Book Review; Embroidered Books

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Today I will be reviewing the following book

Embroidered Books By Isobel Hall

Publisher: Batsford

ISBN: 978 1 9063 8813 3

Why I ordered this book

Having more experience in bookbinding now, I was looking for some new inspiration, for decorating the covers of my books. I already have books detailing the binding itself and I really wanted some visual inspiration of finished works.

Contents

The first section of the book deals with construction of  the books.

The styles mentioned are;

Books with embroidered spines, Post and screws, Concertina style books, Shaped books, Carousel books, Waterfall Pages and box books.

The next section covers Techniques and Materials

Cocoon Strippings, Plaster of Paris, Inkjet printing, Glue Sticks, Metal relief foils, Texture effects, Marbling, working with Waxes, Using Grungeboard and Using Pulp Papers.

At the back of the book are a list of UK suppliers and also a selection of other books the reader may find of interest.

Pro’s

The finished examples of books shown are very beautiful. The list of techniques and binding styles was impressive.

Con’s

The step by steps included with the finished picture are not a detailed guide, so it is not your usual project based book. The descriptions are more how to combine techniques together. You need a thorough knowledge of various materials and products before you will be able to follow along with this book.

I am new to fabric and had no idea what the materials were or how to use them. Since the only instruction in the book is written, I felt it needed to go into more detail on what to do. This book would have benefited by having a glossary of products, so newbies like myself could look up what something was.

Sadly the descriptions for me left me with many questions and I wasn’t able to follow any of the projects. I would need to do a lot of research away from the book, to discover what the products were, and how to use them before I could used this book as it was intended. The earlier list of items needed at the start of each project disappeared, so I was having to read the entire project to find out what I needed, only to find I didn’t have them.

Summing Up

My first glance through this book impressed me, wonderful images of finished books, the first few projects looked much like the tutorials I write; with a list of products you need followed by a list of instructions and I thought I was going to enjoy this book. Sadly when I started reading it, I became lost in a wealth of products I didn’t recognise with no where to find out about them, within the book. Had this book stated it was for an experienced fabric artist,  I would have known that I didn’t have the required skills to follow it.

Fewer projects but with more detail of how to complete the project would have helped. I write this from a position of having NO prior knowledge or experience with working with fabric. If I had already known what the materials were and how to use them, then this would be a good book to encourage me with ideas of how to combine techniques.

I still enjoy the images of the finished books and will use them to inspire me with products I already own. If I later acquire more skills with the fabrics mentioned in this book, then I will revisit it with new eyes.

Who is this book For?

Someone who is used to working with fabric and already has techniques under their belt. Looking for ways of combining their skills. This book would not be good for a new bookbinder or someone new to using fabrics.

This review tried to be fair to the author, who is obviously very talented and knowledgeable. Her finished work is very inspiring. Note to the publisher’s please add something in the back cover or inside jacket, to say this is for experienced fabric crafters. I bought this book online and that was all the info I had before purchase. It was only once I was looking through the book that I discovered the need for prior knowledge.

Best wishes and thanks for reading, see you soon

Billie

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My Top 5 books on Bookbinding

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The other day a friend on mine Dymphie took a photo of her collection of books on bookbinding and it inspired me to create a list of my top five favorite books on the subject. Would any other bookbinders out there like to contribute their top five favourites? Either leave your list as a comment below or maybe create your list on your own website and link it back to here in a comment.

1.  Volume 1 Non Adhesive Binding; Books without Glue or Paste

• Author: Keith Smith
• Publisher: Keith Smith Books www.keithsmaithbooks.com
• ISBN: 0-9637682-6-3

 

2.  Cover to Cover

• Author: Shereen La Plantz
• Publisher: Lark Books www.larkbooks.com
• ISBN: 13: 978 – 0 – 937274-87-3
• ISBN: 10: 0-937274-87-9

3. Expressive Handmade Books

• Author: Alisa Golden
• Publisher: Sterling
• ISBN: 1-4027-2051-3

4. Hand Bookbinding A Manual of Instruction

• Author: Aldred A Watson
• Publisher: Dover www.doverpublications.com
• ISBN: 13: 978-0-486-29157-4
• ISBN: 10: 0-486-29157-X

5. Bookbinding A Beginners Manual

• Author: John Ashman
• Publisher: Adam & Charles Black
• ISBN: 0-7136-2113-3

All of these books would be suitable for beginners, I’ll do a separate list another day, of my top five books for the more experienced binder. Here’s why I love the above books.

1. Excellent detailed instructions for many kinds of binding styles. When you want to progress and just want instructions on how to complete a selection of different bindings, without endless pictures of finished books, get this book. Excellent reference book, but might overwhelm a total novice.

2. Excellent first book for bookbinding. Plenty of inspiring pictures, with a good selection of binding styles, described step by step.

3. This would also be an excellent place to start for the new bookbinder. inspiring pictures and instruction on binding styles.

4. Another great book for the first steps. The pictures are all black and white and are more ‘technical drawings’ that compliment the techniques covered, rather than glossy finished books. A lot of excellent info and the section at the back on making your own binding equipment is superb and will save you a lot of money,when you just start out.

5. I Love this book. It is one of those ‘Does what it says on the tin’ kind of books. truly excellent descriptions of many aspects of bookbinding equipment is explained as well as binding styles. An excellent reference book to explain terms you will see in other books.

Best wishes and thanks for reading, see you soon

Billie

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Christmas Goodies from 2009

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Well I must have been a very good girl last year, as I received some lovely pressies for Christmas. Here are a few highlights. 

From my husband, some wonderful stamps from Glenda Waterworth’s Elusive Images range and Black UTEE (Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel). From my mother in law; a Bind It All, so handy for quick projects. I was a bit naughty and bought myself a few pressies too, some of the snowflake dies from Spellbinders. 

My Creative Christmas pressies for 2009

 

When my back improves I hope to bring you some inspiring projects to tempt you to play too. 

Best wishes and thanks for reading, see you soon 

Billie

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New Lying Press

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Today I would like to share  pictures of the two wonderful Lying Presses, that my amazing husband made for me. A lot of my books so far have not featured glued bindings and covers so until recently, I had not needed these kinds of press. Until I bought some bookcloth and tried my hand at case binding that was.

My New Lying Press

I had the MAD idea of making case bound books as Christmas gifts! In case you ever find yourself also thinking this is a good idea…my advice would be to start MUCH earlier than late November! This made drying times much longer as it is now damp and cold in the UK. Make them in the summer when the glue will dry faster (if you live in the UK that is).

The first press is 28cm long and the larger one is 40 cm long. When I am using one of them I put it across the other pair like this;

My new Large Lying press

This makes up for the fact that I don’t have a tub for them. It keeps the work up off the desk. I really couldn’t justify £80 for a commercially made press, for the amount of use they will get. Making them yourself, does also mean you have full control over the size of the press.

I’m so lucky to have a wonderful husband that supports my hobby and who will put such lovely tools together for me.

Thank you to my wonderful husband for taking time out of your hectic schedule, to make these for me. I love them and I love you too.

Best wishes and thanks for reading, see you soon

Billie

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Slip Case for Signatures: Sage Reynold’s Style.

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Today I’d like to share some pictures of the Slip Case I made for signatures waiting to be bound into books. Because of limited dexterity, my bookbinding tends to be broken into steps, with varying amounts of time between the steps. It may be several days/weeks between my cutting and folding paper, before they are piereced and sewn.

Here is the case I created

My first Case

Here is a view of the lining of the case

My favorite size to bind in is A7, so my case is a little taller than this. I now have a place where folded papers can live until they are needed for a book. I always mark the corners of my signatures, after they are pierced,  to ensure they remain in the correct orientation for sewing. So my pierced signatures can also happily live in the case until their turn comes round.

Sewn signatures, awaiting covering. Safe in their new case.

The method I used to create this case was featured on Sage Reynold’s channel on You Tube, I’ve put a link to his channel and  the slip case films below. Sage has a wonderful method of working and explains the process from start to finish. The best thing about Sage’s method of working is that he is taking all his measurements directly from the item he is casing, and uses very clever templates for repeated cuts. SOOO much easier and saves a lot of time. The finished box is really sturdy too.

This is my first slip case, and I am very pleased with the result. Thank you Sage for your excellent tuition on You Tube, it is inspiring and your video’s are so helpful and easy to follow.

Links

Sage Reynolds on You Tube.

Sage Reynold’s Tutorials for Creating a Slip Case

• Slip Case Part One
• Slip Case Part Two
• Slip Case Part Three
• Slip Case Part Four

Best wishes and thanks for reading, see you soon

Billie

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Review of Ideal 1038 Guillotine

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In October 2009, I ordered a 1038 Guillotine. For anyone considering one of these tools, here is my review of how I get on with the 1038.

Ideal 1038 Guillotine

Brand: Ideal

Model Number: 1038

Reason for Purchase

To cut book board for bookbinding. Due to dexterity problems I needed a tool to help me.

Build Quality

Excellent, this is a serious tool made by a serious company, no wobbly blades or wonky cuts. The base is metal and the measuring gauge along the bottom edge has metric and imperial measurements on. There is a stop guide that screws to it to align your paper/ card to. If you ever find that the stop guide needs adjusting, if it ever goes out of square, then, with the aid of an allen key, that is possible. The blade is very solid and is re-sharpenable. The blade has a guard that rises and falls with it, to help keep you away from the business end of the cutting blade. This is a superb machine.

Value for Money:

Excellent. I realise this is a considered purchase. For anyone making a lot of books or needing to cut a lot of board quickly and easily this is well worth the investment. Buy Once and buy right! This is a precision machine and worthy of its price tag. A good solid workhorse for the smaller bindery, that simply hasn’t the room for a huge board sheer.

Ease of Use:

Very Easy. I have limited dexterity but was able to adjust the stop gauge easily, as the screw button that secures it to the guide, is a good size and ribbed. The protective guard keeps you safe from the blade. The blade is very solid but also very smooth. Even with my poor dexterity, I was able to operate the machine with ease. Matt board is very easy and book board is only a little harder. DH with ‘normal’ dexterity, cut through the book board easily. I could only manage a few cuts on book board, but that was down to my limited hand strength and in no way a poor reflection of the machine. It was perfect for the job.

Would I buy It Again?

Definitely!!!!

If you are a demonstrator/teacher and need to cut lots of boards for your classes this machine will save you so much time. If you have limited dexterity, it will make cutting board possible (or a lot less hard work for your long-suffering partner who cuts it for you now ;) ) If you work in a small space and just don’t have room for those huge board shears, this is the perfect solution. The 1038 has a cutting length of 385 mm, so it sits nicely on my worktop. If I had the extra space and cash, I would have liked a larger model; the 1071 will handle A3 boards, which would have been nice.

I would highly recommend the 1038 to any serious binder who wants a quality tool. To anyone who currently struggles to cut book board with a knife and ruler. It is perfect for those making boxes from boards.  The blade leaves two smooth, clean, perfectly cut edges, to glue together. I love this machine, it does everything I need it to and it does it well. What more could you ask for from a tool.

Cons

I try to give unbiased reviews, but this tool has seriously impressed me, so I don’t have any cons for this machine.

The only thing I struggle with a little, is cutting narrow strips using the roll in/out guide on the right of the blade. But I think this is just down to practise rather than being a negative issue with the tool itself. Cutting off slivers of card to square up cardstock when I have enough board to meet the guide on the right is no problem.

Links

Ideal: Here is a link to the manufacturer of this guillotine. Type 1038 into the search box for details about this particular machine. 

Bear in mind that this review is personal opintion, based on my own situation and how I got on with this machine. I do not represent the company Ideal, nor do I work for them in any way. If you have any questions, I will be happy to try and answer them. For more technical information, please use the link above to review the manufacturers details of the machine or to contact the manufacturers directly.

Best wishes and thanks for reading, see you soon.

Billie

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My First Cloth Covered Case Bound Book

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For those with long memories, you may remember I have made a case bound book a long time ago. This is my first voyage into real book cloth though and I am very pleased with how it turned out.

Case bound book, my first try with book cloth.

The covers are made from off cuts of mount board, the book is A7 in size and has 80 gsm text weight paper. I followed Sage Reynolds instructions for constructing the case and this is my first successful spine gap. I have always struggled to allow sufficient space for the spine. I struggled to hold everything in the right place to measure as Sage showed in his video, but it was well worth the effort.

This book was a triumph of ‘What if…’ I didn’t have mull to line the spine so I used thin cotton bandage turned out ok, I learnt to use a thicker end paper or apply less glue. This was my first book that was sewn onto tapes, or in my case organza ribbon I even had a go at a wrapped endband. I used the method shown in Peter Baumgartner’s video and wrapped book cloth around a cotton cord. This taught me I needed to cut my finished head band closer to the book than I did, but for a first attempt it was worthy

Here is the book with some embellishment added

These A7 sized books are perfect for practicing techniques, they are fast to sew, use minimal resources and you learn a lot in the process. They also will make perfect gifts at Christmas, they are small enough to pop in you pocket, so really useful.

Links

 

There are a couple of excellent channels on You Tube for book binding that I highly recommend for anyone trying this kind of binding for the first time.

Sage Reynold’s.  Sage’s videos are awesome! He has such an efficient workflow and his passion for the subject shows in the care he takes with his projects. I’m linking to the main channel, but the video’s I used for this bind were the ‘Making a Case’ one’s. There are also video’s on how to sew signatures.

Peter Baumgartner. Peter’s videos show the entire process from start to finish including the sewing, I used the method for the sewing but didn’t have spine cloth so finished my book using Sage’s method.

Best wishes and thanks for reading, see you soon

Billie

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