Friday 27 August 2010

New Japanese Style Book

This is a new Japanese style book. The paper inside is khadi  handmade paper bought from Art Van Go at the Festival of Quilts. The cover is cotton fabric dyed by me and the binding thread is variegated silk from Oliver Twist. This is the Tortoise Shell pattern for binding. I usually put the holes into the book using a bodger or brad awl which gives a good fit to the needle and thread but not when there are so many threads going into a hole. Memo to self - Drill the main holes out next time. It was a real fight to get the needle through the hole and  the thread broke when I was nearly at the end.Hence the tails outside the book instead of inside.

The garage is very clean, floor swept , things put away. The indigo dye solution has been made. When I did this last, I used chemical indigo and noticed that I had no trouble with mixing it. This time I am using natural indigo and  it is very gritty. I remember using an indigo vat at someone's else studio where the vat was gritty at the bottom and finding that I got small spots of intense blue if the yarn picked up one of these little gritty bits. If it is no better this morning, I will strain the indigo dye solution through butter muslin.

I have a Coptic binding ready to go but want to include a endband. This is sewn on top and bottom of the spine and helps to stabilise the book. Unfortunately I can find photos but no instructions even though I spent some time searching the web last night. So I am going it alone! But not till tomorrow. Today is a dyeing day with friends.

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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.