Three mockingbirds
Three small japanese stab bindings, with birds.
Author Archives: bookmaker
More Re-used silk books
Left to right: caterpillar weave, coptic, double modified long-stitch, caterpillar
Various Books Fall 2010 and Winter 2011
Here are several different books I’ve made in the last two months.
These books, from left to right: The first is a simple coptic binding done with hemp and fishnet handmade paper from a local art store. The middle books is a button-hole binding with the end papers left long inside the cut-out section. The third book is a slotted spine, also sewn with hemp.
Coptic detail.
This next one is a caterpillar binding
These last two are hardbound books. I made a whole series of hardbound books this winter, although sadly I sold most before getting around to photographing them. Likewise the 2011 calendars I made were sold or given away before I pulled out my camera.
Learning from my friends
Here are two books I did after spending some time book making with my friend Teresa of Unworn World Studio.
The first is an extension of a book she made sewing extra signatures into a three signature binding. I used fifteen signatures in this, every three of them with a new thread color.
Next, this one:
This one is a modification of an open long-stitch (also called a twisted link and kettle) which Teresa does nicely. Instead of doing it with a single thread, I used two different threads to get this effect.
Re-used silk books
I’ve been doing some sewing work for a non-profit recently and it has left me with bits of silk which are less than ideal for the sewing but which, because they have a backing attached, are perfect for book covers. These are made with small scraps of old bridesmaid and prom dresses, glued, stamped and stenciled, and sewn with several different bindings.
This book, with green ribbons and green banana paper corners, is a variation on the slotted spine long-stitch in which the thread of every third signature is wrapped around the two earlier stitches, producing this cord.
The text that repeats across the cover of this book is a poem I wrote years ago.
Handmade paper
Watercolor on 100% cotton paper. Bar-loop binding
I took a paper making class last fall where I experimented with all kinds of handmade papers using cotton, jeans, celery, beet leaves, and various pigments.
Celery fiber and cotton paper. Wrapped caterpillar binding.
Beet leaf fiber and cotton paper. Woven caterpillar binding.
Detail of caterpillar weave.
star books
I just love making star books. They are beautiful little books which open into five pointed stars you can write notes on or hang in windows. The covers of these are handmade paper, some cotton fiber, some celery and beet fiber mixed with cotton, and watercolor pencil.
More printmaking and bookmaking
Portrait of Sarah. The text is a poem of mine, "These Afternoons." Silkscreen print, double needle coptic binding. Fall 2009.
Birds. The print is a paper litho print from spring 2009. Double needle coptic binding. Fall 2009.
Beet love. The paper litho print is down from a topagraphical map of the farm in Vermont that I wrote my "beet love" poem about. Doulbe needle coptic binding.
2010 Calendars
I only made a few 2010 calendars, but they were a lot of fun anyway.
Right to left: Beet calendar with double caterpillar binding decoration, bar-loop binding; resistance of the heart calendar with modified long stitch binding; red silk calendar.
Basil calendar. Woven caterpillar binding; paper bag cover, recycled paper lining.
Standard caterpillar binding. The endpapers are tea-dyed.
resistance of the heart
is not enough.
Self portrait. The text reads "resistance of the heart is not enough, put your hands to work." paper lithography and handmade jeans paper (from Michelle Wilson). Coptic binding.
“Resistance of the heart is not enough” was my response to the Bread & Puppet poster, “Resistance of the heart to business as usual (their website is: http://breadandpuppet.org/). I love the poster, but I always find myself thinking, resistance of the heart really isn’t enough. It’s a crucial start. But alone, it means nothing get done and lots of people talk about how important it is to resist. Resist like the very thought is enough to excuse them from action.
This self-portrait is my response: you have to get to work, you have to take action and change the world, remake and break through what is already there.
The endpaper is my own handmade beet fiber paper.
