Tuesday 18 November 2014

Bookbinding




I have sewn the headbands on two volumes of Malory (see above) and will be paring blue leather for the cover today. I have another book I am repairing and 'commissioned' some marbled paper to match what is on the cover. I did not know you could do this but it was explained to me that the British Library and the Bodleian and - and - like to match marbled paper when repairing their books. 

This one was relatively easy. She (Payhembury Papers) has several 'Victorian designs and either T9 or T10 would have done but with the colours changed. She asked for the original cover to check the colours and the papers turned up yesterday. Very nice too. Why have I bought two sheets when I probably only need half a sheet? Because it only takes one slip to ruin the whole cover. And I can always use up the rest. No bookbinder ever buys one sheet of anything. 
 
I am getting on slowly with threading up. I have forgotten the Kombo was such a pest to thread up. If you take off the breast beam (not easy), the whole loom will fall apart so I have to stretch over the breast beam. And there are 960 threads anyway. Anyway I am now over halfway.

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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.