Thursday 30 June 2011

Bookbinding and Other Things (latest version)

I went to Bookbinding class twice yesterday. The tutor kindly said that since I had missed so many classes I could turn up at the morning class as well as the afternoon. And I am so pleased with myself. I decided I would start on my summer bookbinding task(s) of working my way through various forms of Coptic binding. This is the result. The paper is cartridge paper and the covers are old Ordnance Survey maps. They are so old that they are mounted on muslin. Remember them? The guard papers round each section are old maps as well.

This is the first example in Keith Smith's book Volume 3. It took me from 1000 am to 0430 pm to complete from scratch - five hours in all. I will be doing more this summer.





 This is a view of the spine and both covers. I can see a lot of Christmas presents being made as I practice more and more difficult versions of Coptic binding.

















I did say I would show photos of the cotton I space dyed before going off to the Lampas course last week. Here is one. And the colour really is a darkish red. The dimensions are about 2 ft square.















This is a large piece of cotton wrapped round rusty objects in a pail of water for four days. And if you think it is pale pink, you are right. I put it through the washing machine along with the dark red piece above.















This is a piece of cotton which is redder than shown here. I have used Photoshop to create the text in the middle and also the calladium leaves which were then printed on JetFx paper and ironed onto the cotton. After that I used blocks and acrylic paint to print on small leaves and the ferns surrounding the text.















Now this has an Indian Paisley pattern block printed all over. And the background colour
is about right.

The day has been fraught with Google destroying the latest blog and shutting periodically. It has only just returned to normal. 

I have also sorted the various people whom Barclays Bank told I was dead.  Now for a nice bit of textile work.

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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.