James and Sim’s Ketubah

Sat, 16 Feb 2008 13:05:11 +0000

Sim asked me to make the ketubah for their wedding: this is the result, after much worry about whether I’d got the Hebrew letters in the right order and so on!

Fake vellum binding

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 13:11:44 +0000

Another college practice book: it should really have a vellum cover, but it’s actually buckram lined with paper, to approximate at much less cost!

Each set of holes on the spine is two sections, and there’s a decorative leather piece on the spine, the name of which escapes me.... The two pairs of sewing stations were done independently.

I ended up doing this twice: I figured out the best way of doing it just as I got to the end, after which I took it apart and tried again!

Sim’s Scrap book

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 17:18:45 +0000

A very pink scrap book for James and Sim to fill in on their honeymoon. Very pink.

Flat-back case binding, sewn with French linked stitch. There are guards between each page, to take the bulk of sticking things in, which was a sod to press: I ended up putting sheets of paper between each page, to fill the gap.... Still, it was worth it, I think!

Experiment!

Fri, 7 Dec 2007 11:57:58 +0000

A fairly experimental binding, made mostly to fill a few hours before a trip to the pub!

It’s a bit smaller than A4, with a thin manila wrap-around cover, and it’s sewn without a kettle stitch, which made it tricky.

The cover is sewn onto the text block, but there are only half as many rows of stitching on the spine as there are sections.

Rather fiddly to do, and it’s not as tight as it could be, in places: I think that it would have worked better with a kettle to stop it pulling.

Semi-limp on split hide

Fri, 7 Dec 2007 11:52:49 +0000

After I did my sampler, I decided to make a book sewn onto split hide. This is the result!

It’s a semi-limp cover, just book cloth and blotter, and one half of the hide cord is woven through the cover (the other half just stays inside).

Really nice style: might do it again!

Binding sampler

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 19:10:20 +0000

I was getting a bit alarmed that I wouldn’t learn anything new in the bookbinding element of the course I’m doing this year, especially after we spent the first day’s class making a single section pamphlet....

But today I made this binding sampler. It’s got a recessed single cord, regular single cord, double cord, alum tawed thong (sadly, a bit thicker than it should have been, so it didn’t curl up nicely) and hide.

I’ve sewn the text block and put end papers on to protect it, but I’m not going to take it any further, just keep it as a sampler.

Wedding Book

Wed, 25 Jul 2007 21:08:13 +0100

This is a guest book, made for Pat and Julie’s wedding. The idea is similar to my Japan travel diary, but this time the space between the signatures on the fabric spine is twice the page width, so that the pages can be laid out flat next to each other (if you have a three-metre-long table!): the idea was that lots of people would be able to sign it at once.

The spine is otherwise held closed with a gold wire clasp.

Fabric (sari: a real sod to work with), elephant-dung paper, gold thread, gold wire, with paper (see comment re: sari fabric)-covered slipcase.

Travel Diary

Thu, 12 Jul 2007 21:00:50 +0100

This is a book I made to keep a travel diary in and stick random bits of paper into, during a trip to Japan.

The front and back covers are hinged, so that important bits of paper can be easily tucked inside them, and then the ribbon fastening goes over four buttons on the spine edge of the covers to keep them together when needed.

The sections are sewn onto fabric, in a semi-accordion style, so that the book can have lots and lots of stuff glued in and still close properly.

Fabric (an obi), paper, hand-dyed linen thread, foamcore (to keep the weight down in my bag when travelling!).

Bookmarks V

Wed, 6 Jun 2007 20:47:28 +0100

I’ve contributed to the Bookmarks V project, which has now gone live. In my usual fashion, I managed to forget to take any photos of my bookmarks until it was too late.

Would it be enough if I said that they were in muted pastel colours and contained brownish text set in 1942 Report...?

They will be available in various places in the UK and further afield: there’s a list on the website.

The Matter of Britain

Wed, 18 Apr 2007 20:44:48 +0100

An edition of three copies of The Matter Of Britain, a novel by Eugene Byrne and Kim Newman set in an alternate history where Germany defeats Britain in the Second World War.

Bookcloth, paper, inkjet printing. With slipcases.

2006 BSFA Awards

Thu, 1 Mar 2007 20:42:11 +0000

These are the 2006 BSFA awards, which were awarded at the 2007 Eastercon.

Bookcloth, japanese paper, faux-parchment inkjet paper, watch parts.

Pressed and Bottled London

Thu, 1 Feb 2007 20:38:31 +0000

Still playing around with the bottled cities idea, this is a small (2” square) case bound book.

The pages are printed with the names of different parts of London, with London itself inside the tiny bottle in the middle.

Paper, inkjet printing, bookcloth. I love this font: 1942 Report.

Pink Sketch Book

Mon, 1 Jan 2007 20:36:41 +0000

It’s very pink.

Even though it’s just a simple casebound sketchbook, I’m inordinately proud of this one: it just all seemed to come together very well.

I also had a chance to play with an edge trimmer, so it has lovely smooth edges, and to use some of the fancy paper that I collect far too much of.

Paper, handmade paper, bookcloth.

Piano-Hinge Star Book

Mon, 1 Jan 2007 20:34:48 +0000

Playing around with a new style.

Card and paper, glue-free design.

Dos-a-Dos Book

Mon, 1 Jan 2007 20:33:48 +0000

Playing around with a new style.

Card and paper, sewn on concertina folds.

Ideas Book

Mon, 1 Jan 2007 20:32:28 +0000

This is a book with mixed papers: mostly just blank, but some patterned or printed with text.

The book is hardback, with a pocket inside the front cover, and I use it for jotting down ideas for when I have more time but less inspiration!

Long-Stitch Sketchbook

Fri, 1 Dec 2006 20:29:44 +0000

Simple long-stitch soft bound sketchbook, with a satin-lined wrap-around cover of handmade paper.

The thread is hand-dyed, which gives a nice effect. The fabric is left over from my wedding dress!

To Bottle London

Fri, 1 Sep 2006 19:50:45 +0100

This is an idea I was playing around with after seeing a friend's ATC.

I made and covered the case ages ago, but I couldn't think what to put in it, so it just sat on my desk for about a year.

Card, hand-made papers, faux-vellum inkjet paper, metal brads. Inside, more card, hand made papers, metal letter, mini-clothes peg, bottle, fibres and wire.