Wednesday, 16 June 2010

Test Book with Felt Covers (2)

The felt book is to be bound in Japanese style, that is, with a stab binding. Here are the papers for the contents, folded, tied and with the four holes ready for the stab binding.


















Here are two reinforcing pieces for the spine, one for the back and one for the front. They have been cut from 2mm grey board and covered with cotton. The holes for the stab binding are ready.

This is one 'felted' cover. This is not nearly so felted as the handspun cushion fabric which should be easier to deal with. I have applied a piece of the same cotton as the spine pieces to the fore edge.














This is it finished. The thread for the binding was black Como silk from Handweaver's Studio.



















A view of the inside. What have I learnt? That spine reinforcement is essential. That the felted blanket fabric moved every which way and was difficult to sew. I only hope the other felted fabric is better. That I don't like the cotton applied to the fore edge. It was done crudely but even so. 

The whole idea was to see if it could be done. And I think the answer is maybe. The fabric has got to be a lot solider than this was so I can cut the edges straight. You will notice that, in the end, there was no decoration on the fabric. The silk paint seeped through to the back and the transfer dyes were not strong enough. I was advised that needle felting would come through to the back as well. I need to think about all this. The Como silk worked well for the stab binding. So at least there was something positive!!

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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.