before they're knotted (V).
punch (Q) or book drill easily goes through leather, paper,

and book board and has interchangeable tips in various
GLUE BRUSHES:
A sturdy glue brush with natural bristles
sizes. Although expensive, it's a wonderful, useful tool. A
(W) is best to use with PVA. Wash with a mild soap after
small rotary drill, such as a Dremel, (R) can be used for
using. Foam brushes (X) can be used, but be aware that if
making holes in book board, leather, plastic, metal, and wood.
left sitting in glue, they will soak it up , making it difficult to

apply an even, thin layer.
ADHESIVES AND BRUSHES
PVA:
Polyvinyl acetate is the go-to bookbinding glue because
it is pH-neutral and won't yellow or crack over time (S).
GETTING STARTED
13
Tlr~
&TfCHNIQU[~
PREPARING SIGNATURES
Before the book is bound, the signatures must be readied for

sewing. Fold individual pages with a bone folder instead of
folding several at once, which will create an uneven fore edge.
In the individual projects in this book, when a direction
says to fold paper lengthwise, fold it parallel to the longest
measure. When it says to fold widthwise, fold the paper
parallel to the shortest measure.
After the pages have been folded, nest the appropriate
number of folios into a signature and mark the top of each
signature with a T. Prepare the signature-punching template
Punching through signatures
by making marks on the fold of one folio for each hole.

Open the folio , carry the marks across the fold, and fold it
the other way, so the marks are on the inside. Mark a Tat
the top of the folio on the outside.
Slip the template in the middle of one signature, matching top to top, and tap into place with a bone folder. Hold
the signature flat on a level surface with one hand and open
it to 45 degrees. With an awl held parallel to the surface,
punch through all pages. Try to come out exactly on the
fold. Remove the template and repeat until all signatures
are punched. Marking the tops of the signatures helps keep
them aligned when sewn.
A punching cradle makes the task of punching signatures much easier and more accurate. Signatures are placed
in the V of the cradle and punched through.
When sewing signatures to the spine, make sure the
signature holes match the spine holes.
Punching through signatures using a punching cradle
14
SEWING SIGNATURES
PAPER GRAIN
Unlike sewing fabric, the end of the thread is never knotted
Machine-made paper has a grain, which refers to how the
in bookbinding. Instead, knots are made in the course of
paper fibers line up during the manufacturing process.
binding the book to prevent threads from pulling through
Grain is important in making books because it can affect
the signatures or spine.
how the pages open and how they wear over time. Folding
When pulling threads to tighten, always pull parallel
against the grain can cause those paper fibers to break,
to the spine. Pulling up from the spine can result in a torn
creating a weakened fold that may eventually tear. Also , the
signature. Always check threads inside the signature when
paper may not lie completely flat. Fold with the grain and
sewing to make sure threads are not knotted or kinked.
the crease will be smooth and the paper flat.

To determine grain direction , hold opposite edges of a
piece of paper in one hand and bend the paper gently. Hold
the other two edges and bend again. The bend offering the
least resistance is the grain direction.
When you're buying a ream of manufactured paper, the
label should state the grain direction. Often it's written out
(grain long and grain short), abbreviated as GL and GS, or
the height or width will be underlined , indicating grain direction. Most handmade papers have no grain direction and
can be folded in any direction.
GETTING STARTED
15
D[~l6NIN6 YOUR
OWN
BOOK~
Once you begin exploring handmade books you'll want to design your
own. To make this process go more smoothly, I strongly recommend
making a model before embarking on the final project. This allows you
to work out any kinks, find the right binding, and play with ideas for
closures and embellishments. Always keep the model as a reference and
include any relevant notes.
When designing a book, think about how it will be used, whether it
will be mobile or stay at home, and whether it needs special features
such as pockets, pages that open out, or a wraparound cover.
Experiment and always have fun.
A sketchbook with perforated pages is perfect for any type

of drawing or painting. A scrap of hand-printed cloth is large
enough to cover a tiny blank journal.
16
GLO~~ARY
or [MBROID[RY &S[WING STITCH[~
Hemstitch
French knot
'
Whipstitch
Slipstitch
Quilting stitch
GETTING STARTED
17
CHAPTER
{BINDING} LONG STITCH WITH X-STITCH

{FINISHED SIZE}
5~"
X 8~" (13.3 X 21.6 CM)
THE FIRST NEEDLE-FELTED PIECE
I ever saw immediately fascinated me. I loved the
idea of being able to "paint" designs with wool roving and get 3-D felted effects.
The concept of needle felting is simple: Wool roving turns into felt when special thin,
barbed needles are repeatedly poked into it, matting and interlocking the fib ers. To help
the fibers interlock, felting is done on top of a foam block base or a thick brush mat.
Roving can be felted onto a substrate such as wool felt, linen, or flannel or directly
onto a base to create dimensional items such as flowers. Designs can be done freehand ,
with cookie cutters, or with paper or cardstock templates.
After a piece has been felted it should be gently lifted off the block. It will stick a
little, since some of the fibers have been incorporated into the foundation. When you felt
onto fabric , the fibers will show through on the underside.
Basic needle-felting supplies are inexpensive and include the felting block, felting
needles , wool roving, and wool. If 100 percent wool felt isn't available, felt an old wool
sweater in the washing machine (use hot water and a tablespoon of liquid washing soap,
then place the sweater in the dryer). Roving can be blended for a mottled or ombre effect.
Felting needles are extremely sharp, so always focus on your work, don't work too
quickly, and keep fingers away from the needles as much as possible. Have first-aid
supplies on hand for any accidents.
The guitar motif on this book is two-dimensional, but the raised polka dots and
yarn border give the cover a 3-D effect. The text block, made of various shades of
cardstock, is bound with a basic long stitch and then connected to the cover with an
attractive X-stitch. A small pocket in back holds felting needles, pens, small bits of
roving, and felt.
19
MAT[RIAlS
{TEXT BLOCK MATERIALS}
signature-punching template (see page 131)
25 pieces of 8 Yt." x 9 Yi" (21x24.1 cm) cardstock; 13 sheets of white and 12 sheets of various
colors, folded widthwise (Make six signatures
of four sheets each and reserve one white sheet
for the signature-punching template.)
72" (1 .8 m) of four-cord waxed linen thread
{TOOLS}
Basic Tool Kit, page 12
foam block for needle felting
{COVER MATERIALS}
cookie and canape cutters (optional, for

creating need le-felted motifs)
pattern for cover design (see page 130)

one 8 Yi" x 11" (21.6 x 27.9 cm) piece of thick wool felt
felting needles (medium and lightweight sizes)
one 9 Yi" x 12" (24.1 x 30.5 cm) piece of cotton fabric
embroidery needle
one 9 Yt." x 11 %" (23.5 x 29.8 cm) piece
sewing machine
of double-sided fusible web

one 4 Yt." x 5 Yi "(10.8 x 14 cm) piece of contrasting
binding needle
two tapestry needles
cotton fabric for the inside pocket

Japanese screw punch fitted with a 1.5-mm tip,
wool roving in various colors
embroidery floss
low-tack painter's tape
sewing thread
iron
44" (1.1 m) of medium weight 100 percent wool yarn
chalk, removable marking pen, tracing paper

(optional, for marking design onto felt)
48" (1.2 m) of Yt." oro/s" (1 .2 m of 6 mm or 1 cm) thin,

pliable ribbon, such as double-face satin
small beads (optional)
20
small-tipped anywhere punch, or medium awl
PREPARE THE COVER

{ 1 } Place the front of the 81/2 11 x 11"
____,,.
(21.6 x 27.9 cm) piece of wool felt on

top of the foam block. To create the guitar or chosen center motif with a cookie
cutter, set the cutter in the desired position. Place small pieces of roving inside
the cutter in two or three thin layers,
making sure the layers crisscross.
With the medium felting needle , begin
punching the roving into the wool felt
using small, repeated stabbing motions.
As you do this, the wisps of roving will be
incorporated into the felt (See A). Don't
jab the needle too far into the foam block.
Be sure to felt the perimeter of the design
as well as the center, and incorporate any
stray bits of roving that stick up. When
the roving is partially attached to the felt,
switch to the fine needle and continue to
felt until the design is fully incorporated
into the felt. Fill in any thin areas with
extra roving. Remove the cookie cutter
and needle felt any remaining stray fibers.
Gently lift the piece off the block to make
sure the roving is incorporated into the
wool felt piece.
To make the design with a paper or cardstock template, copy the cover pattern,
cut out the guitar shape, leaving a window, and felt in the negative space. Felt
the outline first and then fill it in, using
the same method as described above.
Stab the roving with quick up-and-down motions.
{ 2 } Place the cover back on the felting
block. Take a few wisps of roving in a

contrasting color and roll it into a small
ball in your hands. Place it on top of
the guitar body, about a third of the way
down in the center, and felt a small, flat
circle for the sound hole. Take another
tiny bit of contrasting roving, form it
into a thin rectangle, and felt it below
the sound hole for the bridge. Carefully
peel the cover off the foam block.
{ 3 } Stitch the guitar strings by machine

with the sewing thread or by hand (if
stitching by hand, use embroidery floss
and a running stitch), going from the top
of the guitar to the bridge. Use embroidery thread to make three French knots
on either side of the top of the neck for
the tuning keys (or sew on small beads
instead of making French knots). Needle
felt three star motifs down the center of
the back cover in the same manner as the
guitar, using the templates on page 130,
small canape or cookie cutters, or a paper
template for the patterns.
NEEDLE-FELTED JOURNAL
21
Needle felt small balls of roving for the border.
{ 4 } Mark the placement of the polka
dots and wavy yarn border from the template onto the felt with chalk, removable
marking pen, or tracing paper, or just use
the pattern as a guide. To make a raised
polka dot, take a nickel-size amount of
wool roving and roll it in your hands.
Place the ball on the cover and stab it
with a fine needle a few times to set it in
place. Then needle felt around the sides
of the polka dot, inserting the needle
almost parallel to the block; this will
give the polka dot a dome shape (See B).
Continue to needle felt the center and the
sides until the roving is integrated into
the felt foundation. Continue until all
polka dots are done.
22
Felt the yarn in a wavy pattern.
{ 5 } Begin felting the 44" ( 1.1 m) of

yarn at the lower portion of the back
cover. Place the end of the yarn in the
desired position, needle felt it in place,
and then follow the pattern around the
cover (See C). If the yarn begins to unravel and become too thick, twist it back
into shape with one hand, while needle
felting with the other. Needle felt the
overlapping ends about 1/2 11 (1.3 cm) and
trim any excess.
{ 6} Center the 91;4" x 11 3/4" (23.5 x
29.8 cm) piece of double-sided fusible
web onto the wrong side of the 91/2 11 x
12" (24.1x30 .5 cm) piece of cotton fabric and iron it, following the manufacturer's instructions. Cut the fabric down to
81!4" x 10 34" (21x27.3 cm) , peel off the

fusible-web backing, and center the fabric on the wrong side of the felted cover
with the web facing down; iron in place.
{ 7} To make the pocket, turn in

the sides and bottom of the 4 1/4" x
5 1/211 (10.8 x 14 cm) piece of fabric
1;4" (6 mm) and press. Turn in the top
1;4" (6 mm) and then 1/2 11 (1.3 cm) and
press. Topstitch one row around the
sides and two rows at the top . Use a
slipstitch to attach the pocket to the
inside back cover, sewing around three
sides and leaving the top open.
signature 4
Sew the text block.
SEW THE TEXT BLOCK
{ 1 } Fold the signature-punching

template widthwise with the marks
on the inside; mark a Tat the top of
the template and every signature. Use
the template to punch holes in all six
signatures. Place signature six in front of
you with the fold facing you and the top
facing left. Thread the binding needle
with the 72" ( 1.8 m) length of waxed
linen thread. Take the needle through the
outside of the last hole at the bottom of
the signature and leave a 3" (7.6 cm) tail.
Enter the next hole from the inside and
the next hole from the outside. Continue
this running stitch until you are outside
the signature at the last hole at the top.
Keep stitches a little loose-when attaching the text block to the cover there
must be enough space for needles and
ribbon to slide underneath (See D).
{ 2 } Close signature six, place signa-
ture five on top, and open it. Enter the

top hole of the fifth signature from the
outside, enter the next hole from the
inside, and continue the running stitch
until the needle is outside on the last
hole at the bottom. Tie the two ends in a
double knot. Place signature four on top,
enter the bottom hole from the outside,
enter the next hole from the inside, and
continue the running stitch until the
needle is outside at the top hole. Make a
kettle stitch by angling the needle away
from the text block and slipping it under

the previous stitch connecting signatures
five and six. As the thread pulls away
from the text block, a loop will form; take
the needle through the loop and pull up
to tighten. Continue sewing the remaining three signatures the same way, doing
a kettle stitch at the end of each signature
and making sure the threads are not too
tight. Do a double kettle stitch at the end
of the last signature and trim threads to
1
4" (6 mm).
23
ATTACH THE TEXT BLOCK

TO THE COVER
{ 1 } To punch the holes in the cover,
center the punching template on the

inside cover, matching top to top and
secure it with low-tack painter's tape.
Center the text block over the template
along the fold. Using the horizontal lines
as guides and marking right next to the
text block, mark placement for six h oles
on either side of the text block (See E).
Punch holes with a Japanese screw
punch or anywhere punch. If punching holes with a medium awl, the holes
may not sh ow up on the felt side of the
cover. Those holes may be marked on
{ 3 } Bend the cover back and slide

the needles, one at a time, in opposite
directions under the next row of stitches
(See H). Take the needles through the
same cover h oles you just entered and
gently tighten the ribbons until the cover
is up against the spine of the text block,
making sure the cover doesn't buckle.
Cross the ribbons right over left to form
another X on the spine and continue the
pattern until you are outside the last set
of holes. Remove the needles and tie the
ends in a bow. Trim the ends.
the felt with a disappearing ink pen

or chalk to make them easier to see.
{ 2} Thread each end of the 48'' (1.2 m)

piece of ribbon with a tapestry needle.
Stand the text block on its fore edge with
the head facing you. Slide one needle
under the last row of stitches on the text
block, centering the ribbon (See F). Pass
each needle through the cover, through
the corresponding h oles closest to the
tail, and pull through. Cross the ribbons,
right over left, and enter the next set of
cover holes from the outside (See G).
TIP
Be sure to save every scrap
from felted sweaters, because
even the smallest piece can
be used as an embellishment
or a design element.
24
Mark holes with the cover-punching template.
Pass the ribbon under the binding stitches.
Ribbons form an X on the outside cover.
Pass ribbons under the next set of binding stitches.
NEEDLE - FELTED JOURNAL
25
I
I
-~----------------- - ~
: SHORTCUT :
I
-~------------------~
NHDLf-rf LTf DJOURNAl

{FINISHED SIZE} 51A" X 8~" (13.3 X 21.6 CM)
THIS QUICK VERSION
of the needle-felted journal uses pieces
and scraps of felted sweaters to achieve the plush look. The

pocket was sewn on with a simple running stitch, using contrasting embroidery thread. The M was attached with fusible
web. The pencil holder was anchored with four sew-through
buttons. For this binding variation, I started with two separate pieces of ribbon instead of one continuous piece. The
needles enter the two bottom holes from the outside, leaving
a 6" (15.2 cm) tail. The ribbons then pass under the first row
of stitches on the text block, going in opposite directions.
They exit the same bottom holes and then cross on the spine
to form an X . The rest of the binding is the same as in the
main project, and the ends are tied at the top and bottom
with a double knot.
26
_,_ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - _,_
I
I
MASTER
_,_ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I
-I
NHDL[-f[LTf DJOURNAL
{NEEDLE-FELTING ARTIST} STEFANIE GIRARD, BURBANK, CALIFORNIA
{FINISHED SIZE}
5~"
STEFANIE GIRARD'S
X 8*" (13.3 X 21.6 CM)
use of color, texture, and dimension
sets her work apart from the rest. Stefanie, author of Sweater
Surgery: How to Make New Things with Old Sweaters (Quarry

Books, 2008), created a cover that started out as a child's
sweater. After felting it, she decided to retain the look of the
garment, keeping the sleeves, collar, and front pocket intact.
She added dimension by needle felting die-cut wool flowers on the front. The bird-shaped page markers, also made
from wool, are attached to the top of the spine. Stefanie has
a degree in industrial design from Pratt Institute, and she
effortlessly integrates function with a flawless design sense.
I added a lining of vintage-inspired cotton fabric with a
fun Scottie dog pattern. The inside pages match the bright
and pastel shades of the wool. The binding has a slight
twist-as I crossed the pink gingham ribbons on the spine,
I slipped on a small metal bead at the center of the X. This
book, with a child's outgrown sweater as the cover, would
make a unique baby scrapbook or brag book.
27
CHAPTER
3
{BINDING} SEWN POCKET ACCORDION WITH THREE SIGNATURES
{FINISHED SIZE} 5" X 7~" (12.7 X 19.1 CM)
TWO FACTORS DROVE ME
to learn jewelry making several years ago: a love of bling and
the thought that I could save lots of money making my own jewelry.
The saving money part-well, you know how that goes. But I enjoyed creating pieces
perfectly suited to my taste, wardrobe, and color palette.
From jewelry I segued into learning metalwork when I saw that metal had several
applications to books-covers could be made from brass, copper, or nickel silver; fabricated pieces could be used as embellishments and closures; and metal could be stamped
with letters or designs or etched.
Some of those jewelry and metal techniques are incorporated into this book. The focal
piece on the cover is a resin-filled bezel atop a hammered and aged piece of brass that's
attached with handmade rivets. A hammered scroll-wire chain decorates the spine. This
embellishment is purely decorative but references medieval library books that were often
chained to a mooring so they couldn't be stolen. The wire-wrapped beads on the top and
bottom give the book that essential bit of bling, and the chain closure and clasp ensure
that the precious contents won't spill out.
The covers are made from a recycled vintage book, which provides a little shortcut.
Look for ones that have decorative covers and an intact spine with no tears or holes.
For the inside pages I combined a pocketed accordion fold with three sewn signatures
for a quick and easy binding. The pockets are perfect for holding magazine clippings, bits
of ephemera, and the odd piece of ribbon or fiber. The pages are great for sketching or
note-taking.
If you're adept at other jewelry and metal techniques, such as bead weaving, soldering, or chain mail, feel free to incorporate them. When you're done, you will have a
beautiful handmade journal-the ultimate accessory.
29
MAT[RIAlS
{EMBELLISHMENT MATERIALS}
approximately 18" (45 cm) of 16-gauge antiqued
brass or copper wire
1" to 2" (2.5 to 5.1 cm) of 12-gauge copper wire
2" x 2 Y2" (5.1 x 6.4 cm) piece of 22- or 24-gauge brass
one 30 x 40-mm brass bezel, Ya" (3 mm) deep
two-part clear jewelry resin (ICE Resin is preferred)

clip art or small photograph, vintage book page
twelve 24-gauge antiqued brass headpins
4Y2" (11.4 cm) antiqued brass chain
liquid brass ager (found in hardware or home improvement stores)
{COVER MATERIALS}
vintage book with an intact spine approximately
5" x 7Y2" x %" (12.7 x 19.1x1.9 cm)
various small beads, pearls, and charms

approximately nineteen 8-mm and three 10-mm antiqued
brass jump rings
small piece of Bristol board and bookcloth

two pieces of decorative paper approximately
4Ys" x 7 Yt." (11 .7 x 18.4 cm). Paper is cut Yt." (3 mm)
four Ya" (3 mm) eyelets

glue stick and E6000 glue or strong glue for metals
smaller than inside cover measurements.
PVA
{TOOLS}
piece of lightweight cardstock approximately 50" x 10 Ya"

(127 x 25.7 cm), grain short (See "Note" on facing page.)
28 pieces of text- weight paper approximately 9" x 7 Ya"
bench block (a steel block for hammering metal)
ball-peen hammer
(22.9 x 18.1 cm), grain short (Fold in half widthwise and
small jewelry vise
nest the pages into three signatures of nine folios each ;
small electric drill
reserve one for the punching template.) (See "Note" on

facing page.)
66" (1.67 m) waxed linen thread
Yt." (6 mm) -wide strong double-sided tape
small piece of 0 or 00 steel wool
low-tack repositionable tape
round- and chain-nose jewelry pliers

wire and flush cutters
rawhide or rubber mallet
metal file
foam brush
Japanese screw punch or awl
30
ADVENTURE S IN BOOKBINDING
eyelet-setting tools
Create texture with the ball-peen hammer.
Note: If your book is a different size,

determine the cardstock size by measuring the book height, subtract 1A11 ( 6 mm) ,
and add 3 11 (7. 6 cm) for the pocket.
For the width of the accordion panels,
measure from the spine to the fore edge
and subtract 1A" (6 mm). Multiply this
number by 10 (to join pieces; see instructions). For the text-weight paper, cut to
the same height as the cardstock, minus
the 3" (7.6 cm) pocket. For the width ,
measure the distance from the valley fold
of the accordion to the fore edge, double
it, and subtract 1A'' (6 mm).
PREPARE THE COVER
{ 1 } Separate the text block from the

cover by gently pulling it away from the
spine, then carefully cutting with a craft

knife where it joins the cover in the front
and back. Be careful not to pierce the
cover. Trim away any leftover, jagged
pieces from the spine. Tear a small piece
of a book page with text and glue it on
the middle of the cover with PVA.
{ 2} If the spine is weak or flimsy, reinforce it by cutting a piece of Bristol board

1A 11 ( 6 mm) shorter than the height of the
spin e, equal to the spine width, and grain
long. Glue it inside the spine with PVA.
Cut a piece of book cloth %11 (3 mm)
shorter than the height of the spine and
three times wider. Glue into the spine
with PVA, overlapping it onto the inside
covers, making sure the book cloth is
adhered in the hinges.
Buff to highlight the brass.
{ 3 } Clip a 11 (1 cm) from each corner of

the 2 11 x 21/211 (5 x 6.4 cm) brass piece to
make an octagon. File the edges smooth
with a metal file. To hammer the brass,
place the piece on a bench block and
begin tapping it with the rounded part of
the ball-peen hammer, making small pits
in the metal (See A). Leave a small space
in the middle flat so the bezel can be
attached. The metal will curl while being
hammered, so flatten it as much as possible on the bench block with a rawhide
or rubber mallet. Place the finished piece
in the brass ager, following manufacturer's instructions. When the piece is a dark
brown, remove , rinse, and dry off. Buff
the piece lightly with steel wool to bring
up some of the brass highlights without
removing the darkened part (See B).
JEWELRY & METAL POCK ET SKETCHBOOK
31
Bend the wire into itself to form a loop.
{ 4} To make the rivets, cut two 1/2 11 to

1 11 (1.3 to 2.5 cm) pieces of the 12-gauge
copper wire with the flush cutters. File
one end until flat and smooth with the
metal file. Place the wire in the vise so
the filed end is sticking up Va" (3 mm).
With the rounded side of the ball-peen
hammer, gently hammer around the top
of the wire to flatten it (See C). Remove
from the vise and repeat with the other
piece of wire.
Flatten the wire.
metal piece on the book over the torn

book page, mark the top hole, and drill
through the cover. Slip the rivet through
the metal piece and cover, turn the book
over, and place it on the bench block.
Cut the wire to I/a" (3 mm) with the
wire cutter, file, and flatten, using the
rounded part of the ball-peen hammer as
before. Mark the bottom hole , drill, and
set the rivet.
{ 6} To make the bezel, cut a clip art

{ 5} Drill two small holes centered at
the top and bottom of the hammered
brass piece, about 114" (6 mm) from the
edge. The holes should be almost the
exact size of the wire, with little or no
room for the wire to move. Center the
Flatten one wire end.
32
image or photo to fit inside. Adhere the

image with a glue stick and allow to dry.
Mix the resin according to the manufacturer's instructions and pour into the
bezel, filling it just to the rim. Allow to
dry and cure on a level, dust-free surface.
Bend the wire at a 90 angle.
Bend the wire over the pliers for the loop.
{ 7} To make the scrolled-wire link
{ 8} Punch Va" (3 mm) holes in the
chain, cut eight 2" (5 .1 cm) pieces of the

16-gauge antiqued wire (more or fewer
pieces might be needed to fit the height
of your book). Grab one end of the wire
with the tip of the round-nose pliers
and bend the wire into itself, forming
a loop (See D). Grab the other end of
the wire and do the same, but with the
loop facing the opposite direction,
forming an S shape. The finished size
should be 3'4" ( 1. 9 cm). Place the wire
piece on a bench block and flatten with
the flat end of the ball-peen hammer
(See E). Repeat for the other seven
wire pieces. Connect the scrolls with
the 8-mm jump rings, making sure the
scrolls are facing opposite directions.
middle of the top and bottom of the

spine and set the Ya" (3 mm) eyelets.
Attach the link chain with two 10-mm
.
.
JUmp nngs.
{ 9} To make the wire-wrapped beads,
Wrap the wire below the loop.
chain-nose pliers. Wrap the end of the

wire tightly around the headpin under
the loop and above the bead two or three
times (See H). Clip the wire with the wire
cutters close to the bead and tuck in the
end with the chain-nose pliers. Do this
for eleven more beads and set them aside.
insert a headpin into a bead or beads.

Grab the headpin at the top of the bead
with the tip of the round-nose pliers and
bend the wire toward you to a 90-degree
angle (See F). Remove the pliers and grab
the wire again at the top of the bend.
Bring the wire around the top of the pliers to form a loop (See G). Rotate the pliers slightly and continue to bend the wire
until a loop forms. Remove the roundnose pliers and grab the loop with the
JEWELRY & METAL POCKET SKETCHBOOK
33
.,..-.
- - -- ... _
-- -- - -..
_...
.... ...
I
Glues sections together as needed .
Measure across accordion for pocket.
Fold up and trim pocket

end sections ; tape.
M
SEW THE ACCORDION

{ 1 } Mark the cardstock pieces at the
desired width for the panels (for the

book shown, it's 4 3A" [12 cm]) and accordion fold. To join pieces together, glue
one side of a mountain fold to one side
of a valley fold with PVA or a glue stick
(See I). You may need to trim one panel
about Va" (3 mm) so the pieces will fit and
the folds will be aligned.
{ 2} Measure 3" (7.6 cm) up from the

bottom of the cardstock piece and score a
line across all the accordion folds (See J).
Fold up the 3" (7.6 cm) section. Use the
bone folder to make a crisp crease. Since
the folds of the pocket are now facing the
opposite way, refold all the pocket folds
to face the same way
{ 3} Cut off the pockets of the first and
last panels only and secure the open side
of the pockets with 1A" (6 mm) -wide
strong double-stick tape (See K) .
34
Sew valley folds together.
{ 4 } With the reserved sheet of textweight paper, make a mark on the fold
l" (2.5 cm) from th e top and bottom.
Open the sheet, carry the marks across

the fo ld, and refold the sheet so the
marks are on the inside. Mark a Tat
the top of the sheet. Mark a T on the
top front of all three signatures. Place
the signatures in the second, third, and
fourth valley folds of the accordion fold.
Use the template to punch holes in all
the valley folds of the accordion, punching through the inserted signatures at
the same time . The signatures are sewn
directly into the accordion folds.
Sew back across to complete.
{ 5 } Thread the binding needle with

the 66" (1.7 m) of waxed linen thread.
Starting at the top hole of the first valley
fold, enter the hole from the back, leaving
a 3" (7 .6 cm) tail and securing it with
repositionable tape. Enter the bottom
hole from the front, and enter the bottom
hole of the next valley fold from the back
Enter the top h ole of the same valley fold
from the front and enter th e top hole of
the next valley fold from the back (See L).
Although the illustration shows the accordion
being sewn while it's open, the folds should be
close together and the thread should be taut,
with as little slack as possible.
Bend the wire for the hook clasp.
Glue first and last accordion panels to inside cover.
Continue this sewing pattern until the

thread is at the bottom hole of the last
valley fold at the back.
{ 6 } Reverse the sewing, entering the

bottom hole of the next valley fold from
the back and entering the top hole of
the same valley fold from the front, then
continuing the sewing pattern. At the
last hole, tie the threads in a double knot
and trim ends to 114 ' (6 mm) (See M).
{ 7 } Place the text block in the middle
of the spine and glue the first and last

accordion panels to the inside front
and back covers with PVA (See N).
Glue the decorative cardstock papers
over the panels.
{ 2 } Make five evenly spaced small
FINISH THE BOOK
{ 1 } For the closure, set a l/a (3 mm)

11
eyelet 14 11 ( 6 mm) from the fore edge of

the front and back covers, in the middle.
Attach a few chain links to the eyelet
(you may need to attach the chain to the
book with an 8-mm jump ring). To make
the hook clasp, cut a 2 11 (5.1 cm) piece
of 16-gauge antiqued wire, and with the
round-nose pliers, make a small loop
on one end. Bend the other end of the
wire toward the loop, and make another
small loop at this end in the opposite
direction (See 0). Attach the clasp to the
chain on the front of the book. Attach as
much chain as needed to the back cover
through the eyelet. Attach the remaining
10-mm jump ring on the end and fasten
the clasp to the jump ring.
holes along the lower edge of the front

cover and five along the upper edge using a] apanese screw punch fitted with
a 1-mm tip, or an awl. Set an 8-mm
jump ring through each hole and attach
a wire-wrapped bead. For the top, attach
the 41/2 11 ( 11. 4 cm) aged brass chain to
the first and last jump rings, and attach
two more wire-wrapped beads to the
chain. Glue the bezel onto the octagonal
brass piece with the E6000 glue.
35
_,_ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - _,_
I
: SHORTCUT :
-,- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -.I
JfWf LRY &MfTAL rOCKfT SKfTCHBOOK

{BINDING} SEWN POCKET ACCORDION
MY AFFINITY FOR
1940s- and 1950s-era paste jewelry was
on some pearls, then went back in the hole on the opposite
fueled by my mother's small but tantalizing collection of
side before coming out the hole directly below. I threaded
sparkly, feminine brooches, necklaces, and bracelets. The
on more pearls and repeated the process, gluing the end
look of those faux gems and pearls inspired this shortcut
of the monofilament inside the book. A faux pearl dangle
version of the jewelry book, which requires no jewelry-
from an earring was attached to the top row of pearls with a
making skills.
JUmp nng.
I started with a small hardbound book and removed
A stunning faux amethyst brooch was used for the
the text block. The original dark-red book cloth was badly
centerpiece. It was adhered with E6000 glue and also wired
stained, so I covered it with a few coats of moss green acrylic
onto the cover (I like embellishments firmly secured). Small
paint. For a vintage look, the embossed pattern was high-
vintage brass flowers, taken from a bracelet, were attached
lighted with brown rubber-stamping ink. I cut out a window
the cover with mini brads.
in the cover to reveal the book's title.

For the spine decoration I made five parallel rows of
journal was stamped onto a piece of damask-patterned

paper and glued to the inside of the cover. The book uses
small holes along either side of the spine, then glued about
the same accordion pocket binding as in the main project,
2" (5. 1 cm) of monofilament to the inside of the book. I
but since this book had a wider spine, two extra signatures
brought the monofilament through one top hole, threaded
were added.
to
37
-- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -MASTER
-- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -I
I
JfWf LRY &MfTAL rOCKfT SKfTCHBOOK

{JEWELRY ARTIST} PETER SOLOMON, SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA
{BINDING} SEWN ACCORDION
{FINISHED SIZE} 514" X 714" (13.3 X 18.4 CM)
PETER SOLOMON'S SKILLS
as an expert jeweler translated
perfectly for this piece, which started off as a children's book

on the history of France. Although he'd never worked on
says this "assures that no future wizard will ever be without

the means to make notes and observations."
A bookmark was fashioned from a detailed "potion
such a project, he had an affinity for it, even researching an-
bottle" that contains a formula of herbs, minerals, and oils
tique books and photo albums to see how metal and jewelry
and is topped with a ruby cabochon. Attached to a silver
could be added to the cover.
chain, it can also be removed and worn as a pendant.
When I saw it in its finished state, I was astoundedevery piece on the book was fabricated or cast, and the detail
was incredible. A cast silver plate that reads Magic sits over
A dedication engraved into the corner reads, "To those

who fill books with their wisdom."
Peter wanted the text block to reflect the book's en-
the original title so the book now reads, Magic for the Use of
chanted theme, so I added pockets, pull-outs, envelopes,
Children. This set the tone and theme for the book. The spine
and even a pop-up to the sewn accordion, in addition to
is accented with a silver hinge, and cast sterling silver frogs
blank pages for drawing and writing. The end result is truly
surround the glass lens. Inside the lens Peter placed an as-
a magical book.
sortment of crystals, gemstones, and small charms, and the

skull opens on a hinge to reveal a tiny carved-jade frog.
The corners are capped with sterling silver, rose quartz,
and chrysoprase. The closure was made with a cast sterling
Besides creating his custom jewelry work, Peter is coowner of Precious Metal Arts in Santa Monica, California,
which is part jewelry gallery and part classroom space where
he teaches aspiring jewelers and metalsmiths.
silver pen that neatly fits into a coiled piece of silver; Peter
39
Al>Ol'T 1Hf
rA.cf or
NA.Tl.Jft.. I : H iit..
111"ft..IT If
r>.,111 NI I
........
.,..... ..
_~
NATUfC..( If
)Ult (NOUCH1
u r M<NANn
W0~1(N MUfr
COM PfC..(H(ND
A..ND A.CClrr
ll(fC..
IUCC(ff/ONI.
................
~N?o1,...Y~ nt11uw
CHAPTER
4
{BINDING} STICK BINDING
{FINISHED SIZE}
3~"
MY LOVE OF TEXTILES
X 5%" (8.9 X 14.6 CM)
goes back to my childhood. My family and I lived in and traveled
through Europe, and I became mesmerized by the beautiful textiles unique to every country
and region. Handweaving revives that special connection.
These woven mini book covers were created on a Schacht mini loom, a small, affordable,
plastic loom that's great for beginners or small projects. Because of its size (about 7" x 81/2 11
[17.8 x 21.6 cm]), projects can be made up quickly but with countless variations. For the weft
(threads woven horizontally), I experimented with pieces from my yarn and fiber stash. For the
warp (lengthwise threads), I used hemp, strong cotton yarn, and jewelry cording. Warp threads
should be sturdy and strong and fairly thin; they should not stretch very much when pulled.
You can make a simple loom by cutting small, evenly spaced grooves into two sides of
a sturdy piece of cardboard or book board and then wrapping the warp threads around the
board and weaving weft threads with a weaving needle or small shuttle.
Weaving with heavier yarns or fabric strips, plus compressing the threads tightly with the
beater, makes for sturdy covers that hold up to use.
For the featured project (shown at center) weft threads included hand-spun wool, acrylic
chenille, a thick mesh ribbon yarn, and chunky wool. Hemp cording was used for the warp.
Of the two other books shown, the one at left was made with hand-spun fabric rag yarn
for the weft and jewelry cording for the warp, which created a solid, robust cover. The one at
right was made with more lightweight yarns for the warp and weft.
Both covers made with yarn were woven using a plain weave, which is done by taking
the weft thread over one warp thread, under the next, over the next, and repeated row after
row. This is the most fundamental weave, but experimenting with weave patterns is a great
creative challenge.
This book's binding is a simple one-signature stick binding in which the signature is sewn
through the cover and around a stick. Adding more sticks and signatures for larger books is
easy, since each signature is sewn independently.
41
MAT[RIAlS
{TOOLS}
Schacht mini loom or comparable small loom
small shuttles for weaving the fibers through
the warp threads (these come with the Schact
mini loom or can be purchased separately)
beater (a comblike tool that compresses the
weft threads)
weaving needle
large yarn need le
two small safety pins
{COVER MATERIALS}
20 yards (18.2 m) of 20-lb. natural hemp cording
various thick or chunky yarns in different colorsseveral yards (meters) of each (Thinner or more
lightweight yarns or fibers may be used as well
but should not make up much of the fabric.)

seventeen 6 Yi" x 5 Yt." (16.5 x 13.3 cm) pieces
of Ingres paper, folded in half lengthwise and
nested into one signature (Reserve one folded
page for the signature-punching template.)
one5Yi"to6Yi" (14to 16.5cm) piece
of driftwood or dried twig
21" (53.3 cm) of four-cord waxed linen thread
26 large-hole beads, about 8 to 10 mm
one small seashell with a hole drilled
into the top (optional)
invisible thread (optional)
42
PREPARE THE COVER
{ 1} To set up the warp threads, tie one

end of the hemp cording to the hole on
the left side of the loom, making sure it's
secure (if using a handmade loom, secure
the cording somewhere on the side, out
of the way of the weaving). Wind the
cording around the entire loom so there
are two strands between each peg and 40
strands total going across the loom. Keep
the cording as taut as possible (See A).
Tie the end of the cording tightly around
the hole on the right side of the loom.
Although this is different from how warp
threads are usually set up on this loom
(they are typically wound around the
pegs), this allows for a piece to be woven
the entire length of the loom and still
have a substantial fringe .
{ 2} Wind about 3 yards (2 . 7 m) of yarn
around one of the shuttles, leaving about
24" (61 cm) of yarn free. Starting on the
bottom on either side of the loom, begin
to weave with the shuttle in an underone, over-one pattern. Leave about a 6"
(15.2 cm) yarn tail (See B). At the next
row, go under the first warp thread and
then continue the over-under pattern.
When weaving into a new row, pull the
weft thread at a slight diagonal (See C) .
When the weft thread is woven all the
way through, pack the threads tightly
with the beater (See D) . Make sure the
yarn is not wound around the first warp
thread too tightly, or it will pull the fabric in, making the edges uneven.
Wind the warp threads all the

way around the loom .
Weave in an under-one, over-one pattern.
Weave with the shuttle at a diagonal

so the threads are not too tight.
Pack each row down with the beater.
WOVEN MINI BOOK
43
..
Leave long thread tails when ending

and adding weft threads.
{ 3 } Continue this pattern until a few

rows have been woven. To change weft
threads, weave partway through a row
and then cut the working weft thread,
leaving an 8 11 (20.3 cm) tail. Overlap
the new weft thread over the old in the
same over-under pattern, leaving an
8 11 (20.3 cm) tail. Continue to weave
the rest of the row (See E). Change weft
threads as often as you like, but keep in
mind that only about 3 V2 11 to 4" (8.9 to
10.2 cm) of the fabric will show on each
side when the book cover is folded.

{ 4 } As you get near the top of the loom
the warp threads will get tighter, the

space will narrow, and it will be more difficult to get the shuttle through the warp
threads. At that point, continue to weave
with the weaving needle.
44
Cut the threads to remove the weaving.
{ 5 } When the entire piece is woven,

weave in the loose ends with the yarn
needle and trim on the underside of
the piece.
{ 6 } Cut the threads in the middle

of the back of the loom with scissors
(See F). Carefully remove the piece from
the loom. Lace three strands of the warp
threads through a large-hole bead and
make an overhand knot as close to the
bead as possible, and continue across
(since there are 40 warp threads, one
of the beads will have four strands
through it) (See G). Trim the fringe to
about V2 11 (1.3 cm). Repeat the beading
and knotting on the other side.
Use large beads to finish the warp

threads and create fringe.
BIND THE BOOK
{ 1} On the signature-punching template, make a mark 314 '', 2 Ya" , and 41/2 11
(1.9 , 6.7, and 11.4 cm) from the top
next to the fold. Unfold the template,
carry the marks across the fold, and refold it the other way, so the marks are on
the inside. Place the template inside the
signature and punch holes at the marks
on the fold. Remove the template.
{ 2} Measure the width of the cover and

mark the spine location at the center on
the top and bottom outside edge with
safety pins. Place the signature inside the
cover and center it, using the pins as a
guide. Thread the binding needle with
21 11 (53 .3 cm) of waxed linen thread.
{ 3 } Enter the bottom hole of the signature from the inside and exit through the
cover, leaving a 6 11 (15.2 cm) tail. Make
sure the thread comes out at the midpoint of the spine. Pick up the driftwood
or stick and place it along the midpoint.
Wrap the thread three times around the
driftwood tightly, keeping the threads
close together (the illustration shows them

apart) (See H). Enter the cover as close as
possible to where the thread exited and go
back through the signature at the bottom
hole. Tighten the thread by pulling the tail
and main thread gently in opposite directions but parallel to the spine.
{ 4 } Enter the middle hole from the
inside, wrap around the driftwood three
times, keeping threads tight, and enter
the cover and signature from the outside
(See I). Enter the top hole from the
inside, exit, wrap around the driftwood
three times, and enter the cover and signature from the outside. Slip the thread
under the last stitch until a loop forms,
bring the needle through the loop, and
pull toward the head of the book (See j) .
Repeat once more and trim the thread
to 1/.+ 11 ( 6 mm). Rethread the tail thread
onto the binding needle and knot the
thread in the same way at the first stitch,
pulling the thread toward the tail of the
book when knotting.
Exit cover and wrap around stick.
..I
l
Repeat at the center hole.
{ 5 } Attach a small seashell to the front

of the book with invisible thread.
~I
TIP
Add larger pages, if desired, by

tipping in folded papers. For
example, cut a sheet of paper
11 Y2" x 3" (29.2 x 7.6 cm), grain
short. Fold at 3 Yt." (8.2 cm) from
both ends and glue the largest
panel onto one of the book's pages.
Tie off thread inside signature.
WOVEN MINI BOOK
45
I
I
-~----------------- - ~
: SHORTCUT :
I
-~------------------~
WOVlN MIN I BOOK

{FINISHED SIZE} 6" X 9%" (15.2 X 24.8 CM)
THE COVER OF THIS BOOK
was made with a striped woven
placemat found at an import store. Woven placemats are

inexpensive, easy to find, available in a vast assortment of
bright colors and patterns, and usually heavy enough to be
book covers without addition of a liner.
The placemat was trimmed on the top, bottom, and sides
with a rotary cutter, although the mat can be used without
trimming. To prevent the mat from fraying, use a sewing
machine
to
straight stitch the top and bottom edges and
satin stitch the side edges, or serge all cut edges.

Three signatures of lightweight ivory cardstock were
sewn to the spine with waxed linen thread and chopsticks,
using the same binding technique as the main project. The
closure was made with a ceramic button and two strands of
waxed linen thread twisted into a ply. Since placemats often
come bundled, these would make terrific quick gifts.
46
_,_- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - _,_
I
I
MASTER
_,_ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I
-I
WOV[N MIN I BOOK

{WEAVING ARTIST} NICKI BAIR, PACIFIC PALISADES, CALIFORNIA
NICKI BAIR'S HOME
might be mistaken for a museum were
it not for her Chihuahuas running excitedly through the

house. Woven pieces and tapestries are on almost every
wall: some huge, some tiny, the intricacies of the textures
and patterns and the vibrant colors tempting the eye. Nicki
started weaving in 2002 when her mother, a fiber artist,
passed away and she inherited her two looms. More have
been added over the years .
The piece used for the cover of this sketchbook was one
Nicki designed and wove in a Navajo weaving workshop
(she considers it a sampler) that wasn't being displayed.
Since her woven sampler was textured and earthy, I used
three dried twigs and blue and red waxed linen thread for
the binding. Real wood and stone buttons form the closure,
and the tie is made with a two-strand ply of waxed linen
thread. Since the piece was quite wide, I folded one end
over to form a flap. The inside pages are smooth, ivory textweight paper with graph paper tipped in.
WOVEN MINI BOOK
47
CHAPTER
5
{BINDING} FIVE-HOLE PAMPHLET STITCH
{FINISHED SIZE}
3~"
X 5%" (8.9 X 13.3 CM)
I STARTED MAKING DOLLS
when my friends were having children, but when that
stopped happening, so did the doll making. With the advent of the plushy/feltie/softy
doll trend, I got right back into it, inspired by the dolls' goofiness and the ability to use
recycled materials such as old sweaters.
Creating patterns for plush dolls and toys is relatively simple, yet the possibilities for
decoration, embellishment, and personalization are limitless.
This doll is made from various sweaters, felted wool pieces, a shirt, and some vintage
buttons. It's a perfect project for repurposing old clothes and using up fabric scraps.
The doll body has a pocket that holds a small sketchbook ideal for jotting notes and
drawings. Keep the doll on the bed and the book can be a dream journal. The doll-book
combo also makes a great children's gift that encourages creativity.
The book, bound with a basic five-hole pamphlet stitch, can be made in a short
amount of time, so making several at once will ensure there's always paper handy when
you need it.
49
MAT[RIAlS
two 41h 11 x 51h 11 (11.4 x 14 cm) pieces of decorative paper
for the covers (corners rounded on one short side)
two 3%" x 4 % 11 (8.6 x 12 cm) pieces of decorative paper
for the inside covers (corners rounded on one short side)
fifteen 10 11 x 3% 11 (25.4 x 8.6 cm) sheets of text-weight
paper, grain short, corners rounded (Fold 14 sheets
widthwise, nest into one signature, and reserve
one folio for the signature-punching template.)
one 15" (38.1 cm) piece of unwaxed linen thread
24 11 (61 cm) of Y4 11 (6 mm)-wide flexible ribbon
PVA glue
{DOLL MATERIALS}
various sweaters, old clothes, wool felt, and fab-
one 18" x 3" (45.7 x 7.6 cm) piece of fabric for the scarf
ric scraps (no more than a Y4 yard (22 .9 cm) of each
one small paper or fabric flower
fabric is needed) for the doll. To felt wool, place pieces
one glass E bead
in a washing machine in hot water with a tablespoon

of liquid washing soap, then tumble dry. When choos-
small linen fabric scraps
ing fabrics, note that some nonfelted knits stretch
embroidery floss
quite a bit when stuffed; when in doubt, test.
chipboard and paper scraps
polyester fiberfill
two small buttons for the eyes
scrap of wool felt for the nose
{TOOLS}
11
% (1.9 cm) button for the scarf

sewing and embroidery thread
binding needle
sewing and embroidery needles
sewing machine
{BOOK MATERIALS}
two 31h" x 5" (8.9 x 12.7 cm) pieces of chipboard,
grain short (corners rounded on one short side.)
one 11h" x 3 Va" (3.8 x 7.8 cm) and one 41h"
x 3" (11.4 x 7.6 cm) piece of book cloth
50
Japanese screw punch fitted with a 1.5 mm

tip or Yis 11 (1.6 mm) hole punch
doll-stuffing tool and doll-turning tool or chopstick
Attach the ears to the head.
MAKE THE DOLL
WST =wrong sides together,

RSI = right sides together.
NOTE:
{ 1 } Cut the fabric pieces using the
templates for the head, body, arms, legs,

ears, and pocket on pages 132 to 135.
For the ear, the front piece was cut from
lightweight woven fabric and the back
from a sweater knit.
{ 2} Pin two ear pieces, RSI, and sew
around the edge with a 1/4" (6 mm) seam
allowance, leaving the straight edge
open. Clip curves and turn right side
out. Lightly stuff with polyester fiberfill.
Repeat with the other two ear pieces.
Pin the pocket and arms to the body.
Pin ears to the right side of one head

piece between the marks (See A). Pin
the other head piece on top, RSI. Stitch
along the edge with a 1/2 11 ( 1.3 cm) seam
allowance, leaving the neck edge open.
Clip curves, turn right side out, and
stuff firmly.
{ 3 } Pin two arm pieces, RSI, and sew
with a Va" (3 mm) seam allowance, leaving
the straight edge unstitched. Turn right
side out (a turning tool or chopstick
makes this easier). Stuff firmly, leaving
the last 1/2 11 (1.3 cm) at the top unstuffed
(when stuffing small areas, insert small
bits of fiberfill and pack with the larger
end of a chopstick, or use a stuffing tool).
Repeat with the other arm pieces.
{ 4} The outside of the pocket was made

from a sweater knit and the lining from
lightweight fabric. Pin the two pieces,
RSI, and stitch along the straigh t edge
with a 14" (6 mm) seam allowance . Turn
right side out and press.
{ 5 } To sew the body, place one body
piece right side up on a flat surface. Pin
the pocket on top, right side up , and
flush with the body lower edge. Pin the
arms onto the body between the marks
(See B) and pin the other body piece on
top , RSI. Stitch around the edge with
a 1/2 11 (1.3 cm) seam allowance, leaving a
4" (10.2 cm) opening at the bottom. Stuff
the body moderately-don't overstuff or
the book won't fit in the pocket.
PLUSH DOLL SKETCHBOOK
51
Tack the foot to the leg.
Stitch the opening closed,

catching the legs.
{ 6 } Pin two leg pieces, RST, and stitch

around the edge with al/a" (3 mm) seam
allowance, leaving the straight edge open.
{ 8 } To attach the head to the body, turn

in the bottom of the neck l" (2. 5 cm)
and whipstitch the neck to the body (see
{ 10} For the face, determine placement

of the eyes, nose, and mouth. You may
want to draw the face on scrap paper
Turn right-side out and stuff firmly. For

a more angled foot, pinch the leg about
1 1/2 11 (3.8 cm) from the curved edge to
move the stuffing out of the way and sew
across the leg from seam to seam by hand
or machine. Tack the foot to the leg on
either side of the stitch line with a needle
and thread (See C).
page 17). The seam will be covered by

the scarf.
for reference before stitching anything

in place. For the eyes, sew the buttons
to one layer of fabric with needle and
thread, making knots underneath the
buttons. For the nose, whipstitch a 1/2 11
(1.3 cm) round felt scrap to one layer
of fabric. For the mouth, thread a long
embroidery needle with an 18" (45.7
cm) piece of six-strand embroidery floss
and knot it. Enter the back of the head
with the needle, pull the knot through
one layer of fabric, and come up 1/ 2 11
(1.3 cm) directly under the center of
the nose. Reenter the head at the base of
the nose and bring the needle up about
{ 7 } Turn in the body opening edges
1/2 11 (1.3 cm) and then pin the top 1/2 11

(1.3 cm) of each leg inside the body at
the marks. Sew the opening closed with
a slipstitch (see page 17), capturing the
legs at the same time (See D) .
52
{ 9} To make the scarf, fold an 18" x

3" (45.7 x 7.6 cm) piece of fabric in half
lengthwise , RST Stitch one short and one
long side with a 14" (6 mm) seam allowance, leaving one short side open. Clip
across the corners close to the stitching,
turn right side out, and press. Turn in the
opening 14" (6 mm) and stitch closed.
Find the middle of the scarf and center it
on the front of the neck. Wrap both ends
around the back of the neck and cross in
front. Sew the 3/4 " (1.9 cm) button onto
the scarf where the ends cross.
Embroider the left side of the mouth.
Chipboard cover
Decorative paper
r-----&-
Embroider the right side of the mouth.
314t1 (1.9 cm) to the left (See E). Insert

the needle back in the starting point 1/2 ti
(1.3 cm) under the nose and come up
314 ti ( 1.9 cm) to the right. Knot the thread
about 1 1/2 11 (3.8 cm) from where it exits
the fabric and then bring the needle
back to the starting point, pulling the
knot through one layer of fabric (See F).
Push the needle toward the back of the
head and clip the thread flush with the
back of the head. If any thread shows
through, massage the stuffing until it can
no longer be seen.
Clip the paper corners to the

chipboard, fold up, and glue.
MAKE THE BOOK

{ 1 } Apply glue to one side of the front
piece of chipboard and adhere one sheet

of 41/2 11 x 51/2 11 (1 1.4 x 14 cm) decorative
paper flush with one short side. Clip the
rounded corners in four places, apply
PVA to the cut sections, and adhere to
the chipboard, pulling gently. (See G).
Adhere both long sides and the one short
side with PVA. Repeat for the back cover
and press both covers under a heavy
weight until dry.
{ 2} Fold the l 1h" x 3%" (3.8 x 7.8 cm)

piece of book cloth lengthwise and center
it on the outside of the signature with
the right side of the book cloth facing the
pages. Mark the signature-punching template, using the spine-punching template
on page 13 5. Carry the marks across
the fold and refold so the marks are on
the inside. Place the template inside the
signature and punch holes, making sure
you come through the book cloth.
{ 11 } Tack a small flower with an E bead
at the center to one ear with needle and

thread. Sew small fabric patches on one
arm and one leg with embroidery floss.
53
,."
\~
Tighten the thread and enter the
fifth hole from the outside
Begin binding from inside the

signature at the center hole.
Both threads should be on opposite

sides of the center thread.
K
Tie the
ends in a
double knot,
capturing
the center
thread.
{ 3 } Thread a binding needle with the
15 11 (38.1 cm) piece of unwaxed linen

thread and enter the third hole from the
inside, leaving a 3 11 (7.6 cm) tail. Enter
the second hole from the outside and enter the first hole from the inside (See H).
Pull the thread parallel to the spine to
tighten. Enter the second hole from the
outside (do not split the previous thread
with the needle), skip the third hole, and
enter the fourth hole from the inside.
Enter the fifth hole from the outside
(See I) . Enter the fourth hole from the
inside and enter the third hole from the
outside, making sure the needle comes
up on the opposite side of the center
stitch from the tail thread (See J). Tighten
threads by pulling them parallel to the
spine and tie ends around the center
stitch in a double knot (See K) . Trim
threads to 114 11 ( 6 mm).
54
End with threads on either side of the center stitch.
{ 4} Place a sheet of scrap paper under

one book-cloth flap and glue up to 1/4 11
(6 mm) from the fold. Remove the scrap
paper and adhere to the inside cover,
centering it. Repeat for the back cover
(See L). Draw a line down the center
of the 41/2 11 x 3 11 (11.4 x 7.6 cm) piece
of book cloth on the wrong side, along
the 41/2 11 (11.4 cm) length. Place the text
block on top, matching the signature
fold with the line on the book cloth and
centering it. Allow the covers to open
onto the book cloth. Fold up each side
of the book cloth against the covers and

crease. Remove the text block and recrease the book cloth firmly with a bone
folder. At the intersection of the centerline and each crease, make holes with the
Japanese screw punch fitted with the 1.5mm tip or a 1/16 11 (1.6 mm) hole punch.
Brush PVA along the centerline up to the
holes and adhere the 24 11 (61 cm) piece
of 1/4 11 (6 mm)-wide ribbon, making sure
it's centered. Bring each end of the ribbon
through the holes (cutting the ends at an
angle will make this easier) (See M).
Book cloth
sewn to
signature
....
-v"'
.........
-- ---
...
I
I
Cover right side
.........._
'
Glue ribbon to the centerline between creases;

thread the ends through the holes.
Adhere the book cloth to the

inside front and back covers.
Text block
Ribbon
{ 5} Apply glue to the book cloth (on

the same side as the ribbon) and then
adhere it to the covers, again making sure
the signature fold is aligned with the centerline of the book cloth (See N). Tuck
both sides of the book cloth between
the signature and the covers.
{ 6 } Glue the wrong side of one 318" x
43/4" (8.6 x 12 cm) piece of decorative
paper and adhere it to the inside front
cover. Repeat for the back cover. Place
the book in the doll pocket and tie the
ribbons around the scarf button.
Inside cover
Glue the book cloth with ribbon to the outside covers;

fold edges to the inside, and tuck under signature.
Note: The small composition book is

made exactly as the large book, but
scaled to 1 1/4" x 111 (3 x 2.5 cm) using the
chipboard and paper scraps. Adhere it to
the wrist.
55
_,_ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - _,_
I
: SHORTCUT :
-,- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -.I
rLU~H
DOLL SK[TCHBOOK

{FINISHED SIZE} DOLL (SEATED): 5" X 10" (12.7 X 25.4 CM); BOOK: 3%" X 5" (9.5 X 12.7 CM)
PREMADE PLUSH TOYS
are great gifts for kids (and adults),
The solution: sew patches of the hook part of the tape
and incorporating a handmade book adds to the charm and
to the paws, and make the book out of an extra-fuzzy felted
appeal. The challenge comes in integrating a book with a
sweater, which would act as the loop part of the tape. I sized
finished product.
the book so it would fit comfortably on the toy. The cover
I found a solution after spotting this bunny in a chil-
was lined with fabric, using the same process as with the
dren's bookstore. I was drawn to its cute face and extra-long
needle-felted book. I sewed three signatures directly to the
arms-arms that could wrap around a book.
spine with a five-hole pamphlet stitch, so the stitches showed
But how to hold that book in place? I thought hook-and-
on the outside. The motif on the cover echoes the polka-dot
loop tape might work, with one piece sewn to the paws and
pattern on the bunny. Strips of wool felt attached to the front
one to the book. Yet I disliked the idea of adding unattract-
and back covers with a small button create the closure.
ive pieces of tape to the cover.
57
_,_ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - _,_
I
I
MASTER
_,_ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I
rLU~H
-I
DOLL SK[TCHBOOK
{DOLL ARTIST} MIMI KIRCHNER, ARLINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS

{FINISHED SIZE} DOLL, 9" X 16" (22.9 X 40.6 CM); BOOK, 5Yz" X 7" (14 X 17.8 CM)
are like illustrations come to life.
I sized the book to fit into the sleeve and continued the
With expressions that range from innocent to impish, they
garden theme by using a vintage seed-pack image from the
seem to want to start speaking.
Vintage Workshop (transferred onto cloth) for the cover.
MIMI KIRCHNER'S DOLLS
Her collection includes swaddled babies, schoolchildren,
Hand embroidery accents the flowers, and the book is
and (my favorite) tattooed men and women; the tattoos be-
bound with a five-hole pamphlet stitch, using the same tech-
ing toile fabric. These art dolls were born out of the wealth
nique as the main project.
of materials Mimi acquired while clearing out her parents'

house, which was filled with fabrics and notions her mother
Mimi started making art dolls in 2001 after twenty years

as a potter. I hope they are always a part of her repertoire.
had amassed over fifty years.

Besides using "rescued" fabrics that would otherwise be
discarded , Mimi also incorporates wool, cotton, and cashmere
from thrift-store clothes and estate sales. Each doll is meticulously crafted with hand embroidery and applique details.
This Garden Lady doll is based on her pillow lady
design, a cross between a pillow and a doll-rectangular in
shape but still huggable. Mimi says she was intrigued by figuring out a way to incorporate a book and decided to create
a sleeve underneath the embellished coat, which closes with
buttons. Making a paper mock-up helped her anticipate the
doll's layers and how the pieces would fit together.
The doll's main fabrics are recycled-wool thrift-store clothing that has been machine washed and dried. The appliques
are made from wool scraps and wool felt. Vintage buttons
accent the coat, as do her near-perfect embroidery stitches.
59
CHAPTER
6
{BINDING} SEWING OVER RAISED CORDS
COLLAGE HAS A SPECIAL APPEAL FOR ME,
because I can tap into my vast collection of
stuff and create something unique. The art form, loosely defined as assembling various bits
of ephemera and found objects onto a substrate, can be both freeing and intimidatingwhere to start? How should pieces be arranged?
I like to start by choosing a focal point, which can be a photograph, an original drawing, a single word or sentence, or a graphic element. It should be something that draws the
eye. A well-stocked supply of ephemera isn't essential-magazines, phone books, newspapers, junk mail, fabric scraps, food packaging, office supplies, and old letters found around
the house can be used for collage. Gather more than you think you'll need.
I prefer using pre-gessoed flat canvases for covers. They're inexpensive, sturdy, and
available in a range of sizes. I usually begin by coloring with acrylics, watercolors, or pastels that set off the materials I've chosen. Backgrounds can also be created with stamps or
stencils. Compose the collage elements, starting again with the focal point and arranging
them until the composition is pleasing.
The most important element in collage is time. Having time to think about color and
composition only makes the piece better. In composing the collage, I take into consideration how the book will be bound. This sewing-over-cords binding, for example, has cords
extending to the front and back covers, so they shouldn't interfere with critical parts of the
design. They may even become part of the overall design.
Think about how the book will be used. If it's destined to be a sketchbook and will be
handled quite a bit, tack down the various cover elements securely so they don't come off.
A few coats of gel medium will secure paper, while rivets, brads, wire, and strong glue are
good for holding down three-dimensional pieces.
This book is designed to be used as a collage workbook. The inside pages include
90-lb. hot-press watercolor paper, as well as an eclectic array of decorative papers, maps,
transparencies, and colored art paper. It also includes two pages of pockets, sewn from
clear vinyl, to hold stray bits of ephemera.
61
MAT[RIAlS
(ir.ll!D:I
thirty-seven 17 % "x 11 %" (44.5 x 29.8 cm) sheets

of various types of paper (Paper size can vary; for
this book, smaller papers were also used. Fold all
sheets in half widthwise and nest into six signatures
of six folios each. Reserve one larger sheet of textweight paper for the signature-punching template).
two 9" x 11 %" (22.9 x 29.8 cm) sheets of paper
(Fold in half lengthwise and wrap around the
outside of the first and last signatures.)
{COVER MATERIALS}
two 9" x 12" (22.9 x 30.5 cm) flat, pre-gessoed canvases
gesso
clear vinyl cut into the following sizes for the

pocket page: one 17 %" x 11 %" (44.5 x 29.8 cm),
four 3 Yt." x 7 % " (8.3 x 19.1 cm), two 3 % " x 7 % "
(9.5 x 19.1 cm), and one%" x 11 %" (1 .9 x 29.8 cm)
three pieces of 1O" (25.4 cm) heavy jute cording
one 120" (3 m) piece of waxed linen thread
two or three colors of acrylic paint

soft gel matte medium
acrylic sealing spray
permanent dye-based black and
brown rubber stamping inks
various collage elements for the covers: vintage
{TOO LS}
rubber stamps and stencils
stencil brush
maps and ledger paper, book pages, sheet music,
filbert brush
old photograph, vintage label, tapestry fabric, faux
foam brushes
jewel, cigar label, handmade paper, and clip art
two 8 %" x 11 Ya" (21 .6 x 30.2 cm) sheets of

decorative cardstock for the inside covers
six 12" (30.5 cm) pieces of waxed linen thread
small drawer knob with Yt." (6 mm) flathead screw
one %" x 12" (1.9 x 30.5 cm) piece of washed
and frayed linen or cotton fabric
two matching velvet leaves
thick craft glue and PVA glue
62
large plastic plate
paper towels
jar of water
low-tack artist's tape
sewing machine and thread
Japanese screw punch or anywhere punch
binding needle
PREPARE THE COVERS

{ 1 } Tear away as much of the backing
paper as possible from the backs of both

canvases. Choose two or three shades of
acrylic paint that complement the colors
of your collage materials and squeeze
some out onto a large plastic plate. Wet
the filbert brush, dip it into the paint,
and begin painting both canvases. The
idea is to get random spots of color on
the canvas, so don't be too careful. Try
different colors and intensities of paint,
being sure to cover the sides and back of
the canvas where it is exposed (See A).
Allow the paint to dry and spray it with
one or two coats of acrylic sealer (this
will prevent the paint from coming off
when the gel medium is applied).
{ 2 } Tear two vintage maps into pieces
wide enough to span the width of the
canvas and about 2" (5 .1 cm) high. Age
one piece by brushing brown rubberstamping ink on the edges with a stencil
brush (See B). Adhere the map papers
at the bottom of the canvas by brushing
gel medium onto the canvas with a foam
brush, then applying the map papers so
they barely overlap. Smooth them down
with your fingers and a bone folder, making sure there are no air bubbles. If the
paper is especially fragile, just use your
fingers to smooth it out.
Paint the canvas.
Antique the edges of the map.
Antique the ledger pieces

and add to the canvas.
Stamp and whitewash the image.
{ 3} Cut five pieces of vintage ledger

paper about 4" x l '' (10.2 x 2.5 cm)
and age them using the brown ink and
stencil brush. Adhere them to the upper
right side of the canvas, above the maps,
with the gel medium (See C). Apply the
vintage label in the upper right corner
the same way. Allow the papers to dry
completely-this may take one or two
hours, depending on the humidity.
{ 4} Stamp a design on the left side of

the canvas using the permanent black
rubber-stamp ink. When the ink is dry,
spray the canvas with a coat of acrylic
sealer and allow it to dry. Brush a thin
layer of gesso over the stamped area with
a foam brush. While the gesso is still wet,
remove some of it with a paper towel so
the stamped image looks whitewashed;
allow to dry (See D). Cover the entire
canvas with two or three thin coats of gel
medium, allowing each coat to dry before
adding the next.
CANVAS COLLAGE IDEA BOOK
63
-.J+,~" (1.3 c ~)
...
.-.._----.....
............... _....._'\,.._
i..-:.:.:.:..."-::-:::..-::.
__ .,,_ .... .....
-~~-
...........
...
~"""...- ... ~"-a....r-....--........ .

-..-1111W ....................... .
...................
........
--.. . . . . . . 1 . . ~ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ,,... ..... " .. . . . .
._
. >
~"i ~
%" ~cm)
I
I
i
T II
I
I
11 ~----~---~
00
~T i
<D
11 '
~l;..;..;...~
-~-=-~....L.~~;..=.-=-~
-I
I
I 1
I I
l I
11
:1
II
I
I
L _ ___
I:
II
I:
I
I
_j _____
L _
L _ ---'
7~"(19cm)
Ya"
Ya
11
(2.2 cm) (2.2 cm)
Back cover decorated in the same manner
{ 5 } Stitch the photograph to the piece

of heavy tapestry fabric by machine or
hand. Glue or sew the faux gem to the
top of the photo. Apply small amounts of
thick craft glue to the back of the fabric
and adhere it to the canvas. Glue the cigar
band to the bottom of the photo with
thick craft glue. Adhere a 41/2 11 x 1 11 (11.4
x 2.5 cm) piece of handmade paper to the
center bottom of the canvas with PVA.
{ 6 } If using canvas for the back cover,
collage that as well (See E). The back
cover can also be made from book board
covered with paper or book cloth, a game
board , or other recycled materials.
64
Vinyl pocket placement and stitching guide
MAKE THE VINYL

POCKET PAGE
{ 1 } Assemble the pieces of vinyl as

shown (See F). Tear off small pieces
of low-tack artist 1s tape and use them
to hold the pieces of vinyl in place,
overlapping a scant 1/a" (3 mm) on the
vinyl. This will help keep the vinyl in
place while sewing so it doesn't move or
buckle (See G) .
{ 2} Following the stitching diagram,

sew the pieces of vinyl together, leaving a
%" (6 mm) seam allowance, and making
sure not to sew over the tape. Backstitch
at the beginning and end of every row of
stitches. Trim threads and fold the pocket
page in half, making a sharp crease with
a bone folder. The pocket page may be
added to any signature before sewing
the book.
------+------~---
.
~
Use tape to hold the vinyl while sewing.
SEW THE TEXT BLOCK
{ 1 } Arrange the signatures so the

first and last signatures have the pages
measuring 9" x 1134" (22.9 x 29.8 cm)
on the outside, because they will eventually be glued to the inside covers. Write
a small T in pencil at the top of each
signature. Make the following marks on
the fold of the signature-punching template, measuring from the top:34" , 1 3'4",
5'a", 10'', and 11" (1.9, 4.5 , 14.8, 25.4,
and 27.9 cm). Unfold the paper, carry
the marks across to the other side of the
fold , and refold it with the marks on the
inside. Mark a Tat the top. Place the
template inside each signature, matching
top to top, and punch the holes.
Sew the signature, capturing the jute cording (sixth and fifth signatures shown).
{ 2} Place the sixth signature in front of

you, top facin g left. Thread the binding
needle with the 120" (3 m) of thread.
Enter the bottom hole of the signature
from the outside, leaving an 8" (20.3
cm) tail. Exit the next hole from the
inside and place one of the 10" (25.4
cm) pieces of jute cording across the
spine at the hole; hold it in place. Bring
the needle under the cord to the left
and wrap the thread around the cord
counterclockwise, capturing it tightly. Go
back into the same hole in the signature
from the outside, being sure not to split
the thread. The cord should be centered
so there are equal amounts overhanging
on the front and back covers. Enter the
next hole from the inside, capture the
next piece of cord with the thread the

same way, and enter the signature at the
same hole. Enter the next hole from the
inside, capture the cord , and enter the
signature at the same hole. Exit the next
hole from the inside and pull the thread
parallel to the spine in the direction of
the sewing to tighten (See H).
{ 3 } Place the fifth signature on top
and enter the top hole from the outside.
Enter the next hole from the inside , exiting to the right of the cord and wrapping the thread around it clockwise.
Enter the signature through the same
hole. Continue this pattern until the
thread is outside of the signature at the
last hole. Tie the main thread and the
65
Kettle
stitch
\
Secure the signatures together with double kettle stitches.
tail thread in a double knot; do not trim

the threads. Place the fourth signature
on top, enter the bottom hole from the
outside, and continue the same sewing
pattern, wrapping the thread around
the cord counterclockwise when sewing
toward the left and clockwise when sewing toward the right. When the thread
is on the outside of the fourth signature
at the top hole, secure the thread with
a double kettle stitch. Pass the needle
under the thread that connects the sixth
and fifth signatures. Pull until a small
loop forms and bring the needle through
the loop. Tighten by pulling the thread
straight up. Do the kettle stitch one more
time. Continue adding signatures using
this sewing pattern and always making
double kettle stitches, until all six signatures are sewn together (See I).
66
{ 4 } Bring the needle back into the

bottom hole of the first signature and
secure it by passing the needle under
the last stitch until a small loop forms.
Take the needle through the loop and
tighten, pulling toward the bottom of the
signature. Repeat once more and trim the
thread to 1/4" (6 mm). Remove the needle
and thread it back onto the tail thread.
Bring the needle back into the bottom
hole of the sixth signature and knot as
you did in the first signature. Trim thread
to 1/4" (6 mm) (See ] ).
Tie the knots inside the first and

sixth signatures to finish.
Glue the raveled cord ends to the inside covers.
ASSEMBLE THE BOOK
{ 1 } Place the text block between the

covers and center it, so the spine is flush
with the edges of the covers. Bring the
top and bottom cords across the cover
and mark 3'' (7.6 cm) from the left edge.
Bring the middle cord across and mark
2" (5 .1 cm) from the left edge. With
the Japanese screw punch or anywhere
punch, punch the three holes in the
canvas. The holes should be just big
enough to push the cords through. If the
cords begin to fray, apply some PVA to
the tips and let dry Do the same with the
cords on the back cover, using the same
measurements.
{ 2 } Bring the cords through the front

cover h oles and pull until they're tight
against the cover and th e text block
spine is aligned with the edge of the
cover. Open the cover, trim , and untwist
the jute fibers until they are completely
frayed. Use the tip of an awl to help fray
the fibers and trim them to about 1 11 (2. 5
cm). Glue them to the inside cover using
PVA, spreading out the fibers so they're
as flat as possible (See K). When dry, do
the same on the back cover.
CANVAS CO LLAGE IDEA BOOK
67
Tie ends in
a double knot
'
''
\
I
I
~------------------
-- . --
Punch holes in the cover and sew over the cording.
{ 3 } Glue the first page of the first

signature to the inside front cover with
PVA, making sure the fold is flush with
the edge of the cover. When dry, apply
glue to the wrong side of one piece of
81/2" x 11 "Va" (21.6 x 30.2 cm) decorative cardstock and adhere it to the inside
of the front cover. Do the same with the
back cover. Allow the inside covers to
dry, placing several sheets of waste paper
between the front and back covers and
the text block and pressing the book
under heavy weights to avoid warping.
68
Sew back over the cording, forming X's.
{ 4} Working alongside a 3'' (7.6 cm)

cording piece, punch six small holes just
above and just below the cording using
an awl. Thread the binding needle with
one piece of 12" (30.5 cm) waxed linen
thread and from the inside the cover, enter the bottom hole closest to the spine,
leaving a 2" (5.1 cm) tail. Cross over the
cord diagonally into the second hole
from the spine along the top. Enter the
next hole along the top from the inside.
Continue this pattern until the end of
the row (See L). Enter the hole directly
below from the inside and cross over diagonally into the second hole on the top
row so the threads form an X. Enter the
next hole along the top from the inside.
Continue this pattern until you reach
the end, tie the threads in a double knot,
and trim to 11+" (6 mm) (See M). Repeat
for the other 3" (7.6 cm) -long piece of
cord. For the 2" (5 cm) pieces of cord,
use an awl to make a hole in the canvas
underneath the cord about Ya" (2.2 cm)
from the spine. Do not punch through
the cord. Thread the binding needle with
12" (30.5 cm) of waxed linen thread and

enter the hole from the inside, leaving a
2" (5 .1 cm) tail. Wrap the thread around
the cord four or five times, then make
another hole with the awl directly underneath the cord where the thread ends;
enter the hole from the outside (See N).
Tie the thread ends in a double knot;
trim to %" (6 mm).
{ 5} Punch a hole on the right-hand side

of the front cover at the midpoint that
is large enough to accommodate the 1.4"
(6 mm) flathead screw Push the screw
through from the inside and attach the
small knob. Punch another small hole in
the back cover, opposite the knob , and
lace through the 12" (30.5 cm) piece of
frayed linen from the outside. Make a
small hole about 1/2 11 (1.3 cm) from the
end of the linen and bring the other end
through; pull tight. Glue the velvet leaves
together with wrong sides facing and
encasing about 1/ 2 11 (1.3 cm) of the linen
end. Wrap the linen around the knob to
close the book. The knob will elevate the
cover a bit when the book is completely
open. For a completely flat book, use two
pieces of frayed linen and tie together for
the closure.
Repeat steps 4 and 5 for back cover.
\
\
'
.......
''
' \\
'
'I
I
Tie ends in
a double knot
I
I
Punch holes and wrap the cording.
69
I
I
-~----------------- - ~
: SHORTCUT :
I
-~------------------~
CANVA~
COLLA6[ ID[A BOOK
{BINDING} PACKED CORDS

THE COVER OF THIS BOOK
was made from scrapbook paper
that has the look of collage, combining butterfly images,

text, and flowers. I glued it onto book boards that were
trimmed at each fore-edge corner to make hexagonal covers.
Adding a few simple decorations gave the book dimension and ratcheted up the collage look. I adhered an antique
photo case and a small tintype to the cover with brads and
glue and then added a few paper-punched butterflies.
I used the same sewing-over-cords binding but wrapped
the thread around the cord a couple of times before going
back in the signature, so that the binding thread goes all the
way across the spine, with no cord showing through.
For the closure, I attached vintage adding-machine
buttons with screws, then tied a piece of seven-cord waxed
linen thread to the back and wound it around both buttons
in a figure eight.
Ivory text-weight paper makes up the inside pages, and
signatures were wrapped with various decorative scrapbook
papers that enhance the collaged look.
70
_,_- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - _,_
I
I
MASTER
_,_ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I
-I
CANVA\ COLLA6[ ID[A BOOK

{COLLAGE ARTIST} TRACIE LYN HUSKAMP
{BINDING} SEWING OVER RAISED CORDS
ARTIST TRACIE LYN HUSKAMP'S
collages seem complex yet
effortless, incorporating bits of vintage ephemera and fabric

along with her gorgeous paintings.
For the cover she painted flowers on muslin canvas, then
cut them out and attached them to an arranged background
of vintage papers and dyed fabrics .
Tracie Lyn, author of Nature Inspired: Mixed-Media
Techniques for Gathering, Sketching, Painting, journaling, and

Assemblage (Quarry, 2009) and a fabric designer, says that
she uses art journals much like a diary. "Keeping a diary was
something I tried over and over to do as a child with little
success, mostly because I felt my words were uninteresting.
But art journaling has been an incredible activity, as it combines both images and words into a visual tapestry, recording
the days of my life by capturing both significant and daily
events."
I used the same sewn-over-cords binding for this book,
but added a French (or link) stitch to the binding in between
the cords-this starts out as a long stitch, and as signatures
are added the working thread hooks into the previous stitch .
For the cords I used gold gimp and glued it to the outside
of the covers, then stitched through the covers to hold it in
place. Waxed linen thread wraps around brads in the front
and back to create the closure. Pages are made from watercolor paper and the book opens flat.
71
CHAPTER
7
{BINDING} SEWING OVER LEATHER TAPES
POLYMER CLAY
is the chameleon of the craft world. It can look like stone, wood, glass,
marble, or metal and can be molded, cut, and layered into almost any shape. The clay
comes in an array of colors that can be blended for even more variety. It can also be
stamped, painted, glazed, gilded, and washed with a patina.
A few tools make working with polymer clay extremely easy. A dedicated pasta or
clay machine effortlessly rolls it into various thicknesses. An acrylic roller also flattens
the clay or embeds it into a clay mold or rubber stamp, which can give it a raised design
or pattern. Clay cutters make neat trims. Polymer clay must be baked to harden and set;
this is best done in a toaster oven in a ventilated area. Because baking the clay releases
fumes , never use an oven intended for food.
Condition the clay first by kneading it with your hands or pressing it with an acrylic
roller. This warms it up in preparation for work. Then place it on a smooth, clean surface and use the roller to flatten it
to
its desired thickness, or flatten it just enough to put
it through the pasta machine or clay roller.

This project, an open-spine diary, uses two stamping methods and adds a stunning
crackled gold-leaf accent. A technique called a Skinner blend (best done on a pasta
or clay machine) creates a beautiful gradation of color. Try it with small pieces of clay
before attempting the cover.
The book's locked closure is optional but lends a distinctive look. The faux deckleedge watercolor paper used in the text block is perfect for any art medium, and the
across-the-spine binding allows the book to open flat.
73
MAT[RIAlS
six miniature brads
four large decorative brads
glazing medium
acrylic paint in burnt umber light (Golden brand)
PVA glue

twenty-two 712" x 5 %" (19.1 x 14.6 cm) pieces of
90-lb. watercolor paper, trim by tearing it against a
deckle-edge or plain metal ruler (fold each piece in half
lengthwise and make seven signatures of three folios
{COVER MATERIALS}
6 oz. (170 g) of polymer clay in black
each. Reserve one folio for the punching template).

seven 7%" x 5%" (19.7 x 14.6 cm) pieces of lightweight
colored cardstock, trimmed with a deckle edge and folded
5 oz. (140 g) of polymer clay in stonewash
(Wrap each signature with a sheet of the cardstock.)
(Sculpey Ill brand)

two 30" (76.2 cm) pieces of waxed linen thread
2 oz. (57 g) of polymer clay in moss (Sculpey Ill brand)
two Ya" x 6" (1.6 x 15.2 cm) pieces of sturdy leather
1 12 oz . (43 g) of polymer clay in sweet potato

(Sculpey Ill brand)
one sheet of composition gold leaf
{TOO LS}
five pieces of cardstock cut to the following
pasta or clay machine
dimensions: 4" x 6", 2 %" x 6", 1" x 6", Yt." x 6",

and % "x 1" (10.2 x 15.2 cm, 7 x 15.2 cm, 2.5 x
15.2 cm, 6 mm x 15.2 cm, and 1.9 x 2.5 cm)
permanent stamping ink (Palette or Staz-On)
one Ya" x 1" (1.5 x 2.5 cm) decorative brass hinge
one Ya" x 1 Ya" (1.5 x 4.7 cm) decorative brass hasp
small decorative brass lock (about 1" [2.5 cm])
small foam brush

various rubber stamps or clay molds
deckle-edge ruler or plain metal ruler
hand or automatic drill
binding needle
small piece of scrap wood for drilling
toaster oven with sheet pan
74
Trim the clay to size.
PREPARE THE COVERS
Abut the stacked triangles.
Run the triangles through the machine.
{ 1 } For the front cover, roll 3 oz. (85 g)
of conditioned black clay through a pasta

or clay machine on the second-thickest
setting or roll by hand to l/16 11 (1.6 mm).
Place the 4'' x 6 11 (10.2 x 15.2 cm) cardstock template on top and trim the clay
to size using a clay cutter (See A). Set the
cut sheet on the oven's metal sheet pan.
{ 2} To make the Skinner blend, condition 2 oz. (57 g) of stonewash and 2 oz.
(57 g) of moss clay separately. Roll each
on the thickest setting of the machine until you have a sheet from which you can
cut a 3" x 6 11 (7.6 x 15.2 cm) piece.
{ 4} Run the piece, short side first ,
{ 3 } Place one clay sheet over the other

and trim both to 3" x 6 11 (7.6 x 15.2 cm).
With the cutter, cut both sheets into two
triangles, separate the layers, and place
the same color triangles on top of each
other. Push the pieces together so there
are no gaps (See B).
through the pasta machine at the thickest

setting (See C). Fold the piece in half,
matching short side to short side, and
pinch the fold gently. Run the folded
side through the machine, again at the
thickest setting. Repeat this folding and
rolling process about 15 to 20 times ,
or until there is a smooth gradation of
Examples of the Skinner blend at various stages
color (See D). The Skinner blend is a bit

temperamental, so make sure no stray
bits of clay become incorporated while
rolling, or it will ruin the effect. Run the
piece without folding it through the machine one last time at the second-thickest
setting. Trim to size using the 2 3/,i." x 6 11
(7 x 15.2 cm) template.
POLYMER CLAY DIARY
75
Lightly stamp the image onto the clay.
{ 5} Ink a stamp with the permanent

ink and stamp it lightly onto the clay, just
enough to get an image (See E). Don't
make a deep impression. If the clay sticks
to the stamp, gently peel it off. Carefully
place the stamped piece on the right side
of the black foundation piece.
{ 6 } Run a conditioned 1-oz. (28 g)

piece of black clay through the machine
at the thickest setting until it measures
about l" x 5 1/2'' (2.5 x 14 cm). Place a
piece of the composition gold leaf along
the length of the clay piece, carefully tearing the leaf into smaller pieces if necessary
and burnishing gently with your fingers .
It will adhere without needing any glue.
76
Place the gold leaf over the black clay

and run through the machine.
Run the clay through the machine at the

second-thickest setting to get a crackle
effect (See F). Trim to size using the %" x
6" (6 mm x 15.2 cm) template and place
it to the left of the stamped piece, making
sure there are no gaps.
{ 7 } Condition the 11/2-oz. ( 43 g) piece
of sweet potato clay and run it through
the machine at the second-thickest setting. Trim to size using the l" x 6" (2.5
x 15.2 cm) template. Stamp a design
firmly into the clay with a rubber stamp
to get an impression (See G). Or press
the clay into a clay mold and then trim
to size. (If the clay sticks to the mold, try
using a release such as a small amount
of cornstarch or a fine mist of water in

the mold before adding the clay.) Place
it next to the gold-leafed piece. Use the
cutter to trim any overhanging or uneven
pieces on the cover.
{ 8} For the back cover, condition, roll,
and cut 3 oz. (85 g) of black clay as in
step 1. Condition and roll 3 oz. (85 g) of
stonewash clay (you can also do another
Skinner blend for the back if desired),
trim to size using the 4" x 6" (10.2 x 15.2
cm) template , and stamp with an inked
stamp as in step 5. Gently place it over
the black piece. Trim any overhanging or
uneven pieces. Place on the baking sheet.
Stamp impressions into the clay.
{ 9} Fold the closure, condition a 1/2-oz.

(14 g) piece of stonewash clay, and roll
it through the machine at the thickest
setting. Trim to size using the 3!4" x l"
(1.9 x 2.5 cm) template. Place on the
baking sheet and bake all pieces according to the manufacturer's directions.
{ 10 } When cool, remove the clay
pieces. With the foam brush, paint the
outside of the back cover and the closure
piece with one coat of glaze. Paint one
coat of glaze over only the metal leaf and
ink-stamped portions of the front cover.
Mix 1/3 (.33) part glaze with 3 (.66) parts
of the burnt umber light acrylic paint and
Mark holes, drill, and attach the hinge and hasp to the back cover.
Attach the staple to the cover after the book is bound.
sponge over the stamped, far-left panel of

the cover; allow to dry
{ 11 } To assemble the covers, mark
hinge holes on the closure piece and back
cover as shown (See H). Place a small
scrap of wood under the book and drill
small h oles, then attach the hinge to the
closure piece and back cover with miniature brads. Mark holes for the hasp on
the closure piece, drill the holes , and attach with the mini brads (the hasp staple
will be attached later to the front cover).
Place the signatures between the covers
and make sure the closure fits. If not, add
or subtract signatures.
POLYMER CLAY DIARY
77
~%"
%"~
(1.9
(1.9cm)
Mark paper for signaturepunching template.
SEW THE TEXT BLOCK
{ 1 } Measure 3A" (2 cm) from the top

and bottom of the signature-punching
template along the fold and make a
mark. Place each r'a" x 6 11 (1.6 x 15.2 cm)
leather piece on the inside of each mark
and make a mark on the other side of
the leather piece (See I). Don't make
the marks too close to the leather or the
stitches will make it bunch up. Open up
the template and carry the marks across
the fold, then refold the template so the
marks are now are on the inside. Mark
a Tat the top of the template and at the
top on the front of all the signatures.
Use the template to punch all seven
signatures.
78
m)
Begin sewing the bottom
row.
{ 2 } The signatures are sewn across the

spine, over the leather strips, and the
bottom row is sewn first. Enter the bottom hole from the inside of the seventh
signature, leaving a 3" (7 .5 cm) tail. Place
the leather piece across the edge of the
signature, center it, and enter the top hole
of the signature from the outside. Tie the
thread in a double knot at the top hole
(See j). Exit the top hole from the inside.
{ 3} Pick up the sixth signature and

enter the top hole from the outside. Enter
the bottom hole from the inside and
enter the top hole again from the outside.
Enter the bottom hole from the inside
(See K). Pick up the fifth signature and
enter the bottom hole from the outside.
Signatures are added as you
go.
Enter the top hole from the inside, the

bottom hole from the outside, and the
top hole from the inside (See L). Pick
up the fourth signature and repeat the
sewing. Continue in the same manner
until the first signature has been sewn
and the needle is on the inside at the
bottom hole. Knot the thread by bringing
the needle under the stitch until a single
loop forms. Bring the needle through
the loop and tighten, pulling downward
(See M). Make one more knot and trim
the thread to 1A" (6 mm). Trim the thread
in the seventh signature to 1A'' (6 mm).
Repeat the sewing for the top row of
stitches; illustration L shows the stitching
pattern.
Repeat the process to sew

each signature.
ASSEMBLE THE BOOK
{ 1 } Trim the front leather pieces so

they overlap the covers by about 2"
(5 .1 cm). Adhere to the front cover
with PVA, making sure the text block is

centered under the cover. When the glue
is dry, do the same with the leather pieces
on the back cover. Drill small holes
through the leather pieces and the cover
to accommodate the decorative brad
prongs and attach the brads.
Tie off the thread inside the signature.
{ 3 } Place a sheet of waste paper under

the first page of the first signature and
glue the entire sheet with PVA; adhere to
the inside front cover. Do the same with
the last page of the last signature and
adhere to the inside back cover. Fasten
the hasp closure with a small lock.
{ 2} Mark placement for the staple

part of the hasp, mark holes, and drill
through the cover. Attach the staple with
two miniature brads.
POLYMER CLAY DIARY
79
_,_ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - _,_
I
: SHORTCUT :
-,- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -.I
rOLYMlR CLAY DIARY

{BINDING} BUTTONHOLE STITCH OVER TAPES
{FINISHED SIZE} 31's" X 5" (9.2 X 12.7 CM)
MANY TALENTED POLYMER CLAY
artists sell canes in a
Handmade paper was glued to a piece of book board,
variety of designs, colors, and shapes, such as faces, flowers,
and the clay pieces adhered with E6000-an industrial-
and geometric patterns. Canes are cylindrical or log-shaped
strength craft adhesive.
pieces of clay with a design that runs all the way through.
I bound the book using a buttonhole stitch (developed by
When sliced, each piece shows the design. Some of the pat-
book artist Keith Smith), another sewn-over-tapes binding.
terns are so intricate they're like little jewels.
Instead of using leather for the tapes, I used folded pieces of
When the cane is sliced (much like ready-to-bake cookies), the pieces can be used for jewelry or other projects. I
the cover paper and glued the tapes between the cover and
first page.
found two beautiful canes on Etsy.com that were made by
The book is colorful and lightweight and was made in
polymer clay artist Keila Hernandez. Since the colors and
just a few hours. Leftover clay pieces were used to make ear-
patterns reminded me of tile, I cut the canes into Va" (3 mm)
rings and a bracelet.
-thick slices, baked them, and then arranged the pieces in a

design reminiscent of a tile accent on a door or window.
POLYMER CLAY DIARY
81
-- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -MASTER
-- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -I
I
I
I
rOLYMlR CLAY DIARY

{POLYMER CLAY ARTIST} KEILA HERNANDEZ, OTTUMWA, IOWA
{BINDING} SEWING OVER TAPES
WHEN I FOUND KEILA'S
polymer canes on Etsy.com I
crystals between the leaves to add a touch of sparkle (she
checked out her blog, where I discovered her talents
cautions that any nonpolymer embellishments should be
stretched much further. Her larger and more detailed cane
able to withstand heat because the clay piece is baked in
work was exquisite and her color palette was lovely.
the oven).
Keila has been working with polymer clay for more than
Both books were bound with sewn-over-tapes bind-
fifteen years and teaches polymer clay techniques. She also
ing; the book on the left was sewn using the same method
sells her jewelry and functional art pieces through art shows
as the main polymer clay book , and the one on the right
and galleries as well as online.
was sewn with a simple X-stitch across the spine. This
She made covers for two books using a caning technique
sewing starts with the thread entering the top hole of one
called millefiore. Adapted from glassmaking, the term refers
signature from the inside and then entering the bottom
to a design built within a log of clay so the pattern is visible
hole of the second signature from the outside. Next the
at each end. The cane is then stretched and rolled to the de-
thread enters the top hole in the second signature from the
sired diameter, typically a fraction of its original size. Slices
outside, then spans across diagonally to the bottom hole in
taken from the cane show the design consistently through
the third signature from the outside. The pattern contin-
the entire length, giving patterns a seamless look.
ues until the last signature and then comes back across
Base sheets of clay were layered with slices from several

different canes. For the fall leaf book, Keila embedded
the spine the same way to form the X motif, ending with
threads knotted in the first signature.
POLYMER CLAY DIARY
83
CHAPTER
8
{BINDING} ROMANESQUE STITCH
{FINISHED SIZE}
7~"
MY GRANDMOTHER
X 9" (19.1 X 22.9 CM)
was an expert quilter who turned out incredible hand-stitched
quilts. I hoped to inherit her skills, but after taking a number of quilting classes and ripping out a lot of seams, I came to terms with the fact that quilting wasn't going to be my
forte. I did, however, learn enough that I could piece together simple throws and quilted
items such as pillows, potholders, and tote bags.
Thinking of other things I could make out of patchwork, I came up with the idea
for a quilted workbook that would be perfect for sketching and trying out new designs.
The cover is easy enough for even first-time quilters, with straightforward strip piecing,
fused appliques, and a ribbon rose. I hand quilted the piece using perle cotton and an
embroidery hoop, but machine quilting is another option.
The book is bound with the Romanesque stitch, which creates a beautiful crisscross
pattern on the spine. This binding is usually sewn over tapes, but here the cover itself
becomes the support for the stitches.
Special features are found inside. A pocket on the inside cover holds fabric scraps,
pencils, or notes. The first two "pages" are made of felt, on which pieces of fabric stick
to create various quilt blocks and designs. The rest of the signatures are a mixture of
lightweight cardstock and graph paper, the latter for charting patterns. Sari ribbons,
made from sari fabric strips sewn together, serve as the closure and are also used for the
rosette embellishment.
Utilitarian and pretty-what more could you ask for?
85
MAT[RIAlS
thirty-three 14" x 8 % " (35.6 x 22.2 cm) pieces of
lightweight cardstock, grain short
eight 14" x 8 %" (35.6 x 22.2 cm) pieces graph paper,
grain short
one 14" x 8%" (35.6 x 22.2 cm) and two 6%" x 8%"
(17 x 22.2 cm) pieces of felt
two 24" (61 cm) pieces of Ya" (3 mm) -wide double-face
satin ribbon
two 6 % "x 8 % " (16.5 x 21.5 cm) pieces of Bristol board
for the felt pages
su perglue (optional)
{COVER MATERIALS}
Yt. yard (22.9 cm) each of six different coordinating
lightweight cotton quilting fabrics, plus various scraps
for appliques
% yard (45.7 cm) of one fabric for the cover and lining
two 2" x 9" (5.1 x 22.9 cm) and two 2" x 18" (5.1 x
45.7 cm) pieces of fabric for the cover binding
one 6%" x 12%" (16.5 x 31.8 cm) and one 6%" x
3 % " (16.5 x 8.9 cm) piece of fabric for the pocket
two 1" x 6 % " (2.5 x 16.5 cm) pieces of fabric for the
{TOO LS}
embroidery hoop (optional, for hand quilting)
sewing, embroidery, and tapestry needles
sewing machine
repositionable tape
eyelet-setting tools
Japanese screw punch fitted with a 2.5-mm
tip or anywhere punch with a Ya" (3 mm) tip
pocket binding
twenty Ya" (3 mm) metal eyelets with washers (Darice
rotary cutter, mat, and quilting ruler (optional but

recommended)
Finishing Accents eyelets were used for this project.)

fourY4" (6 mm) two-piece metal eyelets
iron
one 14" x 22" (35.6 x 55.9 cm) piece of

light- to midweight cotton batting
quilt-basting spray or quilt pins
double-sided fusible web
four 15" (38.1 cm) pieces of sari ribbon or 1" (2.5
cm) -wide lightweight flexible ribbon for closure
size 8 perle cotton if hand quilting
86
one 18" (45.5 cm) piece of sari ribbon or 1" (2.5 cm)
-wide flexible ribbon or torn fabric strip for the rosette
one 2 % " (6.5 cm) square of mull (stiff mesh
used in bookbinding) or crinoline
12 glass E beads
Press the vertical seams in one direction.
MAKE THE COVER
All seam allowances are 14" (6 mm) and

seams are sewn with a straight stitch. A
quilting ruler and rotary cutter are best for
making accurate cuts.
You may want to preshrink the fabrics before making the quilt. For this project I did
not preshrink the fabrics but hand washed
and machine dried the piece after quilting it
(to achieve a more puckered look) and then
attached the eyelets, grommets, appliques,
and rosette.
Arrange fabric and pieced sections in sewing order.
Out of the 1/2-yard (45.7 cm) fabric, cut

one 14 11 x 22 11 (35.6 x 55.9 cm) piece for
the lining, one 41/2 11 x 8 11 (11.4 x 20.3
cm) piece for the cover, one 31/2 11 x 8 11
(8 .9 x 20.3 cm) piece for the back, and
one 214 11 x 9 11 (5.7 x 22.9 cm) piece for
the spine.
{ 2} Sew the pieces cut from the 1/t.-yards

(22.9 cm) fabrics together along the 2 11
(5 .1 cm) sides, alternating lengths and
fabrics, until you have a strip measuring
at least 60 11 (1.8 m) long. Cut the strip
into five 5 11 (12 .7 cm) -long strips and ten
3 14 11 (8.3 cm) -long strips.
{ 1 } From the six 1/t.-yards (22. 9 cm)
fabrics, cut these lengths and quantities:

twelve pieces of 2 11 x 2 11 (5.1x5.1 cm),
nine pieces of 2 11 x 3 11 (5.1 x 7.6 cm), and
nine pieces of 2 11 x 4 11 (5.1x10.2 cm).
{ 3} Arrange the 5 11 (12. 7 cm) -long

strips next to each other in preferred
order and press the seam allowances in
opposite directions on each strip. Sew the
pieces together along the 5 11 (12. 7 cm)

sides. Press the 5 11 ( 12.7 cm) seams in
one direction (See A). Do the same with
the 3 14 11 (8 .3 cm) strips, assembling them
into two groups of five strips each.
{ 4 } Trim the sides of each patchwork
block, if n ecessary, so they are even. Sew
the 4 1/2 11 x 8 11 (11.4 x 20.3 cm) piece to
the top of the larger patchwork piece,
pressing the seam allowance toward the
bottom. Sew the two smaller patchwork
pieces to both 8 11 (20.3 cm) sides of the
3 1/2 11 x 8 11 (8.9 x 20.3 cm) back cover
piece, pressing seam allowances toward
the patchwork sections. Sew both front
and back cover pieces to the 21;4 11 x 9 11
(5.7 x 22.9 cm) spine piece, pressing
seam allowances toward the cover pieces
(See B).
QUILTED WORKBOOK
87
Attach short binding pieces before the longer binding pieces.
{ 5 } To make the quilt sandwich, place

the 14" x 22" (35.6 x 55 .9 cm) piece of
fabric on a flat surface, wrong side facing
up. Layer the same-size batting piece
over the fabric and place the patchwork
piece over that with the right side facing
up. Use quilt-basting spray or quilting
pins to hold the layers together.
{ 6 } Quilt the piece by hand or machine. For hand quilting, sew a small
running stitch using an embroidery hoop
and size 8 perle cotton. Machine quilting
can be done with a regular or free-motion
presser foot. Beginning quilters shouldn't
be intimidated; just make rows of evenly
spaced straight stitches across the piece,
starting from the middle and working toward the edges. Practice on some scraps
88
AD VENTURE S IN BOOKBINDING
Sew binding to folded edges of pocket pieces.
before tackling the cover. Do not quilt

the spine where the eyelets are attached
(consult the spine-punching template on
page 136 for spacing).
{ 7 } Trim the inside cover and batting
flush with the outside cover. For the

binding, fold the cover-binding strips in
half lengthwise and press. Fold in each
long edge to the center crease and press.
Attach the binding to the cover on all
four sides by hand, using a slipstitch (see
page 17) or by machine. The ends of the
short binding pieces should be flush with
the cover top and bottom edges, and the
ends of the long binding pieces should be
folded in 1h" (1.3 cm) before stitching in
place (See C).
{ 8} Cut out the applique pieces, leaving

a substantial border around the images.
Following the manufacturer's instructions, iron double-sided fusible web to
the wrong side of the pieces. Cut the
pieces to the desired shapes and then
fuse to the cover.
{ 9} For the pocket, fold the 61/2 11 x

121/2 11 (16 .5 x 31.8 cm) fabric piece in
half widthwise, wrong sides together,

and press. Fold the 61/2 11 x 31/2 11 (16.5 x
8.9 cm) fabric in half lengthwise, wrong
sides together, and press. Fold each l"
x 61/2 11 (2.5 x 16.5 cm) pocket-binding
piece in half lengthwise and press, and
then fold in each long edge toward the
center and press. Sew the binding onto
the folded side of each pocket piece by
Hammer
Eyelet setter
Slipstich the pocket to the inside front cover.
machine or a hand-sewn slipstitch (see

page 1 7) (See D). On both pocket pieces
turn under and press each cut side 1.4"
(6 mm) and then stitch I/a" (3 mm) from
the edges. Place the pocket sections on
the inside cover with the bound edges
abutting; slipstitch the edges to the cover.
(See E).
{ 10} For the closure, cut or punch two
1.4" (6 mm) holes along the edge of the
front and back covers, 2 1h" (6.4 cm) from
the top and bottom and 3.4" (1.9 cm) from
the edges. Attach the 1.4" (6 mm) twopiece eyelets with the appropriate setter.
Lace one 15" (38.1 cm) piece of the
sari ribbon through one eyelet hole and
around the cover, tacking it to itself with
needle and sewing thread. Repeat for the
other three eyelet holes and ribbon pieces.
BIND THE BOOK

Washer
{ 1 } Place the spine-punching template
(see page 136) along the inside of the

spine and secure with repositionable
tape. Punch holes in the spine at each
mark using a Japanese screw punch fitted
with a 2.5-mm tip, or use a Va" (3 mm)
anywhere punch. To set the Va" (3 mm)
eyelets: Place an eyelet through the hole
on the right side of the cover, place a
washer over the prong, and set the eyelet
with the eyelet-setting tool (the washers
prevent the eyelets from being torn from
the fabric). Repeat for the other eyelets
(See F).
'
,.
Quilt
Eyelet
Set the eyelets on the spine.
QUILTED WORKBOOK
89
0
0
1
2
Begin sewing from inside

the middle signature.
l
2
0
'O
The ribbons cross on the outside when

entering the second signature.
The ribbons form a pattern

on the spine as sewn.
Tie the ends in

a double knot.
{ 2} Place the two 6 3,4'' x 8 3,4" (17 x

22.2 cm) pieces of felt on top of the 14" x
8 3,4" (35.6 x 22.2 cm) piece of felt , flush
with the left and right edges. Pin in place,
leaving a 1/2 " (1.3 cm) gap in the middle.
Stitch around the perimeter only with a
1
/a" (3 mm) seam allowance. Slip the two
6 1/2 11 x 81/2 11 (16.5 x 21.5 cm) pieces of
Bristol board into the pockets, and stitch
the openings closed with al/a" (3 mm)
seam allowance.
Fold the thirty-three 14" x 8 314" (35.6 x
22.2 cm) pieces of cardstock and the eight
14" x 8 314" (35.6 x 22.2 cm) pieces of
graph paper in half widthwise, and nest
into four signatures of ten folios each,
Reenter the third signature

and tie off the ribbon.
Sew ribbon through the holes

of the first signature.
90
4'
5
'0
1
2
0'
incorporating two sheets of graph paper

per signature. Reserve one cardstock
folio for the signature punching template
Place the fold of the signature-punching
template along one vertical row of holes
on the hole-punching template, centering
it. Make a mark on the fold at each hole,
open the template, and carry the marks
across the fold . Fold the template the
other way, so the marks are inside, and
use the template to punch holes in all the
signatures, including the felt pages.
{ 3 } With the felt signature on top of the
stacked signatures, place the signatures
inside the cover with the spine facing you.
The left set of holes will be sewn first.
Thread the tapestry needle with one 24"

(61 cm) piece of I/a" (3 mm) -wide doubleface satin ribbon and enter the third
signature from the inside at the left hole,
leaving a 4" (10.2 cm) tail. Secure the tail
with repositionable tape. Bring the needle
through the cover at the corresponding
eyelet and enter the fifth signature at the
right hole. Make sure the ribbon does not
twist as it crosses over the spine. Enter
the left hole of the fifth signature from the
inside, again coming through the corresponding eyelet (See G). As you pull the
ribbon to tighten, make sure the signatures are snug against the cover but not so
tight that the cover cinches up or buckles.
Twist and tack the ribbon , forming an inward spiral.
{ 4} Enter the second signature at the

right hole from the outside. Enter the
left hole of the second signature from the
inside (See H). Enter the right hole of
the fourth signature from the outside and
enter the left hole of the fourth signature
from the inside (See I).
{ 5 } Enter the right hole of the first

signature from the outside and enter the
left hole of the first signature from the
inside (See j ). Enter the right hole of
the third signature from the outside. Tie
the ribbon ends in a double knot at the
left hole and trim to 14 11 (6 mm) (See K).
Secure the knot with a bit of superglue if

desired . Repeat the sewing for the other
set of holes.
MAKE THE ROSETTE
{ 1 } Thread a needle with a long piece

of doubled thread that matches the sari
ribbon and knot it. Place one end of the
ribbon on the mull , or crinoline, near the
edge and tack it in place with the thread.
Twist the ribbon once, about 34 11 (1.9 cm)
from the tacked end, and stitch again on
the fold . Continue twisting and tacking,
forming an inward spiral (See L). As

the spiral gets smaller, one or two twists
can be made in the ribbon. Make sure
no crinoline shows through the rosette.
When the rosette is complete, slip an E
bead onto the needle and tack it into the
center. Continue adding eleven more
beads to form a cluster in the center and
then knot the thread on the underside.
Trim the crinoline at the edges with scissors and tack the rosette onto the book
cover.
QUILTED WORKBOOK
91
_,_ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - _,_
I
: SHORTCUT :
-,- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -.I
QUILTlD WORKBOOK
{BINDING} ROMAN ESQUE STITC H
{ FIN I SHED SI ZE} 71/z" X 10 1/z " ( 19.1 X 26. 7 CM)
CUTTER QUILTS
are old quilts that are beyond repair but
To cover the worn spots on the front and back of the
still have enough integrity to be repurposed. This book was
book I made yo-yos from more tea-dyed fabric and attached
made from a vintage cutter quilt with 1930s-era fabrics.
them with a slipstitch. Twill tape ties were stitched on under
Although it was faded and worn in spots, there was enough
two of the yo-yos on the front and back.
to make a book cover, and all it needed was a few nips,

tucks, and embellishments.
After hand washing the quilt piece in a gentle soap
and allowing it to dry, I cut binding strips from reproduc-
Still thinking the cover needed a little something more ,

I added a piece of vintage lace and some old buttons. The
book was bound with turquoise gimp.
If an older quilt has lost its loft and is too flimsy to be a
tion '30s-era fabrics. Because the binding fabrics looked
book cover, stitch two quilt layers together or shore up the
too bright next to the quilt, I tea dyed them and put them
inside with interfacing and a layer of cotton fabric.
in the dryer for a shabby look, then sewed them on with a

slipstitch. That extra step took a little time but paid off in
making the binding look authentic.
TEA DYEING
Rinse fabric in hot water. Steep three or four tea bags

in a quart (946 ml) of boiling water. Add fabric and let
soak until the desired shade; rinse. If a darker shade is
desired, add more tea bags or soak longer.
QU ILTE D WORKBOOK
93
-- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -MASTER
-- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -I
I
QUI LTf DWORKBOOK

{QUILT ARTIST} DANITA RAFALOVICH, WASHINGTON, D.C.
{BINDING} ROMANESQUE STITCH
{FINISHED SIZE} 11" X 13%" (27.9 X 34.3 CM)
I FIRST GOT TO KNOW
Danita Rafalovich through book arts,
The blocks evolved as she worked on them. She designed
then quickly discovered she was a master quilter as well,
a mariner's compass for the inside front cover that is paper
with more than thirty years of experience. The coauthor of
pieced. Cotton fabrics were used throughout, and the quilt is
the quilting book Backart: On the Flip Side , Danita has quilts
machine pieced and appliqued.
placed in private collections and has taught workshops

around the country.
The Romanesque binding was used to stitch the book,

but I used three rows of stitches (in two colors) because of
Shortly after giving her the parameters for the cover I
the book's large size. Felt pages make up the first signature,
received this amazing work of art in the mail. Seeing it from
but I skipped the pocket because it would have covered up
one perspective doesn't do it justice; the back has a similar
Danita's gorgeous work. The other signatures are made up
geometric pattern, and Danita made another separate quilted
of drawing paper, to be used to create more stunning quilt
piece for the inside.
designs.
The block she designed for the cover (and inside back
cover) began as variable arcs superimposed on a four-patch.
QUILTED WORKBOOK
95
...,,.
h teapNn 1
Grot~
horu
'nip~
itH
clry "Wiford
U' t>
Toou
m
ICcr i11 n hrtt\ '
ollcw. it lo mr h. u11til ..
INJPr
~ I t'j:j: \ ollc..., I\ ith lllU'illl r1
lk cloy old
"fl U\"t'. ~h. 011cl u l11tl1 rah.'t
1 1~,.,11111 ' 11 lwatcn t'l!f!... u
Be-al tl11 "'~~ "hi11.... H n i-tilT. ;\\~
J.!tnill' ' " " t'lltu' !'pn
HilL.....r. j., rnm11lr th 111t>hf'1I. act.I
I:! ..11n.. lll't 1wr.. ,,
-.tir iJ1 \\ C'll, nml Ihm '"1 111 lic"f'r ur nli
1111' .. 111.... "1 1h ..
1111' i 11~rtcli111L.. ate ,,,.11 hlcuclccl niul
"liu ,,( lirtml. 111111 I
J1i l .tlmo I u l lhr lmil1 111t point. fHt.I j 11
n111l 111ilk 111i\tu1t ,1111
h'11 rg~ \\bite-. Stf'\c Ill cmc.eo 1111 loo .. t.
p.;oltlcn lmm 11 "II l111lli
( 'if'ri 1 4.)
nwht<I. Or clip i11 liulln 1
\\ hit .- Uonkc)
1 1 lo1poon 1olt
111 I 111i11u11... 111 till l1
11 teo1poon clry m11atord
clwc..t 11wltr1I. U1 1i11 m t:
Su1,rt-nw
cken broth
,.. , .......
.......
,.., .......
of ' 1 I.man
uu
lj,..,
....:i~,,,_~..a
Coynn ppper
I .,.. af19h1ly beaten
Criap toatt
\ \ IC I .\ T I
\\ i1l1 To11u1tm.. : \ 1lcl :.?

lu 1l1L' r1111h j, 11.
~ it la Hmou : B
"u la aclil l1mo
1111111 ulrno..t cri
ith \lublurcl: .
IUf"l
ur cir,
mu
u tlud. ll.ii.lt".
hnley, c~
c.,.,.
..blHpo
the <luul.lt hoilc1r

the flour. Wlwn wcll
M>11cd chicken brulh,
I it 1hid.t'1u.. 11wn ul
;aml uclcl I lohlC!!ptJoll
crcam, uiul bit-ml l't'll
1 ur "irt' "hi Ir.. J w.t
the fitt, odcl juke ur
cho.10 pl111 I tobloapoon

9rete4 Swlu cheHe ,
"""
"" cvp h..,. y u eo"'
Horcl-coolce4 ew lllli
'I 11
ol1H oi l
.i.1111
I" '' ' im~o
11h11 111rl'clit1nl!.. C:hopp"tl rlti'""' i.r di\

,,hallnl 11ru \\l.'ltouu- loo. a i,. tarragu
c..
I lo1'M'racU1h Sau....
~-
1
J.,ic of '' ' - -
llK
\dcl hor1"era1lL"h
\1 ,., - " '
ti.rMfMkh
lo touutf'. Blt"ml
"el
111hl ltmcul juic If ) ou u t" hotdrd tllK"''"'t'.l'An .:..'I

rauli. h. I ~ c11ti1111 ii j .. "di cit ai1u-.t lwfort
in tu "fttltc'. 111111 u mil l1111111n ju1n.
'I nl!!h room Somt

I? medl.,m iled m111Jt..
room copa
2 cvpa chldren broth
Solt
I '1'C I and li11
S 10\ila.poon1 " ""''

3 1obl.. poon1 fl ovt
6 toblHpoon a cream
CHAPTER
9
{BINDING} COPTIC STITCH WITH X-MOTIF BOARD ATTACHMENT
THE ART OF DECOUPAGE-decorating objects with glued paper-goes back centuries

but is still incredibly popular today. A few tricks make for a successful project: Use
small, sharp, detail scissors
to
cut images. Hold the scissors steady in one hand and
turn the image with the other while cutting. Use a craft knife to cut out interior pieces.
Precision counts, because the smallest nick can be noticed.
Artful layering, the key to great decoupage, is easily achieved by taking time to configure the images until you're happy with the arrangement. The other secret
to
decoup-
age is patience. Allowing the layers to dry before adding more medium helps reduce air
bubbles and rippling. Clip art, magazine pages, book pages, handmade paper, napkins,
tissue paper, and laser-copy images can all be used for decoupage. When in doubt, test a
scrap to make sure the colors don't run and the paper can stand up to the medium.
This journal is bound with the Coptic stitch, an easy and attractive chain stitch that
goes across the open spine. I devised the X-motif board attachment because I wanted
something more decorative than the typical Coptic attachment. This design would also
make a great guest book.
97
MAT[RIAlS
forty-nine 91h" x 7Ys" (24.1x20 cm) pieces
of card stock and/or text-weight paper
four double-sided 12" x 12" (30.5 x 30.5 cm)
pieces of scrapbook paper for the pockets
four 36" (91.4 cm) pieces waxed linen thread
(more than one color can be used)
four curved needles (found at fabric stores
and bookbinding supply sources)
double-stick tape or glue stick
{COVER MATERIALS}
{TOOLS}
Ya" (3 mm) plywood (Baltic birch is preferred) cut into
two 5" x 8" (12.7 x 20.3 cm) pieces and one 1O" x 111h"
foam brush
(25.4 x 29.2 cm) piece (Use the template on page

138 to cut the larger piece to the desired shape.)
decoupage glue (Mod Podge decoupage medium
in satin finish was used, but gloss and matte
finishes are also available.)
papers: two 6" x 9" (15.2 x 22.9 cm) vintage cookbook

pages for the face of the front covers and several
more pages for the back cover; two 6" x 9" (15.2 x
22.9 cm) pieces and one 11" x 121h" (27.9 x 31.8 cm)
piece of decorative paper for the inside front and
back covers; two 5" x 1 Y4" (12.7 x 3 cm) pieces of
sandpaper
small detail scissors
pinking shears or decorative-edge scissors
craft knife
steel bench block

hammer
two miniature spoons

two Y4" oro/a" (6 mm or 1 cm) two-part silver rivets
98
hand drill, center punch, and small drill

bits (E6000 glue can be used to attach the
decorative paper for the face of the front covers;

photos of food and wine bottles cut from magazines
gold metallic paint pen
rivet-setting tool
spoon handles instead of rivets.)

safety glasses
large rubber bands
..'
,...
~'""
0
Q-
Trim the paper even with the cover.
MAKE THE COVERS
{ 1 } Sand the wood after cutting to

make sure all edges and surfaces are
smooth. When adhering background
paper, it should be cut a bit larger than
the cover, then trimmed flush with the
edges when the glue is dry. (Both front
covers can be worked on simultaneously.) With the foam brush coat one side
of the plywood with a thin, even layer
of decoupage medium and attach the
6'' x 9" (15.2 x 22.9 cm) page, centering
and smoothing it with your hands and
then a bone folder to make sure there are
no air bubbles. When dry, trim the paper
flush with the cover edges with a craft
Adhere the wine bottle images to the lower edge.
knife or scissors (See A). Spread another

even coat of decoupage medium over
the page using long, continuous strokes;
allow to dry.
{ 2 } Glue the wine bottles that have
been cut from magazines in a row at the
bottom of the front cover. Spread a bit of
decoupage medium over the lower left
area and adhere a wine bottle, allowing
it to overhang the edges just a bit (See
B). Smooth to remove any air bubbles or
ripples. Repeat until all wine bottles are
adhered. Brush decoupage medium across
the top of the cover and adhere a S" x
1 14" (12.7 x 3 cm) strip of scrapbook or
decorative paper (trim the paper's lower
edge with pinking shears or decorativeedge scissors if desired before brushing

with decoupage medium). When dry,
brush decoupage medium over the
center area and adhere the fruit image or
other food photo cut from a magazine.
When the cover is completely dry, trim
the overhanging bits with a craft knife
or scissors.
{ 3 } Coat the entire cover with three
layers of decoupage medium. Allow the
cover to dry between coats, and alternate
between horizontal and vertical brushstrokes on each coat. Sanding between
coats will create a smoother finish, but
it's not essential.
DECOUPAGE FOOD & WINE JOURNAL
99
{ 4} For the inside of the back cover,

adhere layers of cookbook pages in a
patchwork style, covering the entire
surface, trim, and then coat with one
layer of decoupage medium. Adhere the
fruit and vegetable images at the top of
the peaks with the decoupage medium,
let dry, and trim any overhang. Add another three coats of medium to the entire
surface as with the front covers. Adhere
the 6" x 9" (15.2 x 22.9 cm) pieces of
decorative paper to the inside of the
front covers, trim, and coat with three
layers of decoupage medium. Do the
same with the outside of the back cover
using the 11" x 12 1/2 11 (27.9x31.8 cm)
piece of decorative paper. Let dry and
trim any overhang.
Edge the boards, if desired, with the
metallic paint pen. Work carefully so the
paint doesn't bleed onto the covers.
Note: If the boards warp while gluing,

let them dry completely and then press
them under a heavy weight overnight.
Air-drying usually removes any residual
tackiness from the decoupage medium.
Excessively tacky boards may be sealed
with acrylic sealing spray or a coat of
interior varnish.
{ 5} Using the cover hole template on
page 138, drill holes in the left and right
sides of the cover (reverse the template
for the right side). Drill the front and
back covers together to make sure the
holes are aligned.
100
Use a hammer and rivet setter to set the cap in place.
{ 6 } Place the spoons on a flat surface

and make sure the spoon bowls and the
h andle bases make contact. If not, gently
bend the spoons until both the bowl and
the handle make contact. With a center
punch and hammer, mark the placement
of the hole in the bowl of one spoon and
drill a hole large enough to accommodate the rivet prong (always wear safety
glasses while drilling, and note that the
spoon will get extremely hot while being
drilled). Mark and drill the hole in the
base of the handle.
{ 7 } Determine the placement of the
spoon on the cover and mark the top

hole. Drill through the cover. Insert the
rivet prong from the back and attach the
spoon (this may require a 14" or a" [6
mm or 1 cm] rivet, depending on the

thickness of the spoon). Place the rivet
cap on top of the prong. Place the cover
on a bench block and, using the rivet setter, hammer the cap into place (See C) .
For the bottom hole , drill through the
spoon into the cover and attach the rivet.
Alternately, the spoons can be attached
using E6000 glue, but do this after the
book is bound.
BIND THE BOOK
{ 1} Fold forty-eight 91/2" x 7r'a" (24.1

x 20 cm) text pages widthwise and nest
them into twelve signatures of four folios
each. Reserve one folio for the signaturepunching template. One side of the book
opens to the left and the other to the
right, so keep this in mind when creating
the signatures. Placing the pockets in
the center of the signatures makes them
easier to sew. If you plan to glue photos
or other bits of paper onto the pages,
shorten the width on some of the pages.
This will ensure the book won't expand
too much.
Fold in the tabs, fold bottom up, and then fold in half the other way.
{ 2 } To make the pockets, cut shapes
using the template on page 139. Do not

add more than two pockets per side or
the book will not close properly Score
the paper where noted. (To score paper,
align a metal ruler along the line to be
scored, and then impress a line with the
pointed end of a bone folder or scoring
tool.) Fold the two tabs inward, fold the
bottom half up , and then fold in half
lengthwise (See D). Place double-stick
tape on the inside of the tabs or use a
glue stick and adhere.
{ 3 } Mark the fold of the reserved folio
using the signature-punching tern plate
on page 13 7, making sure the signature
holes align with the cover holes. Open
the folio , carry the marks across the fold,
and refold it the other way so the marks

are on the inside. Use the template to
make holes in all twelve signatures.
{ 4 } This binding is done by sewing the
right and left pair of holes at the same
time using four needles (two needles for
each set of holes). While a four-needle
Coptic sounds difficult, it isn't, because
stitches are simply repeated. Instructions
are for the left set of holes (shown in
red on page 103), so just replicate them
for the right set (shown in blue). Using
curved needles makes it easier to pass
underneath previous threads when forming the chain stitches.
{ 5} Thread each end of a 36" (91.4 cm)

piece of waxed linen thread onto a
curved needle. With the top of the first
signature facing right, pass the needles
from inside the signature through the
leftmost pair of holes , pulling through
and making sure the threads are even.
Place the cover face down, directly
underneath the signature, and with the
top to the right. (While sewing, it's best
to elevate the signatures to eye level. If
the spoon is attached to the cover, allow
it to hang off the edge of the support to
let the cover lie flat.) Cross the left needle
diagonally into the right cover hole from
the outside. (See E, on page 103.)
101
{ 6} Working with the same needle,

loop around the cover through the
same hole once more, entering the hole
from the outside and ending with the
thread to the right of the stitch that
loops around the cover. Do not tighten
threads (See F).
{ 7 } Cross the right needle diagonally
into the left cover hole from the outside.

Loop the thread around the cover and
enter through the same hole once more
from the outside and end with the thread
to the left of the stitch that loops around
the cover (See G). Tighten stitches by
pulling the X that has formed on the
cover board and then pulling the stitches
that loop around the cover. The signature will recess from the cover about Va 11
(3 mm).
{ 8 } Insert each needle back into its
corresponding hole in the first signature,
cross threads inside the signature, and
then exit the signature with both needles.
There will be three threads inside the
first signature between the pair of holes.
Place the second signature on top of
the first, matching top to top. Enter the
corresponding holes with both needles
from the outside, cross threads inside the
signature, and exit both needles from the
inside (See H).
102
{ 9} Slip the left needle under the lefthand stitch that wraps around the cover
board from left to right, being careful
not to gouge the board, and pull the
thread through. Slip the right needle
under the right-hand stitch that wraps
around the board from right to left, and
pull the thread through. Place the third
signature on top of the second signature
and enter the corresponding holes with
both needles (a chain stitch is formed on
the outside between the first signature
and the cover). Cross threads inside
the third signature and exit with both
needles (See I).
{ 10 } Slip the left needle between the
first and second signatures from left to
right, passing it under the existing stitch.
Slip the right needle between the first and
second signatures from right to left, passing it under the existing stitch; pull the
threads through (another chain stitch is
formed). Place the fourth signature on top
of the third and enter the corresponding
holes from the outside with both needles.
Cross threads inside the signature and
exit with both needles (See j).
Bring thread from inside through holes, even up,

and then insert left needle in right cover hole.
Loop thread around cover again through same hole.
Re-enter and exit the first signature, add the

second signature, enter the holes from the
outside, cross the threads, and exit.
Repeat attaching the cover with the right needle.
Slip the needles under the threads between

the first signature and cover and then into the
third signature, cross threads, and exit.
Pass under the threads between the first

and second signatures, and then into the
fourth signature, cross threads, and exit.
103
Attach the back cover in same fashion as front cover.
{ 11} Chain as you did previously, this

time slipping the needle between the
second and third signatures. Stitches
always chain between the previous two
signatures with the needles going toward
the center of the paired holes, never outward. Repeat the sewing for the fifth and
sixth signatures. On the sixth signature
cross the threads inside and exit, but do
not chain.
104
{ 12 } Place the back cover face up on

top of the sixth signature. Cross the right
needle diagonally into the left cover hole
from the outside. Loop around the cover
through the same hole once more , and
end with the thread to the left of the
stitch that loops around the cover; do not
tighten. Cross the left needle diagonally into the right cover hole from the
outside. Loop around the cover through
the same hole once more and end with
the thread to the right of the stitch that
loops around the cover (See K). Tighten
stitches as for the front cover.
{ 13 } Make the final chain stitch by

taking the left needle and slipping it
between the fourth and fifth signatures
from left to right and hooking around
the existing stitch. Slip the needle from
right to left (going outward) under the
left-hand stitch that wraps around the
board. Slip the right needle between the
fourth and fifth signatures, going from
right to left, and hook it around the existing stitch. Then slip it from left to right
under the right-hand stitch that wraps
around the board (See L).
/
Make the final chain stitches.
{ 14 } Enter each needle into its corresponding hole in the sixth signature from
the outside. Open the sixth signature
and pull needles through. Make a knot
by slipping one needle under the threads
until a loop forms. Take the needle
through the loop and tighten, pulling the
thread toward the hole (See M). Repeat
with the other needle. Cut threads to 14"
(6 mm).
Enter the sixth signature, make

knots, and cut threads.
{ 15 } When sewing signatures on the

other side of the book, secure the first set
with one or two rubber bands to hold the
pages and cover in place.
105
I
I
-~----------------- - ~
: SHORTCUT :
I
-~------------------~
D[COUPAG[ corrH TABL[ BOOK

THE LOOK OF INTRICATELY LAYERED
decoupage is stunning,
_,_ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - _,_
I
I
MASTER
_,_ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I
I
I
-I
D[COUrAG[ DRAWING BOOK

{DECOUPAGE ARTIST} REUBEN MUNOZ, RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA
REUBEN MUNOZ is a talented artist adept at a number of me-
diums. For his covers he expertly layered engraved vintage

images into a cohesive, striking design.
"In my too-young-to-be-a-hippie junior high school
days I really admired psychedelic posters and album covers," Reuben says. "I wanted to get that same feeling in this
piece-a kind of trippy Victorian surrealism."
I painted the edges and inside of the boards with black
acrylic paint, then sealed them with a shiny varnish. The
same Coptic stitch used in the main decoupage project was
sewn with red waxed linen thread. Pages are made from
watercolor paper.
Reuben is a lifelong "sketcher/doodler." His favorite
sketchbooks have utilitarian covers and textured watercolor
paper inside. Although he appreciates both tiny books and
enormous ones, he admits to not always filling them up.
"After enjoying the thrill of putting pen to pristine paper
for a page or two, I abandon them," he said. But they're never
discarded. "I usually find them later tucked into bookshelves, like little time capsules."
107
CHAPTER
10
{BINDING} SCREW POST

{FINISHED SIZE} 101A" X 41A" (26 X 10.8 CM)
CARVING YOUR OWN DESIGNS
onto linoleum blocks is easy, fun, and practical-with
one or two blocks you can print countless designs on a variety of materials. Linoleum
blocks consist of a Va" (3 mm) piece of linoleum glued to wood or a wood chip block.
They come in a range of sizes, are relatively inexpensive, and will last a long time if
properly cared for. Designs can be drawn directly onto the block with a pencil. Designs
can also be drawn onto tracing paper with pencil and then transferred by burnishing
the paper onto the block with a bone folder. If drawing directly onto the block, images
will be reversed when stamped. Transferred images will stamp right-side up. Bold images are best for printing on book cloth, because the intricacies of detailed images may
not transfer to a textured surface.

Once the design is on the block, begin to carve your image. Always carve away from
you , making sure your hands are behind your tools. Apply medium pressure and go
slowly. Don't carve too deeply into the linoleum. Remember that what is carved away
will be blank, and what is left will print. Once something is removed it can't be put
back, so carve judiciously.
The gouges used for this project include a fine line cutter, used for outlining an
image, and a large U-gouge and large V-gouge. The U-gouge removes wider pieces of
linoleum, and the V-gouge digs out deeper, narrow pieces. Feel free to experiment with
carving tools in other sizes and shapes. Clean linoleum blocks with baby wipes and dry
with a paper towel. Do not run the block under water or the linoleum will separate from
the block. Block-printing ink may stain the linoleum, but it won't affect the printing.
This sketchbook is designed as a workbook for carvers. The pages are perforated and
the book is easily refillable and can be used for years. The structure is also basic enough
that it can be adapted to almost any size.
109
MAT[RIAlS
approximately sixty 1O"x4 Va" (25.4 x 10.5 cm) pieces of thin,
smooth white cardstock for the inside pages (Round two
corners on the short side of the sheets if desired.)
two 20-mm (approximately%") screw posts
thick craft glue (optional)
{TOOLS}
carving tools: fine line cutter, large V-gouge and U-gouge,
plus handles (Having more than one handle makes it
{COVER MATERIALS}
two 10 Yt." x 4 Yt." (26 x 10.8 cm) and one%" x 4 Yt." (1.9
x 10.8 cm) piece of sturdy book board (.059" to .098"
easier to switch between cutters while carving.)
large plastic plates
several sheets of plain newsprint
[1.5 to 2.5 mm]) for the cover (Round the corners on

one short side of the two larger pieces of book board if
desired. Corners can be rounded with a sanding block, a
paper towels
heavy-duty corner rounder, or a curved chisel.)

one 23" x 5 %" (58.4 x 14.6 cm) piece of book cloth for
the cover (The smoother the book cloth, the better the
design will print.)
one 2" x 4 Ya" (5.1 x 10.5 cm) piece of book cloth for the
inside cover
two 9 Ya" x 4 Va" (25.1 x 10.5 cm) pieces of handmade
baby wipes
press cloth, thin cotton, or linen dish towel

foam brushes
small paintbrush
perforating rotary blade
corner rounder meant for paper and cardstock
Yt." (6 mm) hole punch
paper, such as lokta paper, for the inside covers (Round

two corners on the short side of each sheet if desired.)
Japanese screw punch fitted with a 4.5-mm tip

or a Yt." (6 mm) anywhere punch
linoleum blocks of various sizes (For this project 2" x 3"

and 4" x 5" [5.1 x 7.6 cm and 10.2 x 12.7 cm] blocks were
used.)
water-based block-printing inks (For this project turquoise and red Speedball block-printing ink were used.)
110
PVA glue
brayer
household iron and ironing board
blow dryer
PREPARE THE
BOOK CLOTH
{ 1 } Use the templates on page 140

or create your own designs. Draw or
trace the designs onto linoleum blocks,
following the instructions in the chapter
introduction (See A). Keep in mind the
book cloth size and texture when choosing the design.
{ 2} Begin to carve the image, outlin-
Draw or transfer the designs.
Begin carving with the fine line cutter.
ing it first with the fine line cutter. Work

slowly, applying medium pressure, and
don't carve too deeply (See B). Once the
outline is finished, remove larger pieces
of the linoleum using the deep U- and
deep V-gouges (See C). When working
on curves, keep the gouge steady and
turn the block.
I
{ 3} Once the block is carved, test the

design by printing onto a sheet of plain
newsprint. Squeeze some block-printing
ink onto a plastic plate, roll the brayer
back and forth in the ink, and roll the
ink onto the block. Or apply the ink
directly onto the block with a foam
brush. Continue carving and testing, but
consider leaving some extra lines around
the image to lend a hand-carved look
(See D).
.
0
'
Test the carved design.
Remove larger areas with

deep gouge tools.
r---------------------------------------,
TIP
Try carving on other materials
such as carving blocks, erasers,
and cork. And don't forget the old
stand-by, a raw potato.
LINO - PRINTED SKETCHBOOK
111
Decorate the book cloth.
Heat set the printed design.
{ 4} When the image is complete, test
{ 5} The ink must be completely dry
it on a piece of book cloth. I found that

applying the ink to the block with a foam
brush worked best for book cloth. Stamp
the designs onto the book cloth, alternating the circle and vine patterns (See E).
Fill in any large spots that don't print
with a small paintbrush and some ink.
Speed up the drying process by going
over the stamped areas with a blowdryer. Stamp the circle image repeatedly
onto both pieces of the 9 Ya" x 41/a" (25.1
x 10.5 cm) lokta paper as well. Clean the
linoleum blocks with baby wipes and
paper towels.
and heat set before the book cloth is

glued to the boards. When the ink is dry
to the touch, place the book cloth, print
side up, on an ironing board and set the
iron to medium-high heat with no steam.
Place a sheet of plain newsprint over the
book cloth and set a press cloth over that;
iron for about 15 seconds (See F). Some
ink may come off onto the newsprint.
Replace the newsprint and continue to
iron until no ink appears on the paper.
Repeat the process with the two sheets of
stamped lokta paper.
112
/Book cloth
/
........
r
-------------------------------------------------------------~-------~~~~~~--
1O Yt. 11 x 4 Yt. 11 (26 x 10.8 cm)

book board
10 Yt. 11 x 4 Yt. 11 (26x10.8 cm)

book board
______________________________________....__.________________________________________,
..._
Glue the book board to the book cloth .
MAKE THE BOOK

{ 1 ) When the book cloth is cool, place
it on a table, print side down, and draw

a faint pencil line 314" (1. 9 cm) from all
sides. Glue one side of one 1O1.4" x 4 114"
(26 x 10.8 cm) book board with PVA and
place it on the wrong side of the book
cloth, using th e lines as a guide, and with
rounded corners facing out. Glue one
side of the 314" x 4 114" (1 .9 x 10 .8 cm)
spine piece of book board and place it l/a"

(3 mm) away from the edge of the board
th at's been glued down, making sure the
top and bottom edges are aligned. Glue
one side of the other 10 114" x 4 114" (26 x
10.8 m) piece of book board and place
it Va" (3 mm) from the spine and with
rounded corners facing out (See G). If
the glue makes the ink tacky, use the
blow-dryer again to dry the ink.
LINO-PRINTED SKETCHBOOK
113
I
r
.,.
\..
_..
..
'1
Glue the book cloth over the spine area.
Clip and glue the book cloth corners.
{ 2 } Round the four corners of the book

cloth. Clip each corner in four spots, as
shown in the photo, starting and ending
at the beginning of the curve and cutting
right up to the book board. Apply glue to
the clipped sections and adhere them one
by one, pulling them tightly to the board
(See H). After adhering each piece, press
with a bone folder along the edge to flatten. Repeat for the other three corners.
Apply glue to the top flap of the book
cloth and adhere to the boards , making
sure the book cloth is pressed into the Va
" (3 mm) spaces between the covers and
the spine piece. Do the same for the bottom flap and both side flaps.
114
Adhere the lokta paper, overlapping the book cloth .
{ 3} Glue the back of the 2" x 41/a"

(5 .1x10.5 cm) piece of book cloth and
adhere it to the center of the inside covers, making sure it's pressed into the Va''
(3 mm) spaces between the spine and
covers. (See I.) Glue both pieces of the
9Ya" x 4Va" (25.1x10.5 cm) lokta paper
and adhere them to the inside covers.
(See].) Use the blow-dryer if the glue
activates the ink.
--.--+--
1" (2.5 cm)
~--.~--~--~--~~~~~~~--~-
-,I~
....-...
perforate each page
CJ1
(')
(')
3
..._..
Punch%" (6 mm) holes in the cardstock .
{ 4} Punch two 1/.+11 (6 mm) holes 111

(2 .5 cm) from the top and bottom edges
and 1/2 11 (1.3 cm) from the left edge in all
the 10 11 x 41/a" (25.4 x 10.5 cm) sheets
of cardstock. With a perforating rotary
blade, perforate the pages 1 1/2 11 (3.8 cm)
from the edge with the holes (See K). Use
one sheet of punched paper as a template
and place it on the inside of the book on
the back cover. Center it, making sure
not to cover the hinge, and mark the

hole placement. Punch holes in the back
cover with the Japanese screw punch or
anywhere punch. Place the sheets of paper in the book and push the screw posts
through the holes. Screw on the top of
the posts. If desired , hold the screw posts
in place by gluing the inside bottoms of
the screw posts to the back cover of the
book with thick craft glue.
115
-,- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -,I
: SHORTCUT
-~------------------~
llNO-rRINTfD SKfTCHBOOK
{BINDING} RING BINDER AND FIVE-HOLE PAMPHLET STITCH
{FINISHED SIZE} RING BINDER: 61h" X 9 14" (16.5 X 23.5 CM);
PAMPHLET STITCH JOURNALS: 5" X 61h" (12.7 X 16.5 CM) AND 41h" X 51h" (11.4 X 14 CM)
THERE'S MORE THAN ONE WAY
to get a block-printed look
paper was then glued on to lightweight chipboard for the
without doing any carving. Some rubber stamp manufactur-
journal covers, and black book cloth was used for the spines.
ers feature designs that look hand carved, and the online
A single signature was sewn directly to the spine with a five-
site Etsy.com features hand-carved stamps made by many
hole pamphlet stitch (described in chapter 5). While print-
talented artists. Vintage Indian textile blocks, originally
ing with the textile stamps, I stamped several extra sheets of
used to print fabric, come in a wide range of sizes and styles
paper to use for future projects.
and work equally well on paper or fabric.

The ring binder was constructed the same way as the
main linoleum-printed sketchbook. Instead of binding pages
with screw posts, I attached a ring-binding mechanism to
the spine with screws and acorn nuts. The papers used on
the outside and inside covers were stamped with commercial rubber stamps that have a hand-carved look. Book cloth
was used on the spine, and I added a copper bookplate to
the cover.
I've collected a few Indian textile stamps over the years,
but I confess that they're used more for decoration than
printing. This project gave me a great excuse to take them
off the shelf. I inked up the blocks with water-based black
block-printing ink and stamped them on lokta paper. The
LINO - PRINTED SKETCHBOOK
117
_,_- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - _,_
I
I
MASTER
_,_ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I
-I
llNO-rRINTlD ~KlTCHBOOK
{LINOLEUM-CARVING ARTIST} SAHARA DALLEY, LONDON, ENGLAND
{BINDING} RIBBON-BOUND SINGLE SHEETS (LARGER BOOK), CASED-IN BINDING (SMALLER BOOK)
{FINISHED SIZE} LARGE BOOK, 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 CM); SMALL BOOK, 314" X 1%" (8.3 X 4.5 CM)
SAHARA DALLEY'S LINOLEUM BLOCK designs
are so detailed
it's hard to believe they're hand carved. Her patterns range

from stately crowns to flowing tropical foliage and Asian
printing process is done by hand by first inking the lino

block with a brayer and then pressing it with a rolling pin.
These designs were printed on upholstery-quality white
motifs . Sahara is a self-taught artist (and former criminol-
cotton. I thought a large book would be best for Sahara's
ogist) who specializes in sculptural work in addition to
work, because the patterns are big and bold. I first had to
lino prints .
turn the fabric into paper-backed book cloth, because plain
"My lino patterns are inspired by my love of Japanese
fabric would allow glue to seep through. My quick recipe for
culture and exotic botanical forms," she says. Another influ-
book cloth starts by ironing thin, double-sided fusible web
ence is her passion for gardening and the dense tropical
to the back of the fabric, peeling off the protective sheet, and
gardens she creates.
then ironing the fabric to acid-free tissue paper.
Sahara first draws her designs directly onto a sheet of linoleum, then carves the pattern with lino-carving tools. The
The book is constructed the same way as the main

project, but instead of using screw posts to hold the single
sheets, I tied them to the back cover with cotton twill ribbon, which adds a colorful, feminine touch.
A scrap of dark leather sewn to the back cover overlaps the
front and is held in place with a tiny finial to form the closure.
The larger format gave me an opportunity to feature two
sizes of paper inside. Each sheet is perforated so it can easily
be torn out.
I couldn't bear to part with a leftover scrap of book cloth,
so I used it to make a tiny cased-in book, perfect for holding

small poems or secrets.
119
CHAPTER
11
{BINDING} SEWN THROUGH THE SPINE
{FINISHED SIZE} 71/z" X 10" (19.1 X 25.4 CM)
I MANAGED TO LIVE
most of my adult life never being tempted by yarn stores-until I
decided to make a leather book with a scalloped-crochet edge and needed to learn how to
crochet. Crochet is fairly easy, and after two classes and some practice I made that book.
Within a couple of months, I also had several other crochet projects going (scarves,
flowers, a baby blanket), a sizable yarn stash, some pattern books, and a number of
hooks. If you've never crocheted, you have been warned.
Moving beyond the leather book, I made journals that incorporated more crochet
stitches than just a scalloped border, eventually creating this notebook that has a crocheted mesh cover and a fabric liner. Although a sturdy cover can be made from thick
yarn without a liner, I wanted to add a pocket in back for storing hooks, small scissors,
and patterns and thought the fabric would make a good base.
The mesh crochet pattern is quite easy and allows the fabric to peek through. It can
be done in one color or several, and in cotton, wool, or a blend. The binding couldn't be
simpler and uses seam binding instead of thread. Details make it special-the ruffled
border, the crocheted circles on the spine, and the larger circle on the cover. A crushed
velvet ribbon, woven through the mesh pattern, serves as a closure.
If you've never tried crochet and can't get to a class, learning how is easy via books
with detailed illustrations or photos, or through Internet tutorials. Knitters can easily
create a similar rectangular piece.
121
MAT[RIAlS
thirty-seven 13" x 8 %" (33 x 21.6 cm) pieces of
lightweight cardstock, grain short
nine 13" x 8 %" (33 x 21.6 cm) pieces of graph paper,
grain short
eight 8 11 (20.3 cm) pieces%" (1.3 cm) -wide
seam binding
{TOOLS}
size E crochet hook
{COVER MATERIALS}
five 50-g skeins of Aran-weight yarn (For this project, Louisa Harding Nautical Cotton was used
in grass, Atlantic blue, burgundy, and sand. Two
skeins make up the cover, one skein is used for
the ruffled border, and one for the rounds.)
two 1O"x16" (25.4 x 40.6 cm) pieces of solid-color
heavyweight linen or hemp fabric for the liner
one 36" (91.4 cm) piece of Ya" (2.2 cm) -wide
crushed velvet ribbon for the closure
fabric cut into one 6 %" x 13" (16.5 x 33 cm) piece,
one 6 % "x 7 % " (16.5 x 19.1 cm) piece, and one
6 %" x 4 %" (16.5 x 11.4 cm) piece for the pocket
one 12" (30.5 cm) and one 1O" (25.4 cm) piece of Yi." or
o/e" (6 mm or 1 cm) -wide flexible ribbon for pocket
one%" (1.3 cm) sew-through button for pocket
sewing thread
122
hand-sewing needle
sewing machine
tapestry needle
Japanese screw punch fitted with a 1.5-mm
tip or a Y16 11 (1.6 mm) anywhere punch
disappearing-ink fabric marker
iron
MAKE THE COVER
This pattern uses a smaller-than-normal crochet hook to make tight stitches. If you prefer
using a larger hook, make a test swatch. The
cover, without the ruffle, should measure
about 9" (22.9 cm) high. The pattern is
worked in multiples of three plus one for the
base chain, so it can easily be adjusted.
The fallowing are abbreviations for stitches:
ch = chain, sl st = slip stitch, st = stitch,
sts = stitches, sp = space, sc =single crochet,
hdc =half double crochet, de= double
crochet, fpsc =front post single crochet.
For the front post single crochet, insert the
hook from right to left around the front of the
double crochet post (see A), then do a single
crochet, pulling up a loop and then pulling
through two loops on the hook (see B).
{ 1 } Referring to the key and the pattern chart on page 12 4 , begin with
color A and ch ain 46. Row 1: Sc in the
second ch from the hook, and in each ch
across ( 45 sc), turn.
Row 2: Ch 5 (counts as 1 de and 2 ch),
First part of front post single

crochet stitch.
c
Row 4: Ch 5, [skip 2 sc and de in the
n ext sc, ch 2] 14 times, ending with 1
de in the turning ch and changing to
color B: While there are still two loops
on the h ook when making the last de,
yarn over the h ook with color B, leaving
a 6 11 (15 .2 cm) tail, pull through the two
loops. Cut yarn A, leaving a 6 11 (15.2 cm)
tail. Turn.
Row 5: Ch 1, 2 sc in the next 2 ch sp,
[fpsc in the next de, 2 sc in the next 2
ch sp] 14 times, endin g with 1 sc in the
skip 2 sc and de in the next sc, ch 2,

[skip 2 sc and de in the next sc, ch 2] 13
turning ch, turn.
times, ending with 1 de in the turning

ch, turn.
Row 6: Ch 5, [de in the next fpsc, 2 ch]

14 times, ending with 1 de in the turning
ch, turn.
Row 3: Ch 1, 2 sc in the next 2 ch sp, [sc
Pull thread through both loops on hook.
Key for Crochet Stitches.
--------- -------------------c:::>
..
chain
slip stitch
single crochet
half double crochet
1
)
v
double crochet
front post single
crochet
work two single
crochets into the
same place
work three single

crochets into the
same place
work two half double

crochets into the
same place
in the next de, 2 sc in the next 2 ch sp]

14 times, ending with 1 sc in the third st
of the turning ch , turn.
CROCHET NOTEBOOK
123
00
ft
t,j tl
00
~~:::::x::>-r<::x~~~t
f
t~f
t tt t
:~~=t=t=r =f
~++
1
t.S t t.:5 ts
o
cx::>-:r<::X:>-i:r-CX:>-r<::x::>-r<X:>-r<X:l-r-CX::::>T-<X>-r-'tcx:>f t
0
-r<::>C>o-<>~::x:>-r<:X:>-r-<:X:>-r-<X::>-r-<:>C>-r<::x:>T-tOC>f
tt +++++++
0
cx:>-r<::x:::>-re:K:>.,-cx::>-r<c:x::>-r-<:x::>~oc.y-oo
~
+ + + + + -+
~+o
~tt
=f=+
+= f
:~~ =
"t
-1- 4-
+ + +
-1-
++++t +++++
~ ++++++++++++
~''~~~~~~~'fx>c~
Crochet pattern for border.
Crochet pattern chart for cover.
Row 7: Repeat the pattern from row 3

on, changing to color C at the end of
row 9, and back to color A at the end of
row 13. Continue changing colors every
four rows until the piece measures about
15'' (38.1 cm). Fasten off at the end and
weave in ends (See C and D).
{ 2} For the border, use any color yarn

and pull up a loop in any st (but not a ch
sp) along the perimeter. Yarn over, pull
through, and then [2 sc in the next 2 ch
sp, 1 sc in the next st] around the entire
perimeter, doing 3 sc in each corner sp.
End with a sl st in the last st. Fasten off
and weave in ends.
With right side facing, pull up a loop in
the color reserved for the ruffle in any
st along the perimeter. Yarn over, pull
through, ch 1, 2 sc in the same st, [3 sc
124
in the next sc] around the perimeter, ending with a sl st in the last st (it's not necessary to adjust for corners on the ruffle)
(See E). Fasten off and weave in ends.
{ 3 } Make twelve small rounds in sand
or any contrasting color: ch 4 , sl st in the
first ch, ch 1, work 10 sc into the ring. Sl
st in the first ch, fasten off Weave in ends
(See F).
{ 4} For the large round, ch 4, sl st in

the first ch, ch 1, work 10 sc into the
ring, sl st in the first ch. Ch 2, [2 hdc in
the next sc] 10 times (20 hdc). Sl st in the
first ch, changing to another color for the
yarn over and pull through, leaving a 6"
(15.2 cm) tail. Cut the previous yarn to
6" (15.2 cm). Ch 1, [l sc in the next hdc,
2 sc in the next hdc] 10 times. Sl st in the
first ch. Fasten off and weave in ends.
{ 5} Pin the two 10" x 16" (25.4 x

40. 6 cm) pieces of linen fabric together
with right sides facing (measure the
finished crochet piece and adjust the
fabric size if necessary). Sew around the
edges with a 1/2" (1. 3 cm) seam allowance , rounding the corners, and leaving a
4" (10 .2 cm) opening along the bottom.
Clip corners and turn right side out,
press, and sew the opening closed with a
slipstitch (see page 17) (See G).
Crochet patterns for small

and large rounds.
{ 6 } To make the pocket, press under 114"

(6 mm) along one shorter side of the 6 1/2 11
x 71/2 11 (16.5 x 19.1 cm) fabric piece and
topstitch along the fold. Press under 114"
(6 mm) on one longer side of the 61/2 11 x
4 1/2 11 (16.5 x 11.4 cm) piece of fabric and
topstitch along the fold. Layer the smaller
piece over the larger one, aligning the
unstitched 61/2 11 (16.5 cm) sides, which
will be the lower pocket edge. Working
both layers as one, press under 114"
(6 mm) along the sides and bottom. Pin
the pieces together at the edges. Sew
the two pieces together, stitching four
vertical rows from the top of the smaller
pocket to the bottom, 1 11 , 2", 4" , and 5"
(2.5, 5.1, 10.2 , and 12.7 cm) from one

edge. Pin the pocket to the inside back
of the liner, about 1/2 11 (1.3 cm) from the
side and bottom. Insert a 12" (30.5 cm)
piece of the 114" (6 mm) -wide ribbon
1/2 11 (1.3 cm) between the bottom of the
pocket and the liner. Using thread that
matches the fabric liner (so it won't
show through the crochet piece), stitch
Va" (3 mm) from the pocket edge along
the two sides and bottom.
Turn the piece right side out, turn in

the raw edges 1/2 11 (1.3 cm) , and press
(See Hon the following page). Pin the
flap 's turned-in edge about 1 114" (3
cm) above the pocket, aligning the
sides, and zigzag or straight stitch
across the top. Secure the 10" (25.4
cm) piece of 114" (6 mm) -wide ribbon
to the center bottom of the flap with
the 1/2 11 (1.3 cm) button.
For the flap, press the 61/2 11 x 13" (16.5

x 33 cm) fabric piece in half widthwise,
right sides together. Stitch along the two
sides with a 114 " (6 mm) seam allowance.
CROCHET NOTEBOOK
125
Sew the pockets and ribbons.
Secure the crochet to the liner.
{ 7 } With a needle and sewing thread,
BIND THE BOOK
tack the crochet piece to the fabric liner

along the border with a hemstitch (see
page 17) just underneath the ruffle (the
ruffle should extend beyond the liner)
(See I). Tack the crochet piece to the
liner at various spots along the mesh,
being sure to go through only one
layer of fabric.
{ 1 } Center the spine-punching template

(see page 141) on the inside of the cover.
Mark holes with a disappearing-ink fabric
marker. Depending on the weave of the
fabric, you may be able to push the tapestry needle and seam binding through
without making holes in the liner. If not,
make small holes in the fabric with a

Japanese screw punch fitted with a 1.5mm tip, or with a 11i6" anywhere punch.
{ 2} Fold the thirty-seven pieces of

13" x 81/2 11 (33 x 21.6 cm) lightweight
cardstock and the nine pieces of 13"
x 81/2 11 (33 x 21.6 cm) pieces of graph
paper widthwise. Create three signatures
of fifteen folios each, incorporating three
126
folios of graph paper into each signature. Reserve one cardstock folio for
the signature punching template. Mark
the fold of the reserved folio 1 14", 3 14" ,
514", and 714" (3, 8.5, 13.5, and 18.5
cm) from the top. Carry the marks across
the fold, fold the folio the other way, and
mark a Tat the top. Mark a Tat the top
of the first page of each signature. Use
the template to punch holes in the three
signatures, matching top to top.
{ 3} Thread both ends of one 8"

(20.3 cm) piece of seam binding with
a tapestry needle. Enter the top hole of
the first signature from the inside with
one needle, and enter the next hole
down from the inside with the other
needle. Pull both needles through and
Thread seam binding through

first two holes of first two
signatures and through cover.
Tie seam-binding ends together.
even out the seam binding. Take each

needle through the corresponding marks
or holes in the cover, being careful to
not catch the crocheted piece. Thread
each needle with one small crocheted
round and push it flush with the cover;
unthread the needles (See j). Bind the
second signature the same way Tie the
seam binding ends together with the knot
in between the crocheted rounds; trim
ends to about l" (2.5 cm) (See K).
coming through the cover and the crocheted round. Enter the next hole of the
second signature from the inside with
the other needle, again coming through
the cover and the crocheted round; unthread the needles. Rethread the needles
with another piece of 8" (20.3 cm) seam
binding and bind the third signature
the same way as the first, adding the
crocheted rounds (See L). Tie the ribbon
ends together with the knot in between
the crocheted rounds of the second and
third signatures. Bind the lower halves
of the signatures the same way
{ 4} Thread two tapestry needles with

another 8" (20.3 cm) piece of seam binding. Enter the top hole of the second signature from the inside with one needle,
Thread the seam binding through

the holes of the second and
third signatures and cover.
MAKE THE CLOSURE
{ 1} Weave the 36" (91.4 cm) piece of

crushed velvet ribbon through the mesh
in the horizontal center of the cover. Tack
the large crocheted round to the cover
on the front with needle and thread. Tie
ribbon ends in a knot or bow.
CROCHET NOTEBOOK
127
I
I
-~----------------- - ~
: SHORTCUT :
I
-~------------------~
CROCHlT NOT[BOOK
{B INDING} NONAD HESI VE , SEWN- TH RO UGH CO VERS
{ FI NIS HED SIZE} 6%" X 9~" (16 X 24.1 CM)
T H IS SHORTCUT VERSION
of the crochet book has the look
of intricate handwork but needs no hook or yarn. I combined washed natural-linen fabric with hand-dyed vintage
crocheted doilies from my stash.
The linen cover was made the same way as in the main
project, with heavy-duty interfacing sandwiched between
two pieces of linen fabric to lend some body. I hand stitched
crochet edging around all four sides and then moved the
dyed crochet pieces around , puzzle-style, until they fit. I
tacked them in place with thread that matched the doilies .
Stitched linen ribbons sewn onto the inside of both covers
form the closure.
Two ten-page signatures of medium-weight art paper
make up the inside pages. For the binding I sewed the sign atures directly to the cover using an unobtrusive stepped
stitch that can barely be seen.
TIP
When dying the doilies I also added a few extra to be used

later for pincushions, sachets, and as gift embellishments. The doilies also make great accents on skirts and
cardigan sweaters.
128
AD VE NTU RES I N BOOKB I ND I NG
-,- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -,MASTER
I
-.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -.I
CROCH[T NOT[BOOK
{CROCHET ARTIST} TERI ARTINYAN, SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA
{BINDING} BRAIDED BINDING SEWN THROUGH THE SPINE
BREAKING OUT
of the traditional crochet barriers was
crochet artist Teri Artinyan's goal in creating the piece that

became the cover for this book. Using jamieson's wool yarn
and Habu Textiles Tsumugi silk yarn in warm tones , she created a mesh pattern, then wove strands of the yarn through
the open spaces. She accented the piece with a free-form
butterfly and iridescent buttons.
Teri learned
to
crochet in elementary school and started
to knit a bit later, but found a renewed passion for both

about seven years ago.
I created a linen liner for Teri's crocheted cover using
the same method as the main crochet project and added a
similar pocket inside.
Wanting to keep the spine as intact as possible while still
After taking each ribbon through the signature and spine
drawing attention to the stitching, I created a braided binding
again through the second hole from the top, I braided the
also using seam binding. Like the main project, this book
three pieces of ribbon until reaching the second pair of holes.
has three signatures with two pairs of holes each. In each
I entered the third hole from the top from the outside, the
signature I entered the second hole from the top from the
fourth hole from the inside, and the third hole again from the
inside (going through the cover), entered the top hole from
outside, then knotted the ribbon by slipping under the stitch,
the outside, and knotted the ribbons inside the signature.
forming a loop, and going through the loop to knot it.
CROCHET NOTEBOOK
129
Tf MrlATfS
Cover design
Photocopy at 200%
130 ADVENTURE S IN BOO KBINDING
Lines are for

punching
cover.
Dots are for

punching
signatures.
Signature-punching template
Photocopy at 200 %
TEMPLATES
131
Pin arm between marks
'
'
''
'
''
'
/
/
/
'
/
/
Body
Photocopy at 200%
cut 2
r I
r - -- -
,
I
Pin legs at marks
132
Pin arm between marks
,
I
'
;
'
Pin ear between marks
Pin ear between marks
''\
'
'
'
' --- """
' , __ .,,
/
./
Head
Photocopy at 100%
cut 2
TEMPLATES
133
PLUSH DOLL
PLUSH DOLL
PLUSH DOLL
Leg
Ear
Arm
cut 4
cut 4
cut 4
Photocopy at 100%
134
PLUSH DOLL SKETCHBO OK
Signature- punching template

Photocopy at 100%
PLUSH DOLL
Pocket for body

cut 2
Photocopy at 200%
TEMPLATES
135
QUILTED WORKBOOK
Spine-punching template
136
....

Signature-punching template
Photocopy at 100%
TEMPLATES
137
138
Back cover
Cover hole template
Photocopy at 200%
Photocopy at 200%
score
cut
I
I
-, -
-- -
,I
I
I
I
I
Pocket template
Photocopy at 200%
TEMPLATES
139
Design template
Photocopy at 100%

'
140
CROCHET NOTEBOOK
Spine-punching template
TEMPLATES
141
R[~OURC[~
BOOK ARTS GUILDS,
RESOURCES, AND FORUMS
The Book Arts Web

www. philo biblon. com
The Bookarts Forum
www.bookartsforum.com
The Guild of Book Workers
521 Fifth Ave.
New York, NY 10175
USA
www.guildofbookworkers.org
secretary@guildofbookworkers.org
BOOKBINDING
SUPPLIES
BookMakers, Inc.
8601 Rhode Island Ave.
College Park, MD 20740
USA
301.345 .7979
bookmakers@earthlink.net
Hiromi Paper, Inc.
2525 Michigan Ave., Unit G-9
Santa Monica, CA 90404
USA
866.479.2744
http://store .hiromipaper.com
washi@hiromipaper.com
142
Hollander's
410 N. Fourth Ave.
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
USA
734.741.7531
www. hollanders.com
info@ho Handers. com
] ohn Neal, Bookseller
1833 Spring Garden St.
Greensboro, NC 27403
USA
336.272.6139
www.j ohnnealbooks. com
info@johnnealbooks.com
Paper Source
410 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Chicago, IL 60654
USA
888. 72 7.3 711
www.paper-source.com
customerservicepaper-source. com
Talas
330 Morgan Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11211
USA
212.219.0770
www.talas-nyc.com
Volcano Arts
(also jewelry-making supplies and metal)
Volcano, CA 95689
USA
www.volcanoarts.com
info@volcanoarts.com
ART AND CRAFT SUPPLIES
Confections Heirloom Fiberarts

(for handspun rag yarn)
www.etsy.com/shop/confections
Dick Blick Art Materials
PO. Box 1267
Galesburg, IL 61402
USA
800.828.4548
www.dickblick.com
Etsy
www.etsy.com
Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft Stores
5555 Darrow Rd.
Hudson, OH 44 236
USA
888.739.4120
www.joann .com
Michaels
800 Bent Branch Dr.
Irving, TX 75063
USA
800.642 .4235
www. michaels. com
Paradise Fibers
(needle-felting and weaving supplies)
1011 N. Thor St.
Spokane, WA 99202
USA
888.320.7746
www.paradisefibe rs. net
info@paradisefibers.net
The Vintage Workshop

(vintage clip art images, craft supplies)
www. thevintageworkshop. com
CONTRIBUTORS
CRAFT GUILDS
Page 129
Teri Artinyan
forzadino@gmail.com
Tracie Lyn Huskamp

TheRedDoorS tudio@yahoo.com
www.TheRedDoor-Studio.com
Page 71
American Quilter's Society

www.americanquilter.com
Collage Artists of America
1401 W Morningside Dr.
Burbank, CA 91506
USA
www.collageartists.org
Nicki Bair
nicki@nickibair.com
http://nickibair.com
Page 47
Page 59
Sahara Dalley
saharamather@hotmail.com
www. papatotoro. com
Page 119
Handweavers Guild of America, Inc.

www.weavespindye.org
hga@weavespindye.org
International Polymer Clay
Association
1350 Beverly Rd., Suite 115-345
McLean, VA 22101
USA
www.npcg.org
Mimi Kirchner
mimik@pobox.com
www.mimikirchner.com
Reuben Munoz
reubix@earthlink.net
http ://ranchoreubidoux. word press. com
Page 107
Stefanie Girard
plaidbunny@aol.com
http://sweatersurgeryblogspot.com
Page 27
Keila Hernandez
khernandezart@gmail.com
www.khernandez.etsycom
www.khernandezcanes.etsycom
Danita Rafalovich
DR90066@comcast.net
Page 95
Peter Solomon
peter@preciousmetalarts.com
www.preciousmetalarts.com
Page 39
Page 83
National Guild of Decoupeurs

www.decoupage.org
143
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I first must thank the amazing team at Quarry who made this book possible:
Winnie Prentiss, Betsy Gammons, Regina Grenier, Marla Stefanelli, and, of course,
my incomparable editor, Mary Ann Hall. Thanks also to artist Michael Wanke and
photographer Ken Chernus for their incredible work.
I am forever grateful to my family and friends who are always supportive and
patient. To my wonderful husband, Mark-the words "thank you" don't begin to
express the gratitude I feel for all you've done. You put up with a lot of take-out
meals and random piles around the house while cheering me on, and a lesser man
would not have done so. I love you always.
A huge thank-you goes to the amazing artists who contributed their work. I
realize this was a leap of faith, and I hope I did justice to your art. It was an honor
and a privilege to work on these collaborative pieces.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jeannine Stein has been making books for more than fifteen years, and her commissioned work includes wedding albums, journals, guest books, and photo
albums. She is the author of the Quarry book, Re-Bound: Creating Handmade Books
from Recycled and Repurposed Materials, and her work has been featured in a number of national magazines, including GreenCraft and Cloth Paper Scissors.
She has taught book arts for several years and especially enjoys introducing
artists and crafters to bookbinding.
Jeannine is a journalist living in Los Angeles with her husband, Mark Elson, a
photographer and filmmaker.
144
Original tintype photograph courtesy of

Mark Elson Pictures

Adv Bkbind

Transféré par

Informations du document

Titre original

Copyright

Formats disponibles

Partager ce document

Partager ou intégrer le document

Options de partage

Avez-vous trouvé ce document utile ?

Ce contenu est-il inapproprié ?

Droits d'auteur :

Formats disponibles

Adv Bkbind

Transféré par

Droits d'auteur :

Formats disponibles

~AND CRAITING MIX[D-M[DIA BOOK~

J[AN NIN[ ST[ IN

~AND CRAITING MIX[D-M[DIA BOOK~

Text 2011 by Quarry Books

Digital edition: 978-1-61058-021-2

5 i flU~~ DOll SKtlC~BOOK

9 ; D[COUrAG[ ~OOD &WIN[ JOURNAl

10 [ llNO-rR Nl[D SK[IC~BOOK

i ABOUl I~[ AUl~OR 144

The first book I ever made-a

crafts into my books. Since doing that, my books have be-

cased-in journal with a hard spine-seemed like a magi-

come more interesting, new creative paths have opened, and

cal creation, and I was completely enthralled with creating

I feel more confident and capable as a book artist and crafter.

When I started making these mixed-media books, I

Since then, I've explored making books with a variety

wasn't the only one intrigued by the idea. I showed a friend,

of materials, structures, and purposes. And although books

an accomplished crocheter, a leather journal I made with a

are my primary focus, bookbinding isn't the only skill in

scallop-crocheted border, and she instantly wanted to know

how to make it. I realized that integrating other crafts with

Like many crafters, I've learned how to do a lot of things

bookbinding would be a great way to get artists and craft-

throughout the years. As a child, I sewed, did needlepoint,

ers excited about creating their own books, photo albums,

knitted , and embroidered. And as an adult, I've learned

journals, and sketchbooks. I thought it might also get book

how to make jewelry, weave, quilt, crochet, and work with

artists interested in incorporating different materials and

polymer clay and metal. A crafter's curiosity is perpetual-

mediums into their work.

as soon as we see an amazing handmade creation we usually

that I know enough to put together a quilt or a necklace if

You may fall in love with new techniques or rediscover

to those who have some experience in a craft, or to novices

-,- - -- -- -- - - -- - - - - - - -,- The shortcut projects are for those

who are intrepid enough to dive in and give it a try. They're

The shortcut quilted book, for example, uses a cut-up vin-

designed to be fun and stress-free, and the bindings are

tage quilt for the covers.

straightforward. Some of the books are intended as sketch-

------- --- --- --- --- _,_

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

The illustrated step-by-step projects in this book are geared

books and have extra features such as pockets and foldouts.

The master-level projects take the

highly skilled artists to create the

definite likes and dislikes about types and styles of paper,

feel free to substitute whatever paper you like to work with.

ects can be collaborative. These books are meant to be both

I find that 90-lb. (185 gsm) watercolor paper is perfect for

inspirational and a catalyst to foster creative partnerships.

almost any medium and isn't too heavy to work with in a

Books are meant to be used-don't let them languish

instructions on the specific craft to help you get started.

words, drawings , photographs, paintings, and collages.

If the craft is new to you or you haven't done it in a while,

Creating things by hand is always an adventure, and I en-

take a little time to practice techniques with scrap materi-

courage you to take the plunge and start exploring.

als. It will make the process more satisfying and ultimately