1 post tagged “books”
In January, I took a wonderful class on handbinding techniques. It came as a surprise how much I enjoyed working with paper: folding, tearing , sewing and pasting papers to make colorful little books soon became a much needed distraction from work! I've always collected unusual papers and it was finally clear what I could use them for.
We learned many different techniques, from simple butterfly and album style bindings, to beautiful Japanese sewings, exposed spine bindings and we even made our own bookcloth for a boxed set.
Since then, I've tried to make time for a little bookbinding every once in a while. I still find it extremely relaxing, and it's always a great experience to be able to work so closely with paper, fabric and thread. I started learning on my own: I purchased some books (Keith Smith is a great teacher!) and started trying some interesting sewings. Soon, I realized that I enjoyed coptic stitching the best, and created a line of cute little journals that used this beautiful stitch.
My Washibooks combine some materials I find particularly enjoyable to work with: Costa Rican banana paper, which has a great texture and is also good for the environment; Japanese washi papers, which feel almost like fabric and have some of the most beautiful designs I've ever seen; and cotton and hemp threads in many colors. I especially love putting together the combinations of papers and colors that will make up each book. The covers, back covers, endpapers and thread can feature wonderful harmonies or vibrant contrasts.
The loving process of tearing the paper for the signatures, covering the boards for the covers and sewing the book together is a wonderful experience, and it always produces a cute little book that can be carried around, admired, and used for writing or drawing whenever the inspiration strikes.
You can now find my Washibooks at my new Etsy shop!
