CPS CreatingMixedMediaBooks PDF

bound & beautiful
one-of-a-kind
handmade books
m aking handmade books can be as exciting as creating any
mixed-media project. The sheer joy experienced as pages come
togetherinteracting with the reader and the artist is addictive. The
bound & beautiful
one-of-a-kind handmade
number of ways you can embellish a book is limited only by your ability books
to carry out the ideas in your head. Bound and Beautiful will help you get
editorial director Helen Gregory
those ideas out and onto paper . . . and spines, and pages, and bind- editor Jenn Mason
assistant editor Barb Delaney
ings. Make a meandering book, a Gothic-art inspired tome, or a special
art director Larissa Davis
place to keep favorite family recipes. Whatever your handmade book photographers Larry Stein,
desire islook to Bound and Beautiful for inspiration. Korday Studios,
Art Van Go Studios
Projects and information are for inspiration and

personal use only. Cloth Paper Scissors is not
3 meanderings responsible for any liability arising from errors,

omissions, or mistakes contained in this eBook,
susie lafond and readers should proceed cautiously, especially
with respect to technical information. F+W Media,
9
Inc. grants permission for any and all pages in this
book of treasures eBook to be copied for personal use.
nina bagley
13 kitchen wisdom
nina bagley
18 capturing nature in paper

elli woodsford
24 from design to divine

with beryl taylor
26 book art fusion

lisa w. cook
29 build a book
virginia spiegel
35 my egg book
nicky dillerstone
39 sew what
lesley riley
44 out of the blue

laura cater-woods
48 sitting pretty
beryl taylor
50 germinating ideas in
a board book
juju vail
Artwork by Beryl Taylor.
Cover art by Lesley Riley, Laura Cater-Woods,
Beryl Taylor, and Lisa W. Cook.
bound & beautiful: one-of-a-kind handmade books clothpaperscissors.com 2

F+W Media, Inc. All rights reserved. F+W Media grants permission for any or all pages in this eBook to be copied for personal use.
meanderings
the meander book
by susie lafond
Adapted from
Cloth Paper Scissors
Winter 2005

i have always adored books and take great pleasure in
creating them. The first handmade book I created was
a witches cookbook containing recipes and detailed
ingredients lists complete with folded pages. At age
eight, I was very proud! Since then I have honed
my creative skill using fabric, beads, fibers, and all
manner of paper arts to create books. I have always
been drawn to things that are not quite what they
appear to be at first glance books with pockets or
pull outs, boxes with hidden nooks and crannies.
So the idea for sewing pages together in such a way
that the book opens in the traditional manner and then
has you turning it in a variety of directions was very
appealing to me. I enjoy a bit of mystery in art and
the sense of surprise it can bring to the viewer.
m at e r i a l s
Bienfang Canvassette Paper (This
is also available under other brand
names as canvas paper.)
Ruler
Scissors and/or rotary cutter
and cutting mat. (I prefer a rotary
cutter to cut all my pages with
accuracy.)
Paintbrushes
constructing
Acrylic paints in your favorite
colors (My favorites are Goldens
the book
Quinacridone colors. These are
beautifully transparent and allow a
layering of colors.)
1. Cut the pages to your desired size. my favorite colors is Quinacridone
Sewing machine with a zigzag
stitch. You will need eight squares total. nickel azo gold, by Golden. I used a
Standard sewing machine needle I chose 4" 4" squares for the size combina-tion of the gold and burnt
(You may wish to designate one and dimension of the pages, but they orange, along with transparent red
needle just for sewing your paper could be 8" 8" just as easily or any iron oxide and raw umber.
arts.)
size you want your finished piece to 3. Using a small sponge dipped in paint,
Sewing thread be. dab along the edges of each page for a
Collage materials of your choice:
2. If you want painted pages you need to finishing touch. (I used gold for this.)
color copies of photos, decora-tive
and textured papers, pages from paint before you sew them together. 4. Once your pages have dried it is time
old books, old maps Use colors that will allow you the to sew them together. You will have
Paper glue most flexibility with the theme you to experiment with the width and
Relatively flat embellishments and wish to bring to your meander. Let length of your stitches as this var-
ephemera such as game pieces, your muse be your guide. Paint each ies by the make and model of the
buttons, small beads, fibers page on both sides allowing ample machine. Use scraps for your experi-
Small sponge drying time for each side. One of

menting rather than your book pages and make sure that
the stitches grab both pages as you sew.
With the template as your guide, sew each page together as

indicated on the template. Keep in mind that some pages
will be sewn on more than one side.
5. Butt the edges of the first set of pages together. Leave a frac-
tion of an inch between the pagesjust enough so they are
not quite touching each other. This will prevent the pages
from binding when the book is closed. Sew down the length
of the two pages. Then lift the presser foot and, reversing the
direction of the pages, sew back over the previous stitches.
Be sure to reinforce your stitch-ing at both ends of your
pages to ensure that the stitches wont loosen with opening
and closing your book.
6. Slashed lines on the template indicate where you will add

and sew each additional page. You will be sewing pages 1,
2, and 3 together at the sides as indicated. Page 3 is sewn to
page 4, and so on as indicated.
7. Once the pages are sewn together, fold the book accordion
style. Each fold goes in the opposite direction to the
paper and fabric
combination collage
previous one. You now hold in your hands your very own
meander.
The real fun starts now. Gather your favorite collage images,
found items, and embellishments. Let your muse go wild. If
you are stumped for ideas, it may help to pick a theme for your
meander. Your meander could become a unique brag book, a
garden journal, or a collection of memories from a summer
vacation using items and photos collected and found on your
journey. There are no boundaries here.
tip: I have found it is better to stick with rather flat items when
choosing embellishments so as not to hinder the book from closing.
Small buttons, beads, word tiles, and similar items are all good
choices.
Start by choosing your papers, fabric, and images for col-

laging, as well as paper to sew them to. Any decorative paper
or textured paper of medium weight will work well for back-
ground paper. These items are layered to create each page, as
follows: Collage images are sewn to a base piece of decorative
or textured paper that is somewhat larger than the images
themselves. That piece is then sewn to a layer of lightweight
fabric. The final step is sewing that to a smaller piece of card-
stock or watercolor paper, then gluing your collage to your
meander book.

meanderings
the meander book pattern

additional supplies for paper/fabric collage
Collage images
Decorative and/or textured papers
Lightweight fabrics
Scrap of cardstock or watercolor paper
optional
Small clip
Dritz Fray Check or similar product
1. Start with your focal images for the collage. Using a small
stitch, sew the images to a piece of medium-weight tex-
tured paper. This allows the collage images to be securely
stabilized before adding the fabric layer.
2. Cut a piece of fabric about 5" wider all the way around than
the paper you will be sewing it to. Use any kind of light-
weight fabric. There are many synthetic fabrics as well as
silks and other natural fibers to choose from, many with
texture.
tip: The more fabric you allow around the edges of the paper the
more you will be able to scrunch and manipulate the fabric.
begin sewing. Before you begin sewing, scrunch up the
3. Take your sewn paper and fabric to the sewing fabric a bit so you create some texture as you sew. Sew
machine. Center the paper on top of the fabric. Lay using a 1/4" seam allowance from the edge of the paper.
both pieces under your sewing machines presser foot and Continue to bunch and scrunch the fabric as you sew
put the needle in the down position so it pierces through until you go all the way around to where you began.
both paper and fabric, which will serve as an anchor as you

4. Once you have sewn all the way around your piece, remove
it from the sewing machine and cut off any loose threads.
5. Add a base layer of sturdy cardstock. This will sandwich the

fabric in the middle. This will give you a bonding
surface so you can use it on your artwork without
needing to actually apply glue to the back of the fabric.
I chose a 4" 4" scrap of watercolor paper for this
pur-pose. Any scrap will work. Center this piece so that it
matches up with the paper on top of the fabric layer. Use a
small clip to hold it all together when you take
it to the sewing machine.
6. Place the piece on your sewing machine and simply sew

following the edges of the paper on the top of the fabric
being careful to catch the paper underneath the fabric. You
will be sewing blind at this point so careful place-ment
is important. I purposely sewed around more than once,
allowing the stitching to be less than perfect.
7. If you are working with fabric that has a tendency to fray or
unravel apply Fray Check using a small amount on a cotton
swab and dabbing around the edges of the fabric.
8. Embellish further with ephemera, beads, charms, and but-

tons of choice.
tip: It is important when sewing paper and fabric that you always
sew from the top of your piece. If you turn the piece over to sew on
the opposite side the needle punches the paper outward and it will
show on the finished side of your piece.
mylifeonebitatatime.blogspot.com

book of Adapted from
treasures
Spring 2005
by nina bagley

Ever since I was a very small girl, Ive been a gathererone
who forages, and then squirrels away, items of interest that
happen to catch my eye. But the types of items have changed
over the years. In the early years, the treasures were what
might be appealing to a magpie or ravenbright and shiny
objects that reflected sunlighteasiest to spot, I suppose,
amongst the blades of grass or sidewalk stones. I remember
finding a Cracker Jack charm after a particularly heavy rain,
a radiantly smiling little pig wearing a collared, buttoned dress
and holding a camera. Another time I found a blown glass
baby chick, perhaps one inch in diameter. I still have the pig;
remarkably I can actually remember where it is tucked away.
Its no wonder that I eventually turned to mixed-media jewelry

and artwork for my career. One look at my studio today and
you can immediately deduce the ongoing magpie tendencies.
Countless stuffed drawers spill over with unsorted flotsam
and jetsam, an endless array of fabrics, vintage buttons, metal
stampings, and old broken jewelry trinkets waiting to be used
in some future art project. Puzzled visitors cock their inquisi-
tive heads and politely state that I must surely know where
each and every tool and knickknack can be found.
The truth of the matter is that I depend almost
Above: Mat board pages joined with vintage ribbons laced
solely (read: desperately) on the serendipity of cir-
through eyelets.
cumstance and surprise encounters with objects
Individual mat board collages were constructed using

fabric artwork from friends. Pages fold upon each other inside
the books cover.

Fabric collages embellished with buttons, stitching, book pages, trinkets,
beads, and nature finds.
long misplaced and forgotten. To me, herein lies the magic

of creativity, the novelty of my particular art form. Do I really The buttoned Bliss, Dream, Soar and Queen, Flight,
have a choice but to be a gatherer? Sea pieces were gifts from Brionie Williams; Angel Wahby
stitched the Grandmothers Heart piece with a milagro
Nine years ago I moved to the beautiful mountains of west-
heart sewn to the bottom, using one of her own rubber stamp
ern North Carolina, an area full of running waters, big and
designs on muslin fabric.
small. I began to frequent the pebbled banks and beaches of
the nearby Tuckaseegee River, ostensibly to search for natural
findings that Ive begun to use with more and more frequency that good friends Brionie Williams and Angel Wahby had
in my work. As a self-employed artist, I once fought feelings made and sent to me. For the central focal page, I fashioned
of guilt when I left my studio too early in the afternoon for a a shallow shadowbox using square wooden dowels wrapped in
little time spent sitting on a rock, letting the sounds of run- tarnished copper mesh cloth and fastened with tiny brass pins.
ning water wash over me. But when I finally learned how to Within this box, I wire-stitched a small corn husk rosebud that
drill holes in small stones, beach glass, and pieces of driftwood my son Robin made for me when he was in fourth grade. Why
to incorporate into my jewelry designs (appropriately titled this flower as a focus? Robin had left home for his freshman
Sticks and Stones), I managed to justify my river time by tell- year of college less than a week before my Wisconsin trip and
ing myself it was all in the name of material reconnaissance. I wanted to honor my love for him at this time in our lives
Whatever the excuse, I delight in the use of natural materials with a piece of art. The small pencil wired to the bottom of the
combined with my standard metal, paper, and fabric, and I page is a nod to his departure for higher education. It is also
take comfort in knowing these findings cost absolutely noth- a token of my ongoing friendship with artist Lesley Riley, who
ing for me to use. last year generously sent me all the used pencils she could
Late this summer I took my first trip to the Wisconsin coun- muster for me to use in an illustration I created for a textbook.
tryside to teach a three-day workshop at the incredible Valley Normally before teaching a class, I like to have a finished sam-
Ridge Art Studio, owned by Kathy and Bill Malkasian. Before ple in hand; but since this was a three-day class, limited to a
leaving North Carolina, I constructed several pages of a book pleasantly intimate 12-student capacity, I decided to wait until
using individual mat board collages. For page decoration, I class was under way before I demonstrated and completed the
gathered several pre-constructed little pieces of fabric artwork final binding. The result was a much more personal, rewarding

Below: The focal page, a shallow shadowbox made of square wooden dowels wrapped in tarnished copper
mesh cloth. Embellishments include eustacheon pins, corn husk rosebud, pencil stub, vintage ribbons, and
nature finds.
book for both the students and for me. They were able to con-
tribute their own sage suggestions and share with me the
added satisfaction of witnessing the birthing, as those 12
delightful women put it, of the completed class project using
techniques they had been taught. I did stick (no pun intended)
with my original concept of binding the pages with soft silk
ribbon, laced through eyelets at mat board page corners so
that each page could fold upon the other within the books
cover. A last-minute addition was a wonderfully gnarled, moss-
speckled stick from a burl oak tree found just outside the stu-
dio door. Fabric I had brought from home was cast aside when
a swatch of animal- and flower-printed bark cloth was shared
by a student, and the entire mood and feel of the finished piece
was transformed. Begun in North Carolina and finished with
fervor in Wisconsin amongst students-turned-friends, this fat
little Dagwood-sandwich of a keepsake book means much
more to me than if I had constructed it in the solitary sur-
roundings of my studio. Sitting squarely on a tabletop here at
home, its quirky composition of metal, fabric, and natures
gifts of sticks and stones is a lovely reminder of one of my best
teaching experiences Ive ever shared among fellow artists, and
is as well a testament to my ever-growing penchant of gather-
ing findings near and far. Confucius wisely said, No matter
where you go, there you are; and now, with my fat book
adorned with findings and treasures from everywhere, there is
here.
ornamental.typepad.com

Above: 1944 book cover fashioned from
oiled cardboard; hand stitched and bound
with thin cotton twine.
Below: Meticulously handwritten table of
contents; recipes and tips.
Above:The Taste of Memory antique-

looking book cover.
Adapted from
Fall 2005
by nina bagley
A Recipe for saving memories

m y life as a self-employed artist in todays world
is one I consider fairly quiet and contained: pic-
ture me as I sit here before the computer screen in a cozy
kitchen corner to write this, facing windows looking out at
trees laced with greens of spring and busy with the com-
ings and goings of birds frantic to construct the same nests
year after year. This kitchen, and Im thinking that yours is
the very same, serves not only as a room for conjuring up
a variety of meals supposedly three times a day, but also
as the very core, the center of my homes life: conversa-
tion, tea taking, clothes folding, hearts opening. News is
shared, both good and bad, mail is sorted, flowers are
trimmed and plunked into pitchers, artwork in the making
is spread out across the broad pine table for weeks on
end. Yet, I dont believe Ive ever celebrated or honored
this humble focal center of our lives in my own artwork
until now.
Last spring on an afternoon lark, a friend and I ducked into

one of those faceless antique malls that houses booth after
booth of the usual assorted bland findings one can upturn in
any Saturday flea market without too much concerted shuf-
fling cards of plastic buttons, tins of discarded pocket cast-
offs, someones drawer contents emptied out into Above: Hints to housewives are scattered throughout this intriguing
baskets and boxes and stacked askew for someone else to pitch book.
out further down the road. Something genteel about one
certain stall, however, caught my eye: the owner had pains-
and magazine clippings and pasted into her handmade book of
takingly hand-stamped and teadyed her own price tags, tied
household tips and recipes. I was touched and moved enough
them onto items with soft, faded ribbon, and upon each tag
to spend the asking price of $40. Where was this womans
had written offhanded, charming comments about the findings
family? Did they not consider this a lovely work of art, some-
she had put up for sale. Of course she snagged me, right then
thing worth keeping to pass down from one generation to the
and there, and lured me further in. Towards the back of the
next? Were there not nieces, nephews? Neighbors with chil-
booth, resting shyly in a worn wooden bowl, was the dearest
dren who would come to beg for a wedge of her cream pie?
treasure book Ive unearthed in many a year, hand stitched
and bound with thin cotton twine between oiled cardboard This broke my heart. Ms. Ward obviously spent many an
covers fashioned from a box. It bore a label that read: This evening, or an afternoon, over her wonderful iced tea, mea-
box made by Great Southern Box Co, Inc, New Orleans, La. sured down to the jug (page 147; all pages were numbered!),
Written in pencil with simple script across the front was M. L. snipping and sorting and gluing and copying with her surely
Ward, Elberton, Rt. 3, Ga, 1944and above that, oddly, SOAP lemon-scented loopy handwriting into a thrifty book form that
RECIPE. I flipped the book open to discover the most meticu- she ultimately finished with needle and twine into an actual
lously hand-scripted table of contents Ive ever seen, all for a binding. I think of my own artist books, lovingly toiled over
cookbook of sorts, a scrapbook if you will, that Ms. Ward (Im for how many weeks and weeksand for whom? Yes, there
assuming, forgive me here, from the handwriting, that she are collectors, and yes, thank God, yes, I do have my apprecia-
was a she) constructed during the war years from newspaper tive and, God love em, understanding sons. I assume they will

Above: Clear pockets for recipes on the left and tea packets attached with eye-
lets create pockets on the right.
Left: Recipes from friends and relatives encased in clear plastic pockets for easy
viewing; side openings allow easy access for changing enclosures.
treat the books as they would a tract of mountain land or (and

I laugh) money in the bankmy mind hopes and imagines
the conversation: If youll let me take this metal house book,
then you should have the Book of Trees and Uprooted;
that is only fair. This, Im daydreaming, as I turn the pages of
Ms. Wards scrapbook (as youve surely imagined while sifting
through some strangers photographs, long since relegated
to dusty sale boxes for mere pennies), is a sad price to pay for
hopeful smiles beaming up from what was once some family
members priceless memories.
Come back with me again to my thoughts on the kitchen, the

core, the heart of the home. How very much we all are moved,
and grounded, by the simple tastes and smells our lives have
shared! Imagine the scent of ginger, just the faintest trace of a
candied slice of orange, or the comforting smell of bread as it

together. The beauty of these pocket books was their forgiving
nature, their loose reasoning, lack of boundaries, edges, rules.
Didnt like what you once added? Simply slip it out! Change
your mind about the image that was on the last page? Replace
what was there with the greatest of ease. Grow tired of using
paper for pages? Replace paper with fabric, mesh, ribbon, or
any number of materials.
One of my students from last spring decided to take what

she had learned in the class, apply the easy guidelines of
the pocket books loose design, and create a recipe book
incorporating all of her recently deceased, greatly adored
aunts recipes that she had inherited. Rather than use the
originals, she made multiple color copies of each recipe, and
for Christmas last year, created several books for close family
members. What a treasure! And what an incredible idea. From
her lovely gift, and from the handmade book of M. L. Ward, I
was further inspired to create my Taste of Memory booka
cookbook that can be changed, altered, added to, taken away
from, and handed down from this generation on to the next.
Ive taken my own favorite recipes, cards that are written out
in handwriting from my mother, special friends, and many
who have passed away. When placed in a book that Ive con-
structed, using antique tatting, bits of vintage silk ribbon,
transfers of silverware given to me by my grandmother Mimi
when I was just a child, old bookmarks, and vintage napkin
Recipe pocket fashioned from copper mesh; contents can be seen and snippets, the recipes become pieces of artwork themselves, and
also changed as desired. certainly will no longer become lost in the shuffle of a pantry
full of mundane, ho-hum staples in my everyday kitchen.
rises and bakes. How does your childhood memory smell? Like Id like to think that our artist books will never end up like
lemon, in squares, dusted with just the softest cloud of sugar? Ms. Wards, resting in a wooden bowl, lost amongst countless
If you had a vision of this smell, would it look something like other booths, for sale by a stranger in some random antique
a recipe, written out in a loved ones script, on an index card, mall. It does my heart good to realize that her book did ulti-
out on a flour-covered counter next to your grandmothers fat mately end up in the loving hands of an appreciative owner,
mixing bowl? and is now, ironically, being showcased for all the world to
Ive taught an artist book workshop, the Pocket Book of see. I LOVE that. I just wish I could know that she might see
Dreams, for three years, using pockets for pages, in which this for herself, whoever she is, or was, yet I picture her wav-
contents can be added and removed at the artists whim. Never ing the accolades off with a flour-covered hand, a soft smile
having the restricting limits of art that involves precise mea- lacing that quiet southern face.
surement or edges, I had designed a book filled with pages Ms. M. L. Ward, I thank youfor your thriftiness in what
of interchangeable contents, pages constructed of pockets, surely must have been hardscrabble times, for taking humble,
opening at the tops or at the sides, and added to the spine common, everyday items and raising them to artful status,
of the book with ribbon, twine, or wire. Pockets that started and for providingsome 60 years lateran inspiration to
out as simple clear rectangle acetate fronts, backed by copper this artist and I hope, through the classes I teach, to countless
mesh, soon were joined by the more playful pocket forms of others as well. You are, you were, a true artist in every sense
anything from gloves to snap coin purses to bookmarks sewn of the word, and your gift of art will indeed thrive for genera-
tions to come.

Dont have a book handy? Go find a used book store and pay
50 cents for an old book.
Glue some of the pages together, tear out some others to

make room for the thicker add-in items (that glove, those
pockets) and bring out the needle and ribbon and thread.
Pockets can be fashioned from a number of things.

Remember your grandmothers apron pocket? Why not
attach that to heavy paper? What about an upside down
glove? A cloth coin purse? With the use of a heavier needle
and thread, anything can be attached to heavier paper pages.
making a copper mesh pocket

1. Start with a rectangle (or squareno rules here) section of
mesh that is approximately 34" larger than a piece of acetate
on all four sides (a good starting size is 5" x 7").
tip: Copper mesh can be easily torn with your hands, like fabric;
dont bother cutting with scissors.
2. Using a ruler (a nice flat metal one makes this easy), fold
the top edge of mesh up over the ruler approximately 34".
Slide the ruler out, then press firmly to flatten and crease
it so that the folded edge will prevent prickly wire from
sticking out at the top of your pocket.
A transfer of silverware, a grandmothers gift.
3. Place the acetate on top of the folded mesh and use a bind-
ing clip to hold the mesh and acetate in place.
making pockets 4. Place your ruler along the bottom copper edge and fold
under a narrow (approximately 116") edge, then fold another
edge over this that is 38" wide. Fold this up and over the
Okay, imagine that the hour is late, maybe even quiet, the edge of the acetate sheet. Press and flatten neatly. Repeat
table is cleared, and youre sitting there with that treasured this for the sides.
late night cup of tea, magazine in hand, pondering how to
This, essentially, is a pocket. The top is open and the clear
coerce a bit of artwork from bits and pieces of everyday find-
acetate acts as a window through which all of your gathered
ings you may have kicking around your boxes and drawers.
recipes, fabrics, tags, and flat findings can be seen.
You know you have enough snippets of family history gathered
to fill a book; how to begin? I like to tell folks in my classes 5. Now to attach these pockets to your book pages. The tinker-
that your first step has already been accomplished by the sim- ing begins! Using an eyelet tool and eyelets (much easier
ple act of gathering. Youre off to a great start! Some people than they seem, I promise) and a simple hole punch, the
make their living gathering for others. Imagine! pockets can be eyeleted to sturdy cardstock or heavyweight
watercolor paper, then threaded with ribbon, twine, sewn in
lets get started with needle and thread, or buttoned on with vintage mother
Pull together some of your favorite little clippings, recipes, of pearl buttons. The possibilities, from a thrifty kitchen
photos, notes, ribbons, pieces of fabric (a small shredded table standpoint, are endless.
snippet from a particular curtain that fell apart in the sunny
Put on another kettle for tea and call a friendit looks like its
kitchen of your grandmothers house, an actual pocket from
going to be deliciously long night after all.
her apronhave fun with this) and sort them into categories
or pages. Set these aside. ornamental.typepad.com

capturing Adapted from
nature in paper
Summer 2005
by elli woodsford
A stitched book of
garden memories

l ast summer I bought a flower press for the microwave
and had great fun pressing flower heads, seed heads,
and leaves. After a few weeks I had a box full of the most
m at e r i a l s
A microwave flower press
A selection of garden flowers, seed heads, and grasses
gorgeous shapes and textures, just crying out to be com- 2 large sheets of heavyweight handmade paper in a color
of your choice for the pages
bined in some way with stitching. I set about thinking of a
A smaller piece of heavyweight handmade paper for the
way to display the flowers, and designed a book of gar- book front and back covers. Both covers will be 12" (2.5cm)
den memories. The following step-by-step instructions will larger all round than the pages of the book.
show you how to make a small book, approximately Carded silk cocoon strippings
6" 6" (15 15cm). The actual size of the book will Muslin
depend upon the size of the sheets of handmade paper A chiffon scarf in a color to complement the handmade
paper
that you choose to use for your book.
Spray fabric adhesive or fusible webbing such as
WonderUnder
Craft knife
Kitchen knife or bone folder
Baking parchment paper or Teflon sheet
Sewing machine
Machine embroidery threads in colors to complement your
flowers and paperSmall sponge
1. Press a variety of flowers and grasses using the microwave

flower press. Follow the instructions given with the press very
carefully, as it is very easy to burn the flowers. (Figure 1)
The lovely thing about using a microwave press is that

most flowers keep their color, particularly blues. Some
can be disappointing (white flowers can go yellow, for
Figure 1: Flowers after example), but all colors are worth a try, so experiment.
being pressed in the
microwave; notice the 2. Decide on the size of your book. This will be determined by
vibrant colors. the size of the original piece of handmade paper that you
choose. To make the paper smaller without wasting any of
it, fold the paper in half and score using the back of a knife.
(To score a fold, make the fold with your fingers, and then
use the back of a kitchen knife or a bone folder to press
heavily along the fold line. This will give a sharp fold.) Open
up the paper and paint water along the fold using a large,
round paintbrush. Make the paper quite wet, and then
gently pull the 2 halves apart along the fold. This will give
a lovely rough, torn edge to the paper. (Figure 2) Repeat
this process with the two halves. Each of these pages will
Figure 2: After wetting the
edge of the fold, the paper then be folded in half to make one page. Next choose paper
is torn along the fold, pro- for the cover, making the cover approximately 1/2" larger all
ducing a rouch, decorative
edge.
around than the pages. So, if you want a book measuring
6" 6" (15cm 15cm), make 2 pieces for the cover
measuring 14" 7" (35cm 18cm).

Figure 3Muslin bonded to the back of the
Figure 4: After the muslin is attached to the back of the page, the page is cut on the fold
page with a spray adhesive. Muslin is cut
so that hinges can be inserted.
slightly smaller than the page.
3. Each page needs to be backed with muslin to help stabilize with a pencil. Then from these 2 marks measure in 34"
the paper for stitching. The muslin should be bonded onto (2 cm). This 34" (2 cm) line needs to be cut so that hinges
the back of each page with fusible webbing or a spray fabric can be inserted into the page. Use a craft knife to cut these
adhesive. (Figure 3) After bonding the muslin onto the lines.
back, fold the page in half and draw a line with a pencil on
the muslin along the fold. Measure 1" (2.5 cm) in from both note: These measurements are approximate and you can use your
the top and the bottom of the pencil line and mark it again own measurements according to the size of your book.

Figure 5: Cocoon strippings and flowers Figure 6: The page was sprayed with water, Figure 7: Page covered with chiffon scarf and
placed on a page prior to bonding. covered with baking parchment, and then embellished with free-motion embroidery.
ironed to bond the materials to the page.
4. Now begin to decorate the pages. Each page will be folded

in half. Decide if you want flowers on both sides of the page
or if one side will be decorated with stamping and stitches
as I have done.
For the side decorated with flowers, put a thin layer of

carded cocoon strippings onto the page and arrange the
flowers and grasses on top. (Figure 5)
Spray lightly with water, cover with baking parchment

or a Teflon sheet, and iron on a medium setting until the
cocoon strippings are dry. Take care; the strippings will give
off a lot of steam as they dry. When the steam stops, remove
the parchment. The natural gum (sericin) in the strippings
will bond everything to the paper. (Figure 6)
5. Cover the page with a piece of chiffon scarf and, using

free-motion embroidery techniques, embroider around the
flowers and around the silk strippings. (Figure 7)
6. If you left one side of the page to be decorated in a different

way, decide on the design for the other half of the page;
this will back the flower page. You can decorate this with
stamps and embossing powders or you can experiment with
text or pictures. (Figure 8)
7. Make the hinges using pieces of handmade paper Figure 8: Page decorated with stamped image, embossing powder, and
embroidery.
approximately 3" (7.5 cm) long and 12" (1.75 cm) wide. To

Figure 9 (above): Handmade paper hinges.
Figure 10 (right): Folded hinges are inserted into the page.
Figure 11 (below): The outside edges of the pages were
free-motion stitched being careful to catch the hinges and hold
them in place.
reinforce the hinges, back them with strips of muslin

as you did for the pages. (Figure 9)
Fold the hinges in half and insert them into the page
as shown. Using either free-motion embroidery or a
decorative machine stitch, embroider all around the
page catching the hinges in place. Repeat this step for
all the pages. (Figures 10 and 11)
8. Make the front and back cover in exactly the same

way as the pages. Assemble the book and fasten the
pages together using either a machine-stitched cord
(as in my sample) or a store-bought decorative fabric
or paper cord. Starting at the bottom right, thread
the cord up and down through the hinges. Depending
on the number of pages in your book, you can finish
off each end of the cord using either a large bead or
a tassel. If you have an uneven number of pages, one
end of the cord will start at the bottom of the book
and finish at the top. With an even number of pages,
both ends will be at the bottom of the book.
(Figure 12)

Figure 12: The finished book with a decorative,
machine-stitched cord through the hinges.
Your book can be embellished further depending on its

intended use. It would be a lovely way to commemorate a
special birthday, wedding, or other special event.

Adapted from
Cloth Paper Scissors Beryl Taylor shares
Winter 2005
her design process for
her Gothic Book.
Cloth Paper Scissors: How were you inspired
to make this fabric book?
Beryl Taylor: Ive always had a thing for medi-

eval gothic, especially windows and doorways.
I got this design shape from an actual win-
dow.
CPS: Youve used lots of different medieval

shapes, colors, and motifs, religious and secu-
lar. Did they come right out of your head,
from your previous experience or travels?
BT: The first thing I always do when I get an

idea is to do a lot of research. In this case, I
studied the work of [Augustus Welby] Pugin
[an architect, designer, and writer who was
one of several people responsible for the Neo-
Gothic revival in the arts during the Victorian
era]. I made photocopies of windows and
doorways and hung them around my studio.
That really gets me going. Then I started to
play with the images. I realized a doorway
wasnt going to work, but I found a window
design that would.
CPS: How did you come up with the other

designs and motifs?
BT: Again, through research, and sometimes

I make sketches. But a lot of the images
are from rubber stamps. I like to go round
to the shows and buy them off the wooden
blocks. You get the more unusual ones that
way. Then [in my studio] I alter them. I dont
always use the whole image, or I combine the
images to make a little collage. I find rubber
stamps have cut down on drawing time. And
its great that the image is already there look-
ing at you, instead of having to draw it, and
maybe not get it right.
CPS: So, you amass a lot of images and then

see what works?

BT: Right. I like to play around a lot. I love to sit with watercolors BT: (laughing) Yes, I was influenced by that, but actually
and paint [the stamped images]. I use fine silks and paint them everybody laughs about meI have a thing about gold. I just
the colors I want. I learned from a workshop with Lesley Riley dont think [a piece is] finished until it has a bit of gold. I use it in
how to use watered-down fluid acrylics. They give you better calligraphy and gilding, and every now and again theres proper
control. I also dyed the velvet ribbon I used on the binding. It was gold leaf, like the peeling, aged effect. Sometimes I use a Krylon
a brighter color and I wanted it to look darker and aged. I used to gold pen for writingthat works very well. Sequins and beads,
spend hours legging it around trying to find just the right thing. and I always machine stitch with gold thread. I try not to, but I
Now, I just take what I have and dye it. just cant help it!
CPS: Speaking of color, you used a lot of pale blue and pink in CPS: How does your City & Guilds training come into this
this book. Usually we associate medieval and gothic with dark process?
colors.
BT: Well, for one thing, I see patterns in everything. Even at
BT: I love when happy accidents happen. I didnt plan to use the the beach, Im making patterns with the stones. And, of course
pastel blue, but I laid it down on a darker color and thought, Oh! the embroidery. When Im finished with a piece, it always
They go! seems to need a bit of embroidery to bring it to life.
CPS: Youve also used a lot of goldpaint, hardware, beads, beryltaylor.com

thread. Were you influenced by the armor and religious artifacts
of the period?

t here is something comfortable
about a little book that fits in
the palm of your hand, but it is
even more inviting when it holds
pleasing textures. Imagine nubby
Flower Child 4" 5"
fabric, sleek sheets of mica, and
vintage found objects framed with
book art
cool metal solder. In searching for
new ways to literally fuse soldering
with book art, I replaced sharp,
heavy glass with safe, lightweight
mica. Mica is a natural mate for
soldering projects as it is easy to
cut with scissors, it can be split
into thin layers that can be used
to protect a collage, and it is heat
Adapted from
by lisa w. cook resistant.
Fall 2006

m at e r i a l s
100-watt soldering iron Cutting mat
directions
with a built-in temperature Small hammer create the book covers and inner pages
control
Lead-free solder 1. Decide on a pattern for your book pages. Use a simple
1 8" or 1/4" soldering tip symmetrical shape or be creative and add curves at the top
Stained glass flux
made for the iron
Liquid patina finish for and/or bottom. Avoid intricate designs that will be more
Soldering iron stand difficult to solder. Keep in mind your pages need to attach
solder (if desired)
Heat-resistant surface for to each other along a common edge.
38"-wide copper tape
safe soldering
(1.5mil)
Safety glasses 2. Make a paper pattern for your design and place it on the
Cotton swabs mica to make sure 2 pieces will fit for the 2 covers. When
Hot pad
Large sheet of mica you are satisfied with the placement, use the marker to
Small paint brush
PVA glue trace the pattern onto the mica. Cut the mica shapes
Sharpie fine-tip marker
1 8" eyelets out with either scissors or a craft knife on a cutting mat.
Scissors
1 yard rayon ribbon cut Marker lines will be covered up with solder.
Craft knife into
Bone folder or burnishing 3. Use the craft knife to carefully split each mica piece into 2
6" pieces
tool equal layers and set aside.
Tightly woven upholstery
Needlenose pliers fabric 4. Use your pattern to cut the upholstery fabric for the 2
20- or 22-gauge wire Collage materials and inner pages and 2 more pieces of fabric for the front covers.
Wire cutters embellishments Remember to reverse the pattern as needed so the book will
Japanese screw punch open in accordion fashion.
Eyelet-setting tool
safety tips
Always solder in a well-ventilated area.
Be aware that any chemicals used in soldering may be
harmful to skin and eyes.

note: Unfortunately I have never been able to find a rec-
solder the cover
ommended temperature for lead-free solder, despite my 1. Place the soldering iron in the stand and plug it in. Lead-
research. The most important thing is to have a 100-watt free solder generally requires higher temperatures. Lay the
iron and either a separate or a built-in rheostat to keep the front cover on the heat-resistant surface and carefully brush
temperature constant. Rheostats dont even have tempera-
flux along the copper tape.
ture numbers on themjust dots! If the soldering leaves a
lot of black residue, then the temperature is too high. If the 2. Hold the spool of solder in one hand with about 4" of solder
solder will not melt with an even flow, then the temperature protruding; hold the iron in your other hand over the area
is too low. It takes a little bit of experimenting with each
where you want to start.
individual iron. I would venture to say the best setting would
be medium high. 3. Touch the solder to the tip of the iron just above the foil
and allow the solder to flow down the tip as you move
along the tape. Continue feeding the solder and moving
5. Glue or stitch collage materials together for the inside
the tip. It takes some practice to run the bead of solder for
covers. I used old patchwork pieces, velvet leaves, flowers,
a nice thickness, but uneven edges can add to the charm.
ribbon, and copies of old photographs for the insides and
Complete one side, then turn the cover over
old postcard images and words on the outside fabric. Do not
with the hot pad and solder the other side.
use rigid collage elements as the mica might crack when
you tape the pieces together. 4. Repeat with the back cover and the edges of the center
pages.
6. Glue the cover collages, wrong sides together, and sandwich
them between the split mica. Trim off any collage materials 5. Clean all solder with a damp cloth to remove any excess
that do not fit inside the sandwich. flux.
7. Cut a piece of copper tape long enough to fit around each 6. Use a cotton swab to brush patina to soldered areas, if
cover with a 12" overlap. Pull paper backing of f a small part desired.
of the tape and lay it sticky-side up on your work surface.
assemble the book
Center a straight edge of the front cover sandwich along the
tape and press it down. Continue to peel off the backing and 1. Punch holes in your paper pattern for placement of eyelets.
rotate the book to press all the edges of the cover along the Arrange the book pages in order.
tape. Overlap the ends. 2. Using the Japanese screw punch and mat, punch holes in all
8. Fold and press the copper tape over the mica on each side the pages. Use steady firm pressure on the screw punch as it
of the cover. Miter corners and overlap or clip curves as can slip on the mica.
needed. Add more tape to any areas not covered. 3. Set eyelets in each of the holes.
9. Thoroughly burnish the copper tape to the mica by pressing 4. Embellish the edges of the covers with wire, beads, buttons,
and rubbing with the bone folder. Repeat with the back or found objects, as desired. Twist and tighten the wire as
cover. needed with the needlenose pliers and trim off excess wire.
10. Complete the inner pages of the book by applying collage 5. Tie the pages of your book together with the pre-cut ribbon
materials to both sides of the fabric. pieces.
11. Cut strips of mica about 14" wide to fit the page edges that opengate.typepad.com
will join; split the mica in half as you did for the covers and
glue to the front and back of the fabric edges. Attach the
copper tape over the mica as above and burnish.
soldering tip: Clean the soldering tip occasionally by rubbing

it on a wet sponge and a Sal Ammoniac block. Your tip will last
longer this way.

build-a-book
a conversation among friends
Adapted from
Fall 2006
t he hardest part of beginning a book is, well, begin-

ning. Often thats because you dont know in what
order youd like to put the pages until youre finished. And
Above: I created the cover page using my compost heap of snippets
left over from other projects. It includes threads, yarns, ribbon, painted
Lutradur, foil, painted and dyed fabric, and trimmings from already com-
pleted pieces. I scattered all of the compost bits randomly on top of a
piece of painted, white cotton fabric and covered them with tulle. I then
with a work in progress, or a book exchange, even if you stitched over the tulle, just enough to hold it in place.
To create the small moon, I painted a piece of Tyvek with acrylic paints
decide the order in the beginning, youre likely to change and heated it with a heat gun until it distorted. I cut a circle from the dis-
your mind as time goes by. tressed Tyvek and added gold paint over the top, then lightly wiped it off.
I attached the Tyvek moon to the background using variegated thread and
a zigzag stitch. Concentric circles of stitching were added in the same
thread over the entire background.
The tree fabric was created by fusing a vintage polyester scarf with black
by virginia a. spiegel flocking to a piece of dyed purple fabric. The tree was cut freehand from
this fabric and sewn to the background.
The entire cover was fused to the wrong side of a piece of screenprinted
upholstery fabric and the edges stitched.

When two friends, Phyllis Moore and Karen Stiehl Osborn, and
I agreed to exchange book pages for a few months, I decided I
wanted a method that would let me bind my book immedi-
ately and yet allow me to add pages in any order I wanted as
new pages arrived. The build-a-book technique allowed me to
do just that.
The back of the book is made from a piece of

acid-free foam board, covered in hand-painted
fabric. It serves as more of a platform on which
to build the book than a traditional back cover.
A screw post binding allowed me to use many
types of materials for the pages. Several of the
pages in my book are collages on watercolor
paper, but others are made of Lutradur, vellum,
silk paper, felt, and rice paper.
Although we are no longer exchanging pages, I

still make pages to add to my book. Every time
I rearrange them, I have a new book and create
new conversation among the pages.

m at e r i a l s
A 13" x 7" x 14" acid-free
directions
foam board making the cover
15" x 9" piece of hand-painted (or Choose one of your pages that is especially appealing to you
other sturdy) cotton fabric for your cover and, remember, you can change the cover as
Sobo Glue often as you like. Be sure to choose a page that can take a little
1" inexpensive paintbrush extra wear and tear as it will be handled more than the other
Wax paper pages.
6" x 2" piece of mat board
1. As in the cover shown, reinforce the binding edge with a
14" hole punch piece of painted water color paper cut 6" x 4" and folded in
Awl half vertically to make a sleeve that is 6" long and 2" wide.
Rubber brayer
2. Insert the cover into the open edge of the folded watercolor
Bone folder
paper approximately 1" and then stitch 2 parallel lines about
Two 1" screw posts
12" apart to attach the cover securely.
Lutradur
WonderUnder 3. Punch 2 holes in the piece of 6" x 2" mat board at 112" and
412", 1" in from one edge. This is your binding guide for
Polyester chiffon scarf
making holes for the covers and pages. Making a binding
Heavy books or similar to use
guide will save you the trouble of measuring each page in
as a weight
order to punch the holes for the screw post binding.

4. Put the binding guide over the binding edge of your cover 3. When dry, coat the back of the foam board (not covered by
page and punch 2 holes using the hole punch. the fabric) with glue and use the second piece of Lutradur
(or your choice of fabric or paper) as the endpaper to cover
making the back of the book
the edges of the back cover fabric that were turned over to
1. Using the brush, coat one side of the foam board with glue. the inside back.
Lay the foam board, centered and glue-side down, on the
wrong side of the fabric. Turn the fabric and foam board To stiffen and thicken the Lutradur, I covered it first with
over, smooth out any wrinkles, and brayer lightly over the WonderUnder and then a polyester scarf and fused them
fabric to ensure good adhesion. together. Then I stitched a pattern on the scarf.
4. Wrap the back cover in wax paper and press under weight
2. Turn back over and clip a small triangle from the corners
of the fabric to within 14" of the corners of the foam board. until dry.
Carefully brush glue along the fabric edges and, beginning 5. Put the binding guide over the back cover and use the awl
with the sides and then the top and bottom, fold the fabric to punch 2 holes through the fabric and foam board. If
over the foam board. Smooth out any wrinkles, wrap in wax the fabric becomes very frayed, use a few drops of glue to
paper, and press under heavy books or other weight until smooth the edges down.
dry.

preparing the pages
1. Cut 10" x 6" pages from your materials of choice. If using
watercolor paper, use the bone folder to score a 2" margin
on the short edge of each page. This will allow the pages to
turn more freely.
2. Use the binding guide to punch holes in each page. If the

pages are of a delicate or floppy material, stitch a 6" x 2"
piece of watercolor paper to one end of the page and then
punch holes in that end of the page using the binding
guide.

building your book
1. Unscrew both screw posts and insert the long parts of the
screw posts up through the holes in the back of the book
with the inside of the back cover facing up.
2. Arrange your pages as desired and then, starting from the

back of the pile, place the pages over the screw posts. Add
the cover and screw on the post tops.
Enjoy your instant book until it is time to take it apart,

rearrange the pages, and build a new one!
virginiaspiegel.com

my
egg Adapted from
January/February 2007
bound & beautiful: one-of-a-kind handmade books

book by nicky dillerstone
clothpaperscissors.com 35
t his project will appeal to those of you who love small
objects but who also buy and hoard the smallest scraps
of material just because they are beautiful, be they embroi-
dery threads, wrapping papers from sweets, dried pieces
of paint, or tassels from a scarf. Materials that appeal to us
will inspire us to create, and beautiful materials dont have
to cost the earth.
I love to make secret places, mostly books and boxes that cre-
ate a little environment to peek into, something of a throw-
back from making so many doll houses as a child I suppose.
The challenge with my books is to create an environment and
atmosphere without words as clues, just to let the viewer find
in it whatever they want, with only textures and colors to offer
hints for your own imagination to work on. I wanted this book m at e r i a l s
to have a story and based it around a birds nest, with feathers, Small photo album, approximately 4" x 5" (Mine had
pieces of egg shell, circular nest motifs and flashes of light circular openings, about 112" in diameter.)
and iridescence. The cover gives only a clue to the theme, and Small piece of calico (muslin) cut a little larger than your
all the pages are intended to show greater or lesser elements cover to use as a base
of the various motifs for you to investigate. But as a whole art- Nappy (diaper) liner
work, it creates an intense micro-environment. Good range of threads sewing cotton, gimp thread, silky
and matte threads, eyelash chenille, cotton slub (Keep the
This project came out of the need to create something quick,
scale of the project in mind and avoid chunky yarns or trims.)
as I tend to create highly detailed pieces with layers of stitch,
Needles and pins
paint, and color, working them in fits and starts over a period
PVA glue
of weeks, even months, until I have worked through hating
the piece round to liking it again. I bought a small photograph Tissue
album and decided that I could only spend two afternoons Handmade or craft paper
making it over into an art piece. I already knew the colorway Muslin
I wanted to work in, so I gathered materials together in a Acrylic paint
strong blue-green range, though a few bits from my worktable Drawing inks
found their way into the mix, as well. Shiva (Markal) Painstiks
the covers
Gold powder
Feathers (Pick one with long fronds or pieces of marabou for
the decoration on the inner pages, keeping the scale much
the same as above.)
1. Decide on your color scheme and the overall theme of the
Tassels
book. It can be quite generalsuch as autumn, winter,
Copper wire
the coast, forest, childhoodand gather your materials
Air-drying clay (such as Model Magic)
around you. The materials list I have provided may only be
Leaf stamp
a starting point, depending on your theme.
Hot glue gun
2. Make the cover using calico (muslin) as a base (I worked Small pieces of painted Bondaweb or WonderUnder
in a circular design to echo the apertures in my book, but Small beads or accent beads
you can use whatever design you like to complement your
theme). Cut your base fabric to size, leaving an allowance
for the spine and for turnings, if you want neat edges.

Also, keep in mind that the more you glue and stitch onto 4. Add color with a base of acrylic paint, overlaid with PVA
your fabric, the more it will shrink, so leave a little more glue, metallic paints, gold powder, and Shiva sticks. Let dry.
allowance if you plan to do a lot of work on your cover. You
5. Make a medal for the cover using clay, such as Model
can always trim off or stitch over the extra fabric later.
Magic. While the clay is still soft, run a copper wire
3. Glue and machine stitch your trims, fibers, feathers, and decoratively through it and stamp a leaf impression on the
pieces of nappy liners into an abstract swirl pattern. surface. Let it air dry overnight.

6. Once the clay has dried, paint the surface a dull gold, then
dry brush it with metallic paint to enhance the veining in eggshells/
the leaf.
7. Hot glue the medal into place on the cover. half globes
8. Create a closing for the book by cutting tassels to the I am not always that tidy and dont immediately wash paint
length you want and then affixing them with PVA glue, one pots, palettes, etc., so a happy accident occurred one day when
each on the front and back covers. Work over the surfaces I left a mixture of acrylic paint and glue to dry in a palette
with Shiva sticks to blend them into the body of the covers. well. The next day I went to pick it out so I could use the pal-
the pages
ette and the paint and glue had dried and came away in one
beautiful, small, half-globe shape. What a joy! I then tried to
re-create this accident, combining paint and glue plus small
bits of fabric and thread that were lying on my worktop. I dis-
1. Open a spread of the book and paint the pages with thick
covered an even greater joy the next morning when the whole
PVA glue. Add feathers, nappy liners, gimp thread, and
mixture had fused into a wonderful little half-globe of color
other threads and fibers into the glue in a circular motion
and texture. If you try this, you could also add accent beads,
around the aperture of the pages. Let dry. Repeat with the
little pieces of candy wrappers, metallic threads, and the like.
other spreads.
But as my half-globes were to represent egg shells found in a
2. Paint the fibers with layers of acrylic paint, metallic acrylic nest, I wanted them to be very fine and delicate so I used only
paints, acrylic inks, drawing inks, Shiva sticks, gold powder, a smear of paint and glue in the well, then added threads and
oil pastels, and whatever else comes to hand. With this so on to it to give it body.
being a small and pre-made book you can stand it open on
(Of course this proves that tidying up your worktop shouldnt
your worktop and paint various pages at one time. This
be done too often and you need not throw anything away as
way, if youre not happy with a page you can go on to the
you can use the smallest pieces for these magical little shapes.)
next, viewing the book as a complete object rather than
approaching it one page at a time. I wanted to place some of these half-globes within the circular
apertures of the album, so I made a batch with longer threads
3. Once the pages are dry, add further relief patterns with the
hanging over the edges of the wells in order to attach the half-
hot-glue gun, dribbling the glue around some of the
globes to the pages.
apertures. Once the glue has cooled and dried, rub Shiva
sticks into the surface.
note: Make sure when you are fixing them in place that you can
At this point, you may be pleased with the results, or you may close the book and they dont crush each other.
feel your book needs something more special. In my case, I
had already devised a process that I knew would fit the bill. These instructions are only a starting point if you want to cre-
ate something similar. The key is to really consider the surface
you are creating and work at that first, through sketches, pho-
tographs, previous work, etc. To create a little environment
like this it is crucial to add in fine details and take your work
further all the time. I have found that I dont stop when I
think I have done enough, I stop when I think I have done too
much; layers can always be scraped away. I tend not to plan
and design too much; I enjoy the live process and using what
is near me at the time, allowing serendipity and chance to be
part of my work and enjoying the journey I go on with each
piece of work.
fabricwithpinsin.co.uk

sew
what ?
i
by lesley riley
started out as a quilter, but now identify myself as a mixed-media art-
ist. I still use fabric as my primary artmaking material, but I never could Adapted from
resist the lure of adding other things to my worksuch as metal, mica, and Cloth Paper Scissors
March/April 2007
paper. Its the combination of hard and soft that attracts me. While I was
working on my second book, Fabric Memory Books, I set out to see just what Above: Fabric-covered
canvas, embellished
could be combined with fabric and stitched by my sewing machine. with fibers, fabric
scraps, and an inquisi-
tive-looking bird, creates
the cover for this book.

metal paper
Combining paper and fabric is another way to create interest
Knowing that quilters had been sewing through aluminum and texture in your work. I love to paint a sheet of watercolor
soda cans, I tried sewing copper tooling metal or foil. This thin paper with fluid acrylics and cut it to use as page backgrounds
copper can be cut with ordinary household scissors (dont ever for my books. Using the same settings and guidelines for metal
use your fabric scissors). I also tested fine copper mesh, the stitching, I stitch though watercolor paper in weights up to
weight of fine screening. The main reason copper is my first 300-lb. The needle will punch a hole right through the paper
choice is that placing it in a flame oxidizes it and creates beau- and, contrary to metal, the punched paper does not shred
tiful colorations. Other metals can be machine stitched as long rayon or metallic threads.
as they are soft enough to be cut with scissors. When sewing any weight of paper you do want to increase
The number one rule when stitching through metal is stitch your stitch length or use a zigzag stitch, otherwise all those
slowly. I use a Universal 80/12 or 90/14 needle. Increasing needle punches will perforate the paper and it will come apart.
mica
your stitch length will allow for more thread to show and
fewer holes punched by the needle; when the needle punches
through the metal, it creates a rough edge on the underside.
Rayon and metallic threads are more likely to shred and break
Mica has been used by artists for centuries. The word mica is
after continuous sewing, so I recommend a polyester dual-
thought to be derived from the Latin word micare, meaning to
duty thread. Heavier-weight threads are attractive as well, but
shine. Its glowing translucent nature attracts me like a mag-
keep in mind that the larger needle required for those threads
pie, which is known for its fondness for bright objects. I use
will create larger holes. If the underside of the metal will be
mica to create frame-like effects over photos and to sandwich
exposed, I flatten the rough, punched holes on the back by
fibers, papers, and materials without obscuring them.
burnishing them with the back of a spoon or a similar object
with a rounded edge. It is sold in thick slabs, but one of its appealing features is
its cleavage or ability to be split along a plane into thinner
and thinner smooth sheetssmooth enough to be machine
stitched.
It is hard to describe how thin it must be to stitch through.

My advice is: when in doubt, dont.

Mica is sold to artists in small packs of irregular cuts. Right
out of the package it is too thick for machine stitching. I find
that I can separate one piece into three or four pieces thin
a second nest
enough to sew. Separate the sheet by sliding your fingernail or m at e r i a l s
an X-acto blade under a corner edge and then very gently peel 140-lb. watercolor paper, 22" x 30"
the layers apart. The mica may crack or break in the process, Golden fluid acrylic paints
but this adds to the beautyperfection can be so boring. I Gesso
work with whatever I get. Smaller pieces that get broken off
Bird images
can be used for smaller projects or further shredded into mica
Jet Print Photo Multi-Project paper (glossy)
flakes for yet another project.
Fine mist spray bottle
tip: When sewing through mica the needle makes a little punch-like Tooling copper foil allow approximately 4" x 5" per book
sound. Its normal, dont worry. page
The Ultimate Glue by Crafters Pick
Use the same guidelines recommended for metal when sewing
Plastic or wood branches
on mica: stitch slowly, increase stitch length, and avoid rayon
Rubber brayer
and metallic threads.
Scissors (not your fabric scissors)
note: Reserve one needle for sewing on paper, mica, or metal Mica
and replace it when dull. Do not sew fabric with the same needle. Large paper clips
2 canvas panels 5" x 7"
Heres a project that combines stitching non-fabric materials
2 fabric pieces 8" x 9"
and bookmaking.
2 fabric pieces approx. 212" x 7"
Decorative paper 2 pieces each 412" x 612"
Fibers yarn, excelsior, twine, twigs
caution: Though these materials are relatively soft, its
2 yards ribbon
always prudent to put on protective eye wear when stitching
through alternative materials. optional
Rubber-stamp ink
X-acto knife
Tongs with heat-resistant handle (for flaming metal)
to create the pages

1. Paint both sides of the watercolor paper with fluid acrylics.
I used manganese blue and iridescent bronze. Dont worry
about being perfect, this is the background. You will later
find the best parts and cut them out for your book.
2. When the paper is dry, add some egg-shaped thumbprints

with paint or rubber-stamp ink. Let dry.
3. Water down a dollop of gesso and spatter-paint the paper

with it. Let dry.
4. Find your favorite areas of the paper and, using a straight

edge, tear 5" x 7" sheets out of the larger sheet. Stain the
edges with paint or highlight them with gold, if desired.

5. Print several bird images onto Jet Print paper and cut out 8. Lay the edges of the copper sheets over a plastic or wood
each image. Holding the image upright, about a foot away, branch and roll the brayer over the copper to emboss
spritz with water and place the image image-side down onto branch shapes.
the scrap paper (I used a page in my journal). Lightly pat
9. Split mica into thin pieces and layer it over or under the
the image and then lift it up. Some of the ink on the image
embossed copper sheets and on top of the watercolor paper.
will transfer to the scrap paper, leaving a speckled image for
Sandwich fibers under and over the copper and mica. The
you to use in your book.
majority of my fibers are from a length of twine that I
6. Color a copper sheet in flame, if desired. Do this by unraveled.
grasping the copper sheet in a pair of tongs with a heat-
10. Place large paper clips around the edges of the watercolor
resistant handle and holding the copper over a flame until
paper to hold everything in place.
it begins to change color.
11. Machine stitch around the copper, image, and mica,
note: You can use the flame of a gas stove, a mini propane torch, removing the paper clips as you come to them. Stitch
an outdoor grill, or even a candle. slowly through all layers.
7. Cut copper pieces slightly larger than the bird image and to create the book
glue the image to the copper. Trim as necessary. In most 1. Spread a thin layer of The Ultimate Glue on top of the
cases I kept the bottom and sides straight, and trimmed the canvas panels and center a panel onto the wrong side of
top to follow the outline of the bird. the fabric. Pull the fabric edges around to the back and
glue. Trim the corners at a 45-degree angle, about 18" from

its the machine
For non-sewers, deciding on which type of sewing machine
to buy is often confusing and intimidating. While you may
think an inexpensive craft sewing machine is a good
beginners machine, they are very limited in function and
are often frustrating to use. When problems arise you think
its your lack of knowledge and skill, but most often, its the
machine.
There are several advantages to buying a machine from

a sewing machine dealer. Most dealers provide the fol-
lowing services:
1. You can test-drive several machines.

2. They can answer all of your questions.
3. Free classes come with your purchase.
4. They offer trade-up programs (trade in your first purchase
when you are ready to get a more advanced model).
5. They offer reconditioned (used) machines, backed by
warranties, at reduced prices.
All of the major sewing machine manufacturers offer entry-
level machines that are reasonably priced, most with sev-
eral built-in stitches.
No matter what brand of machine you buy, there are cer-

tain basic functions you should look for.
must-haves
the corner edge to eliminate bulk. Fold and glue this 18"
Built-in light
margin of fabric over the corners, then smooth and glue the
Reverse/back-stitch setting
remaining fabric over the sides.
Variable speed control
2. Set a stack of pages between both canvas boards and
Stitch width and length control
determine the spine width needed. Cut fabric this width
Several basic stitches (straight and zigzag)
plus 1" by 7" (the length of your page).
Stability (You dont want the machine to rock or travel
3. With the panel and fabric right-side down, glue 1 side of when it gets going, nor should it be easy to tip over
fabric length 12" from the panels back edge. Repeat, gluing when idle.)
12" of the other side of the fabric to the other panel.
4. Cut 2 pieces of ribbon, one 30" and the other 40" long. With
the back of the panel facing up, center the 40" ribbon along
the length of the panel and glue it in place. Center and glue 7. Stack the sewn pages onto the back panel and tie them
the 30" ribbon across the width of the panel. together with ribbon.
5. Glue decorative paper to the back of each panel. 8. Close the book and decorate the cover as desired.
6. Cut a strip of fabric and glue it over the inside edge of the lesleyriley.com
fabric spine and edges of the panels, overlapping the panel
edges by 12" to 1".

A thread-drawn image, selected
for the flow of line, centers this page.
onto
out
of the blue Creating dimensional mixed-media books
and
the page
Dont wait for inspiration. It comes while one is
q
working. Henri Matisse
uotes like these are everywhere in the literature about
I could never tell where inspiration begins and impulse
leaves off. I suppose the answer is in the outcome. If creativity. My experience is that theres a truth to them
your hunch proves a good one, you were inspired; if it that every working artist knows: it is in the work that new
proves bad, you are guilty of yielding to thoughtless ideas are born.
impulse. Beryl Markham
Adapted from
Cloth Paper Scissors by laura cater-woods
March/April 2007

My new series began innocently enough, with low-tech pro-
Above: Standing on small beaded
cesses and simple materials. I had a goal clearly in mind. I feet, this book alternates screen-
wanted to make an accordion style, folded paper book to hold printed cloth, which is then altered
and stitched, with hand-altered
small cards. I was on the road, about to complete the jour- digital photos.
ney, when a quiet voice grabbed my attention: Hey, what Right: The left panel is a layering
about? The voice became louder, more insistent: What of a block print on lightweight
Pellon, inks, paint, and gel
would happen if? and then: Wouldnt it be more interesting
medium.
if?
I was sunk. My thoughts shifted from the project at hand,

different materials came out to play, and new processes filled
in. Off we went in a new direction, my Muse of the Easily
Distracted and I. What about folding Lutradur instead of
paper, she whispered? Wouldnt it be cool to print on the
material and stitch it, and maybe use beads too? I soon found
myself in flowthat highly desirable state where almost
anything can happen. I remember recognizing the potential
each leaf of the folded structure had to carry images. Aha.
From there it was a hop and a skip to the two-sided structure.
The ability to change the visible image, depending on
which panels were adjacent to one another, was exciting.
When I was in graduate school I experimented with books

that could be read in a non-linear fashion. Today Im finding
a deep satisfaction with manipulating the three-dimensional
object. I am enjoying combining handwork with machine
work, mixing all sorts of materials and learning about their
structural possibilities. For the first time, I love working in
multiple dimensions.

directions m at e r i a l s
Base layer (photos, parts of another work, or screen-printed
fabric)
1. Choose a base layer for the end panel. This might be a Timtex (enough to make a 3" x 5" to a 4" x 6" panel for
photo, a small section from a larger piece of art, or perhaps each of your pages)
a section from a screen print or batik. What you start with Heavyweight fusible Pellon interfacing (same amount as
may be determined by an idea you already have; working in Timtex)
a more improvisational manner is also interesting. Sulky Totally Stable
One of my pieces was made as an exploration of walking Drawing, painting, and collage supplies of choice
near the river. Another is a meditation on leaves. Embellishments such as beads and found objects
Needles for hand sewing, beading, and embroidery
2. Select the images for the 2 end pages. Layer the base on
Embroidery thread
top of Timtex and cut to size. Appealing sizes are in the
Strong hand-stitching thread
3" x 5" to 4" x 6" range. Panels larger than this will require
Acrylic gel medium (for collaging and gluing)
a heavier core in order to stand up. Some pieces are built
without interior stabilizing. Take care to evenly balance Fusible medium (such as powder or fusible web)
the surface weight of each panel. Floppy panels need X-acto knife and cutting mat
additional core stabilizing. optional
Sewing machine
3. Begin working on the interior panels, in order to establish
Tiny crochet hook
a flow across the surface. Interior panels are layered with
Tweezers
heavyweight Pellon interfacing. Cut your panels to size,
being careful to keep each panel exactly the same size, Pre-treated photo cloth
otherwise the assembled unit will not fold up properly. I
prefer an odd number of panels (5 or 7); experiment to find
what suits you.
While working like this, remember the basic composition
4. Begin adding base layers to the reverse of each panel.
guideline: keep the eye moving across the surface and
circling back. The challenge is to treat each panel as
note: I flip the panels regularly while working in each phase. This
keeps my eye and mind tuned to the double-sided image. a complete unit that is also a component of the larger
composition.
5. Once you have the general sequence or arrangement

established, develop each panels imagery further by
photos on cloth drawing, painting, or collaging. (Any of the approaches you
have taken with fabric postcards will work here.) Use Bo-
Ive been working with photo images in the past couple of
Nash bonding powder, fusible web, double-sided interfacing,
years. In these folding panels, some photos stand alone,
some are altered, others are collaged with other materials. gel medium, or stitching, as appropriate to your materials.
Generally, when printing digital photos on cloth I use a low 6. Enhance the surface further with hand embroidery and
resolution (75 dpi) or print at draft quality. This creates a beading. Additional embellishments might include trims,
softer mood. I have used Lutradur, silk, cotton, and linen, found objects, or jewelry findings. Choose according to the
with photos printed on them, theme of your piece and your aesthetic.
as a fabric base in these pieces.
7. Finish the edges. Possibilities include: blanket stitch
Before printing on Lutradur or untreated cloth, I iron the
material to a sheet of Sulky Totally Stable. It is pliant, applied by machine or hand; zigzag machine stitching;
goes through the printer easily, and is reusable. couched cord; beaded edging; or an unfinished edge, sealed
with gel medium or left raw.

8. Join the panels. Adjacent panels can be joined by hand with
a cross-stitch using strong thread or by machine.
I use a 9mm-wide decorative stitch on my machine. Its

Water and rock are enduring sources of inspiration for me. a variation on the blanket stitch, with the straight line
This sequence uses paint, thread, and digital photos on cloth.
stitched in between each panel and the cross bar stitched
across the edge of the panel.
alternate structural approaches

Join related artist trading cards or postcards.
Salvage sections from an unsuccessful larger piece.
Create one long image and cut it into sections.
Make each panel individually.
Folding one long panel is an option, but can be very bulky.

cater-woods.com

sitting pretty
A n acc o rdi o n - style b o o k
Adapted from
May/June 2007
by beryl taylor
o ld books are one of my passions. I am always drawn to old books and I love
altering them, which usually involves tearing out some of the pages. And yet,
because of the feel and quality of these pages, I cant bear to throw them away.
In this case I decided to recycle an old book to create my accordion book
Sitting Pretty. Here is how you can make a similar accordion-style book.

directions Hand-dyed habotai or
other fi
ne-weight silk
m at e r i a l s
PVA or white glue
the centerpieces Pages removed from an
elt (same amount as the old book
1. Cut your silk and felt into squares of the same size, silk) Gesso
according to the size of your book pages. Photocopied images of Needle for hand stitching
2. Lay a small square of hand-dyed habotai silk or fine-weight your motif
DMC embroidery thread,
silk on top of a square of felt. Then lay a photocopied image Sewing machine 2 strands
of your chosen motif on top of the silk and machine stitch 100-percent polyester Buttons
the image through the silk and felt backing. thread
White muslin
Small beads
3. Machine stitch the silk square to the felt backing around Wooden dowels
Acrylic paint (14" diameter)
the edges, about 18" in from the edge.
Metallic paint Finials (such as wooden
4. Hand stitch beads along the line of stitching. Watercolor paper, 120-lb. balls)
weight Finial decorations (I used
5. Paint the edges with acrylic paint.
Watercolor paints birds.)
6. Paint the central motif with metallic paints.
7. Make as many centerpieces as required for the number of

4. The first and last pages will also have end tubes which are
pages in your book. made by using one strip of muslin folded in half and stitch-
the centerpiece backgrounds ing 34" in from the raw edge down the length of the strip.
Make 2 of these. Insert the edge of the first page and the
1. Tear a square of watercolor paper approximately 12" larger
last page into the raw-edge opening of an end tube and glue
(all around) than the centerpiece.
the tubes to the felt backing on the outer edges of the first
2. Paint this background with watercolor paints. and last pages.
3. When dry, glue the centerpiece to the background. applying the centerpieces
4. Make a background for each centerpiece. 1. Take the central motifs as prepared earlier and machine
stitch through the felt backing to attach them to the
the book pages
centers of the book pages.
1. Take old book pages and scrunch them up, flatten them out,
2. Take more old pages prepared as above and glue them to the
and then lightly paint them with gesso.
exposed felt backing of the newly prepared hinged pages;
2. Back each page with felt and then machine and hand stitch this covers and hides the hinge edges and the stitching of
each page with vertical lines. the centerpieces.
3. Loosely stitch buttons at the top and bottom of each page. 3. Machine stitch these pages in place; stitch through all layers.
the page hinges the hinge dowels

1. Cut 2 strips of white muslin 2" wide by the length of your 1. Cut 14"-diameter wooden dowels to your chosen length and
book pages. paint them with gesso.
2. Stitch the 2 strips together along parallel lines in the center 2. Decide on the finial for the dowels; I used small wooden
of the strips, leaving 38" between the lines of stitching; this balls to which I applied small bird decorationsmy birds
creates a tube through which a 14"-diameter dowel will be are sitting pretty. Paint the dowels and the finials with
inserted when the book is constructed. gesso.
3. Glue the edges of the muslin tubes to the felt backing of 3. When dry, insert the dowels into the tubes of the page
the book pages you have already made; 1 tube for 2 pages. hinges.
Make an additional tube for each 2-page spread in your book.
beryltaylor.com

germinating
in a
ideas
board book
by juju vail
Adapted from
July/August 2007
s omething terrible happened to me in March this year, something I was totally

unprepared for. It happened just before my 40th birthday. I had been working
hard on deadline after deadline all year and was looking forward to a break in
my schedule when I could immerse myself in some personal creative work. A week
before my birthday I woke up and went to my studio. All my deadlines had been
met. My studio was organized and my tabletops were cleared off and waiting for
the next project. And then the unexpected happened . . .
I didnt know what to do!

I thought I had a million projects that all wanted my attention,
but when it came down to it I couldnt choose any of them as
more worthy than the others. In the end they all seemed futile.
I felt the well had run dry. I was in a funk.
After a week or so in this state (and getting my dreaded 40th

birthday over with) I decided I had to get down to work. It
didnt matter what I did; I just needed to get on with it!
I took heart in author Philip Pullmans words about writers

block.
I dont believe in it Plumbers dont get plumbers block,

and doctors dont get doctors block; why should writers be the
only profession that gives a special name to the difficulty of
working, and then expect sympathy for it?
beginning
slowly and
comfortably
I decided to create a sketchbook to germinate new ideas. I
wanted to begin by working on something repetitive and
comforting like knitting or quilting. I always find working with m at e r i a l s
color and pattern relaxing and, as I was nervous and a little Childrens board book
depressed, I thought Id start gently. Steel ruler
I selected a childs board book with rounded corners. It had Scrap papers: old wrapping
been kicking around my studio for a few years. At one point I Papers, magazine pages, old
painted white gouache on a few of the pages but then moved on Drawings and paintings, vintage
to something else and forgot about it. Books, envelopes, patterned
Paper, vintage wallpaper,
1. Thinking about what I find comforting in crafting a quilt,
I began by tearing (with a ruler) 2" squares from my scrap- Origami paper, receipts,
paper collection. I chose papers that loosely fell into pale Shopping lists, etc.
ice cream colors with lots of vanilla and arranged them White glue
as a grid on my board pages. I had some wonderful new Acrylic matte gel medium
scraps from the blogosphere that proved inspirational. In White gesso
particular, husband-and-wife bloggers and artists Brenda Pencils: B, 2B, 4B, 6B
and Rick Beerhorst exchanged packs of ephemera with Kneaded eraser
me this winter. I had resisted investigating them for a few Aging varnish and paintbrush
months, saving the joy for a rainy day. That day had arrived.
I used white glue to adhere the scraps to the page, allowing
a margin of about 14" all around and letting the colors and
print of the original board book peek through.

Figure 2
Figure 1
2. When the squares were stuck in place and dry, I used acrylic
matte gel and an old credit card to coat the page. Using
the edge of the credit card to apply the gel created an even
surface all over the page: the cracks between the squares
filled in with gel. When this was completely dry, I squeezed
a little white gesso onto the page and then rubbed it in
(and finally most of it off) with a rag. This knocked back
the brighter colors of the surface. It also made an excellent
ground for working in pencil. The gesso and gel had
enough grab to easily accept pencil, and the overall surface
was interesting and varied.
3. I decided to work with only pencils and an eraser, no color.

I wanted to generate ideas, not complete paintings. I used
a variety of pencils and a kneaded eraser and I began, as I
often do, in the middle of the book. I started making pencil
Figure 3
marks and erasing them, with no particular image in mind.
Sometimes I fill the entire page with tone and work back
into it with my eraser. Figures started to emerge. I allowed
my unconscious to shape the imagery. Once I recognized

the figure emerging I shaped it and began to draw it more
consciously.
I rapidly filled up a few pages working in this way. I noticed

a kind of fairy tale quality to the drawings. I have been
reading a lot of fairy and folk tales over the last couple of
years but hadnt yet tried to consciously incorporate them
into my work. I was surprised and delighted to see them
appearing.
I had also recently looked at books with alchemical

symbols, and some of these started to appear, particularly
ones with spring themes like eggs, seedpods, and
blossoming flowers.
For some of the drawings I pulled out a well-worn book of

American Folk portraits that I have always found inspiring.
I looked at these and then closed the book and drew some
more, allowing these images to influence the drawings.

bibliography
Philip Pullman is very inspiring
and his website has a great
interview with him about
his writing.
philip-pullman.com
Rick Beerhorst
studiobeerhorst.com
Brenda Beerhorst
kindshipincolorandwool.typepad.com
Sometimes the images on the scrap grids inspired the made the pages glossy, well-protected, and it imparted a
drawings. The front cover has a picture of a bear in clothing slight yellow color. It also made the gesso more translucent,
in the upper right corner and this influenced the dressed bringing out the background colors more.
wolf on one of the inside pages. And of course my beloved
A further advantage to the varnish was that it made the
rabbit had to appear. (See my last article in Cloth Paper
drawings impossible to rework. I had to be satisfied that they
Scissors, March/April 2007.)
were doneand now it is time to move on to some painting.
4. When the drawings were complete, I coated each page in an I have a wealth of new images and ideas, and I cant wait to get
aging varnish. I had this around my studio and had never started.
used it so I thought it was a good time to experiment. This jujulovespolkadots.typepad.com


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bound & beautiful

Projects and information are for inspiration and

3 meanderings responsible for any liability arising from errors,

18 capturing nature in paper

24 from design to divine

26 book art fusion

44 out of the blue

bound & beautiful: one-of-a-kind handmade books clothpaperscissors.com 2

bound & beautiful: one-of-a-kind handmade books clothpaperscissors.com 3

bound & beautiful: one-of-a-kind handmade books clothpaperscissors.com 4

With the template as your guide, sew each page together as

6. Slashed lines on the template indicate where you will add

Start by choosing your papers, fabric, and images for col-

bound & beautiful: one-of-a-kind handmade books clothpaperscissors.com 5

bound & beautiful: one-of-a-kind handmade books clothpaperscissors.com 6

bound & beautiful: one-of-a-kind handmade books clothpaperscissors.com 7

5. Add a base layer of sturdy cardstock. This will sandwich the

6. Place the piece on your sewing machine and simply sew

8. Embellish further with ephemera, beads, charms, and but-

bound & beautiful: one-of-a-kind handmade books clothpaperscissors.com 8

bound & beautiful: one-of-a-kind handmade books clothpaperscissors.com 9

Its no wonder that I eventually turned to mixed-media jewelry

Individual mat board collages were constructed using

bound & beautiful: one-of-a-kind handmade books clothpaperscissors.com 10

long misplaced and forgotten. To me, herein lies the magic

bound & beautiful: one-of-a-kind handmade books clothpaperscissors.com 11

bound & beautiful: one-of-a-kind handmade books clothpaperscissors.com 12

Above:The Taste of Memory antique-

bound & beautiful: one-of-a-kind handmade books clothpaperscissors.com 13

Last spring on an afternoon lark, a friend and I ducked into

bound & beautiful: one-of-a-kind handmade books clothpaperscissors.com 14

treat the books as they would a tract of mountain land or (and

Come back with me again to my thoughts on the kitchen, the

bound & beautiful: one-of-a-kind handmade books clothpaperscissors.com 15

One of my students from last spring decided to take what

bound & beautiful: one-of-a-kind handmade books clothpaperscissors.com 16

Glue some of the pages together, tear out some others to

Pockets can be fashioned from a number of things.

making a copper mesh pocket

bound & beautiful: one-of-a-kind handmade books clothpaperscissors.com 17

bound & beautiful: one-of-a-kind handmade books clothpaperscissors.com 18

1. Press a variety of flowers and grasses using the microwave

The lovely thing about using a microwave press is that

bound & beautiful: one-of-a-kind handmade books clothpaperscissors.com 19

bound & beautiful: one-of-a-kind handmade books clothpaperscissors.com 20

4. Now begin to decorate the pages. Each page will be folded

For the side decorated with flowers, put a thin layer of

Spray lightly with water, cover with baking parchment

5. Cover the page with a piece of chiffon scarf and, using

6. If you left one side of the page to be decorated in a different

bound & beautiful: one-of-a-kind handmade books clothpaperscissors.com 21

reinforce the hinges, back them with strips of muslin

8. Make the front and back cover in exactly the same

bound & beautiful: one-of-a-kind handmade books clothpaperscissors.com 22

Your book can be embellished further depending on its

bound & beautiful: one-of-a-kind handmade books clothpaperscissors.com 23

Beryl Taylor: Ive always had a thing for medi-

CPS: Youve used lots of different medieval

BT: The first thing I always do when I get an

CPS: How did you come up with the other

BT: Again, through research, and sometimes

CPS: So, you amass a lot of images and then

bound & beautiful: one-of-a-kind handmade books clothpaperscissors.com 24

6. Slashed lines on the template indicate where you will add

5. Add a base layer of sturdy cardstock. This will sandwich the

6. Place the piece on your sewing machine and simply sew

8. Embellish further with ephemera, beads, charms, and but-

2. Use the binding guide to punch holes in each page. If the

2. Arrange your pages as desired and then, starting from the

3. Water down a dollop of gesso and spatter-paint the paper

1. You can test-drive several machines.