Saturday 26 December 2009

Back to Bookbinding


My son-in-law, Robin, gave this to me as a Christmas present - it is a fat blank journal book with a cloth cover saying 'Malaysia'. It is to be used next time I visit Kuala Lumpur! The pages are A5 size and the paper is good thick stuff you can draw on, possibly paint on.

What was also interesting was the paper the journal was wrapped in. It is actually cloth. I think it has been slightly plasticised and backed with paper. It would make a good cover for a book and there is enough of it. I am told that it is very easy to get in KL and did I want some? The answer of course was yes please. The cloth is a stout cotton  and the biggest flowers are about three inches across. I can see it as a book cover already.



And if that was not enough, a friend gave me a present of a book of wrapping paper based on designs for Japanese kimonos. The example shown gives the flavour of the book. I doubt if any of it will ever be used as wrapping paper! That would mean giving it away! It will make wonderful end-papers for books and I am going to be making some more blank books in my bookbinding class starting in January. The tutor thinks we need at least two books on the go all the time because of waiting for drying/pressing etc etc. All this thought reminded me that I have not been happy with my choice of paper for the last course. All the books were an assortment of handmade and fancy papers and I did not like the handmade paper.  I suddenly remembered that I lashed out at a sale in Tesco's last spring and bought a lot of watercolour pads for Michael which he rejected as too textured for him. So would they do? Once I had tracked them down, I found I had five of a make called Galleria which were 180 gsm and they are very suitable (cost me £3 each and each holds 24 sheets). A4 size spiral bound which I can trim. I also have two pads of Tesco's own but they are a different colour of white and a different weight.  There must be enough to do 4 books with those supplies.

I also have complicated plans for a Japanese style binding because I want to make an illustrated book in a landscape format. I need to discover how to use a program called Inkscape in which I can write text on curves of my making. So far it is okay except that I can only produce a PovRay file and what do I do with that? (Memo to self, ask the resident guru when he has finished sorting out the laserjet which is printing unwanted coloured lines at the moment). I have bought rather grand paper for the project. Upstairs we have a highclass Inkjet printer and I have bought some Bockingford paper especially for it - not cheap and I will use our normal 80 gsm for trials. The Bockingford is double sided and 190gsm. The whole book will be printed which means that I can make more than one.

I have started reading Hannah Hinchman again. I do this every six months. When I discovered her, I could buy a couple of books in the UK but soon found out that she had written more which I could get from the States. She does not appear to have her own website but you can google her and get a lot of comments. I am not going to bother with adjectives - find out for yourself. But I can't get enough of her.

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About Me

I am weaver and - -. I dye my yarns with acid dyes, I paint my warps, put fabric collages and stencils on my weaving. I have three looms, a 12 inch wide, 12 shaft Meyer for demos and courses, a 30 inch Louet Kombo which is nominally portable but has a stand, two extra beams and a home-made device containing a fan reed. And last a 32 shaft Louet Megado which is computer controlled, has a sectional warp and a second warp beam and I am the proud owner of an AVL warping wheel which I love to bits and started by drilling holes in. I inserted a device for putting a cross in. I have just acquired an inkle loom and had a lesson from an expert so I can watch TV and weave at the same time. I am interested in weaving with silk mostly 60/2 although I do quite a bit with 90/2 silk. I also count myself as a bookbinder with a special interest in Coptic binding.