CPS Freemium Books v2

8/13/2019 CPS Freemium Books v2

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4 articles onhandmade books

learn how to make a bookusing mixed-media techniques

1 collage boards:

a cardboard journalKATIE KENDRICK

2 fabric scraps

& vintage photos:creating treasure bookletsJEN OSBORN

3 get the skinny on

mixed-media booksCHRYSTI HYDECK

4 books with a repurpose

JEANNINE STEIN

presented bycloth paper scissors

1 2

3

4


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w ho says books are athing of the past? Notus! Handmade books aremore popular than ever, as artists createsmall, personal books using fabric,

recyclables, found objects, photos, and

collage and mixed-media techniques.

From page construction to binding,

weve assembled some of our favorite

handmade book techniques in this free,

downloadable eBook, 4 Articles on

Handmade Books: Learn How to

Make a Book Using Mixed-media

Techniques.

In Creating Treasure Booklets, Jen

Osborn shows you how to pull together

all those fabric scraps, photos, and found

objects you love into little gems. Each

page is machine and hand stitched (or

glued) together to make a mini collage.

Then Jen demonstrates how to bind the

pages together.

In Books with a Repurpose, Jeannine

Stein uses recyclable materials like cereal

boxes, playing cards, and old postcardsto create unique journals. She steps out

4 Articles onHandmade Books:

Learn How to Makea Book Using

Mixed-media Techniquespresented by

Cloth Paper Scissors

ONLINE EDITOR Cate Prato

CREATIVE SERVICES DIVISION ART DIRECTOR Larissa Davis

PHOTOGRAPHERS Larry SteinKorday Studio

Projects and information are for inspiration and

personal use only. Interweave is not responsible for

any liability arising from errors, omissions, or mistakes

contained in this eBook, and readers should proceed

cautiously, especially with respect to technical

information.

Interweave Press LLC grants permission to photocopy

any patterns published in this issue for personal use

only.

the pamphlet stitch she uses to bind the

pages and offers ideas for closures using

vintage buttons, pretty trims, and eyelets.

Katie Kendrick works her magic on the

handmade book by using discarded

cardboard as a base for paint, collage,and journaling in Collage Board Books.

In an unusualand etherealtwist,

Katie binds the pages with cheesecloth

hinges.

Youll Get the Skinny on Mixed-media

Books when Chrysti Hydeck explains

how to turn vertical-format collage pages

into 4" 8" skinny books. Chrysti brings

all sorts of mixed-media supplies to play

as she makes richly layered backgrounds

for each page. Then, she adds papers and

journaling supplies to the party to tell a

story.

In 4 Articles on Handmade Books:

Learn How to Make a Book Using

Mixed-media Techniques,each artist

shows you a unique way to create

a handmade book. But you will also

learn tips, tricks, and techniques for art

journaling, collage, creating backgrounds,

stitching, and composition.Viva la book!

Warmly,

Cate Prato

Online Editor,

Cloth Paper Scissors Today

clothpaperscissors.com

Where mixed mediaartists come to play

4 Articles on Handmade Books2


Interweave Press LLC


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collage boardsa cardboard journal

BY Katie Kendrick

Adapted fromCLOTHPAPERSCISSORS

November/December 2007

what is it about corrugated cardboard that makes one want to hoardand collect it? I know Im not alone here, for since becoming a certified

member of the mixed-media art world, Ive found others who have this conditon.

Ive had a love affair with cardboard boxes for as long as I can remember. Ask

my husband, hell tell you: getting rid of a good box isnt easy for me. It all goes

back to my mother, Im sure. She always, and I mean always, had the perfect

cardboard box for any possible occasion, whenever it was needed: the right

shape, the right size, and in pristine condition. Go out and buy a cardboard

box? Never. Its like putting up applesauce

or canned tomatoes or jam: you put up

cardboard boxes to be used at a future

time, when you need one most. They were

venerated in our house; to throw away a

good box was wasteful, on the verge of

sinful. One should always first try and find

a good use for it, or at least a good home

for it, even if that meant hauling it over to

an aunt or uncle or neighbor who might

someday need a strong, solid cardboard

box. So you see, I have a long and deeply

ingrained history with cardboard. The

material almost feels like family to me, kind

of like some humble, distant cousin, so it

seems only natural and just plain right and

good to want to repurpose it into my

artwork whenever and wherever I can.

For the cover of her journal, Katie layered two piecesof cardboard together for depth, then painted both withgesso and two different shades of blue. With a razorblade, she gouged out some tiny areas, exposing hintsof the brown cardboard, then attached string and glueddown coffee-stained bias tape with transferred text,coffee-dyed cheesecloth, and a vintage silk flower.





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Because of my fondness for and feelings

of familiarity with this material, one of

the ways I enjoy using it is as a surface

for visual journaling. Artwork done

for my pleasure alone, not meant to be

sold, given away, or necessarily even

shared with anyone else. Ambiguious

images and poetry that spring out of

my unconscious while Im creating,documenting my time here in the

present moment, a day in the life.

Pairing cardboard, strong and light

in its nature and history, with the

fragile, delicate, and flowing qualities of

cheesecloth seems like a natural fit, a

combination of yin and yang. This little

journal is not meant to get the heavy use

of a library book, but treated with care,

it will last a good long time, a personal

diary of beauty and grace.

directionscreating the pagesOnce I had laid out the various

cardboard samples Id accumulated for

the project, I quickly realized that all

cardboard is not created equal, which

makes this art material even more

interesting and fascinating. For thisproject, I used a piece of cardboard from

a car windshield screen, a gridded piece

of dressmakers mat, and varying weights

of packing boxes. The heaviest type, used

for shipping appliances and furniture,

is very sturdy and needs no additional

support, even after tearing off the top

layer of paper to expose the corrugation.

The lighter board, commonly used in

grocery boxes, often needs a support

after you tear off the paper top, and in

those instances, I glued a piece of thin

chipboard from a discarded cereal box

onto the surface to firm it up. Cut the

cardboard to size with a cutting tool.

note: I had the best luck using a rotarycutter or an X-acto knife. A box cutteralso worked, but it made a more raggedcut.

1. Randomly tear off portions of the top

paper layer to expose the corrugated

folds. Leave some of the pieces intact

so you have some smoother surfaces

to paint and draw on. Having a mix of

textured and smooth pages makes the

book more interesting, both visually

and tactilely.

2. Paint the page unevenly with gesso,

leaving small areas of cardboard

exposed; brush on the gesso thicker

in some areas, thinner in others.

Applying gesso in this way builds in

shading possibilities for the colors

youll be putting down in future

steps.

3. Paint the page with acrylic paint,

once again leaving some small areas

unpainted. You now have a page that

is mainly a solid color, with small

areas where the cardboard and gesso

are exposed. Let dry.

4. Lay down a stencil on the page and,

using 34 different colors of acrylic

paint (at least 1 of them metallic),

pour a small puddle of each onto

your palette. Load your brush with

the first color and begin painting at

the edge. Each time you load yourbrush, use a different color and

slightly overlap the freshly painted

areas to blend the paints, taking

care to not over-blend, but keeping

some of the individual colors vivid.

Carefully lift the stencil off your page

and let the paint dry completely. If

youre impatient, like I often am, use

a hair dryer to speed up the drying

process.

MATERIALS

Discarded corrugated cardboard

Cutting tool and mat

Razor blade

Goldensoft gel medium (matte)

Acrylic paints (I prefer Golden), fluid

or heavy-body, in your choice ofcolors including titanium white andcarbon black

A few metallic paints (I used Lumiereby Jacquard.)

Baby wipes

Paintbrushes

Stencil

Stabiloblack pencil #8046

Graphite pencil

White and black India inks(I prefer Dr. Ph Martinsinks.)

Watercolor crayons (Caran dAcheNeocolor IIwater-soluble crayonsare my favorite.)

A black and a white gel pen(Uni-ballGel Impact black andUni-ballSigno white are two of myfavorites.)

String, bias tape, trim, or ribbon withprinted words; vintage silk flower;reduced copies of your own original

artwork; text; other ephemera Cheesecloth strips

A roll of 2"-wide cotton gauze

Linen thread and needle

A cup of strong coffee





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note: Instead of letting the wet paint onthe stencil go to waste, turn it over (the

side that was facing up when you paintedis now facing down) and place it ontoone of your blank, gessoed pages. Put amagazine or phonebook page on top ofit and brayer with pressure. When you liftthe stencil youll have a light pattern. Youcan paint your base color over that when

youre ready to do that page.

5. Now is the perfect time to paint

with watercolors. I often choose

1 or 2 colors that are similar or

complementary to my base paintcolor. When using liquid watercolors

or inexpensive childrens watercolors,

brush on a more intense color in

some areas and apply it more diluted

in other areas, using a paint cloth

or paper towel to soak up any excess

color. If you are using watercolor

crayons, color a small area of the dry

page and, using a baby wipe, gently

rub to blend it into the neighboring

colors. When the page is dry, apply

some white ink to the exposed

cardboard areas and some of the

variegated folds. The white ink can

also be applied to areas that are too

loud and need toning down.

6. Coat the intact portions of the page

with a generous layer of gel; no need

to coat the exposed folds. Press thestencil into the gel medium (using

a different area of the stencil this

time). Lift the stencil carefully and

dry the page thoroughly.

Above left: Portions of the top layer ofcardboard were torn away, then the page waspainted with gesso. A piece of plastic lacetablecloth was placed on the gessoed page and

used as a stencil. The stencil was painted overwith four different acrylic paints: two blues andtwo metallics.

Above right: Depth and texture were built up byadding additional layers of paint, paint mixedwith gel medium, watercolors, and glazes.





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7. Dip a bit of paper towel into metallic

acrylic paint and dab it gingerly onto

random areas of the page, taking care

to cover some of the raised areas. Dry

thoroughly. Brush watercolor paint

onto the page using plenty of water,

letting the paint pool around the

patterns and crevices created by the

stencil and gel medium. One of the

advantages of using watercolors here

is you can use a baby wipe to blend or

erase colors you dont like and redo it

with something else. At this stage, I

often paint near the edges of my page

with diluted black watercolor and

rub it into the background, creating

a container to hold whatever I will

put onto the page.

Now the page is ready for journaling: a

quote, a painting, a small printed copy

of your artwork, a photograph, or maybe

a collage. Sometimes the page needs

nothing further; it is simply a statement

in color and texture and you can leave it

at that.

creating the book1. Brew a strong cup of coffee and pour

it into a shallow bowl. Submerge the

cheesecloth and gauze, allow them

to soak for a while, and then wring

them out and dry them. Cut 1" strips

from the cheesecloth.

2. Spread gel medium around all 4

edges of the cardboard page. Fold a

cheesecloth strip lengthwise over the

edges of the page, working it around

the perimeter and slightly into the

edges, leaving strands and overlap

hanging onto the page if desired,

or keep the cheesecloth taut and

straight to the edge.

3. Assemble your pages into their

proper order, pairing them off by

2s. Cut gauze strips the length of

your pages, cutting as many pieces

Katie left the cardboard layers of this page intact and coated the surface with gesso.Then she drew the figure with black India ink and colored it with a combination of acrylicpaints and watercolor crayons. For the facing page, Katie tore away some of the top layerof cardboard in the midsection. She painted the corrugated portion with gesso, followed by three colors of acrylic paint, including metallic silver.

The bare cardboard portion on the left was painted with white India ink and a watercolor wash of black near the edges. The quote was writtenwith India ink.





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as you have pairs. If you have an odd

number, count the single page as a

pair.

4. Apply gel medium to the spineedge of each page in the first pair and

press the cover page (the first page)

into the gauze strip, 12" from the left

edge. Then press the next page into

the gauze strip 12" from the right

edge. Make sure to align the top and

bottom edges before gluing. Prop the

Above: Katie painted the page on the left withgesso, then gave it some texture by pressingscrunched-up paper and round lids of varying sizesinto it while the gesso was wet. The facing pagewas coated with gesso, then more color was addedspontaneously with acrylic paints, watercolors,pencil, and ink. Katie achieved texture and depthby sanding through paint layers, exposing thevarious layers below.

Right: This sample shows how the cheeseclothhinges are attached to the cardboard pages,using gel medium. (This step is done after the pagesare complete; the pages are blank for this sample toclearly illustrate the binding process.)





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pages upright until dry. Repeat with

all the pairs of pages. If you have an

odd number, glue the single page

onto the center of the gauze strip.

5. Fold and layer the cheesecloth to

create a thick base for the spine. Cut

the piece slightly longer than the

length, and 12" wider than the total

width of the stacked pages. Layer a

piece of open-weave fiber mesh in

between the layers of cheesecloth for

added strength. You can find a variety

of mesh in the floral department of

your local craft store. Another option

is to use a discarded woven mesh

place mat and cut a section from it.

6. Line up the first pair of pages just

inside the left edge of cheesecloth,

and hand stitch the gauze strip onto

the cheesecloth spine, applying 23

rows of running stitches vertically,

the full length of each page, for each

pair. Repeat the process for each set

of pages.

tips Old, plastic lace tablecloths, doilies,

and place mats, found at thrift stores

and garage sales, make wonderful

stencils.

Paint strong coffee directly onto

cheesecloth with a paintbrush to spot

stain fabric already attached to your

page.

Use copies of original photographs

and artwork in your journal. You can

enlarge favorite elements or crop

around a central theme.

A piece of cardboard covered withfreezer paper makes a great paint

palette.

Learn more about Katie and her art atjoyouslybecoming.typepad.com.

Above: Katie used apiece of plastic lace tablecloth

as a stencil for many of the pagesin her journal.

Below: A view from the top shows thewonderfully ragged look of the journals

cheesecloth spine and page edges.





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10/25

While poking around in a local antique

mall, I came upon a horde of vintage

photographs that really influenced my

art. One of the most inspiring finds

was a collection of local farm childrens

school photos. The moment I caught

sight of them, my brain started doing

cartwheels and all sorts of ideas came

to mind. The result is this little fabricand paper scrapbook in which I created

personalities for each child based on

their outfits and the looks on their faces.

pageconstruction1. Choose the photos you would like to

include in your book. I used

112" 2" black-and-white photos, and

alternated boys and girls on facing

pages. The size of the photos you

choose will greatly influence the size

of your book and the fabric scraps

you pull.

2. Cut out snippets of colorful or

patterned paper and fabric slightly

larger than the photos. I like to

combine materials that have a

big contrast in texture, like felt

and tissue paper. The wonderful

thing about this project is that you

dont need large paper and fabric

scraps, so you can use lots of yourleftovers.

tip: It helps to decide which colorsyoud like to work with ahead of time soyoure not trying to create and choosecolors at the same time. The fewer colors

you use, the easier it is to coordinate itall, but sometimes you just have to letcolor run wild. If you use color photos, youmight let the colors in the photos be yourguide.

3. Layer your photos with the paper and

fabric scraps to work out how youre

going to stitch the pages. I like to

have 3 layers built up before

I start stitching (2 if the

back layer is fabric).

The layering

keeps the

MATERIALS

Childrens school photos

Felt, fabric, blue jean, and paperscraps

Stapler

Decorative pattern papers, tissuepaper, and found papers such aspostage stamps, vintage ledgerpaper, and receipts

Glass beads, charms, colorfulbuttons, chipboard shapes, ribbon

Found objects such as driftwood,peanut shells, fishing lures, keys, nutsand bolts

Rub-ons

Glue: Glue Dots, AleenesTackyGlue, Uhufabric glue, or ScotchQuick Drying Adhesive

Sewing machine

Needle for hand sewing

Heavy-duty thread, such as Dual DutyPlusbutton and carpet thread

Dremeltool, awl, or hammer andnail for making holes

Long skinny items for binding (I usedthings like skeleton keys, safety pins,and tie bars.)

112"-wide lace, 2'

Black pen

White pen (I used a Uni-ballSignogel pen.)

optional

12-gauge wire

Needle-nose pliers

Paintbrush for glue





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thread from pulling through the

paper and tearing your photo when

you pull on the thread; a fabric

backing gives added strength to thepaper.

tip: As you are designing the pages,determine which ones will be right-facingand which will be left-facing; leave a 12"1" margin free of design elements alongthe left side of the right-facing pages foradding your binding element.

4. Once you have determined the layers,

use staples or glue dots to hold them

in place. The staples fit the schooltheme, but can always be covered up

if you dont like the way they look.

note: If you use glue dots instead ofstaples, be sure to use them only in areaswhere you will not be stitching, as gluegums up the needle.

embellishingWhen choosing the embellishments for

this project it really helps to think like

a child. Try to remember the things you

used to collect in that shoebox you hid

under your bed or in the back of your

closet: bottle caps, paper clips, fishing

lures, railroad pennies, etc. Choose

items that are visually and texturallypleasing.

Completed pageswith the bindingin place.

I took a piece of a filmnegative, stapled it to thetop of a photo of a girl sothat her eye looks out thehole, and used my white gelpen to draw a circle andwording to help give me atheme.





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figure 1 figure 2 figure 3





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the glue between the pages so you

dont go overboard and have glue

squirting out the seams.

Make sure that you glue all

the way to the edge, and press both

sides together firmly. Allow the pages

to dry overnight so you dont pull

them apart when pulling the lace

through to bind.

tip: I suggest using glue dots for stickingpaper to paper. For joining to fabric, Irecommend tacky glue, fabric glue, orquick-drying adhesive.

4. Create your covers. I used scrap

felt to construct the front and back

covers. Try turning small pieces of

fabric horizontally and vertically to

create a fun pattern. Embellish the

front and back of the covers with

layers of fabric, paper, and found

elements as desired. Make sure to

leave a 12"1" margin on the inside

(binding edge) of each cover for

adding your binding.

5. With a needle and thread, stitch

a binding element to the inside

(binding edge) of each of the front

and back covers.

binding1. Fold over 14" on the end of the lace

and straight stitch twice, back and

forth, with your machine to hide the

edge of your lace and to keep it from

unraveling. Dont stitch the other

end of the lace until you get to the

back cover.

2. With your front cover facing down,

pull approximately 1" of the stitched

end of the lace under the binding

element. You want the folded side to

be on your right, facing up.(Figure 1)3. Fold the longer end of the lace over

from left to right at the binding

piece. Put your sewing machine

foot up against the right side of the

binding piece with the fold on the

left. Stitch back and forth with a

straight or zigzag stitch 3 times.(Figure 2)

tip: Stitching over your original stitches isa neat trick to help hide any stitches thatarent exactly straight.

4. Lay the cover front-side down on

your work surface. Lay the first page

of the book, right-side up next tothe cover, on the right side. Take the

free end of the lace, loop it over the

binding element, and then bring it

back under the binding element to

create a fold.

5. Making sure you have allowed

enough lace for the pages to lie

open and flat, pin the lace in place.

Put the sewing foot to the left of

the binding piece and sew back and

forth 3 times.(Figure 3)Repeat thisbinding procedure on each page. If

the pages lie flat, and you cant see

anything but the top and bottom ofeach binding piece, youve done it

correctly.

6. Determine how much of the

remaining lace you will need,

including an extra 14" to fold over on

the end, and cut off the rest. Fold the

end of the lace over 14" and stitch.

Finally, pull the lace through the

binding element on the back cover

and stitch it 3 times as you did forthe other pages.

Make a cup of coffee, smile, and enjoy

what youve created.

Learn more about Jen and her art atthemessynest.com.





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get theskinnyonmixed-mediabooks


July/August 2007

BY Chrysti Hydeck

Using a photographI took of my mothersbeloved horse, Dylan,I wanted to create awhimsical, magicalworld she would haveloved to walk into as

a child. The feelingcontinues on the nextpage, in an underwaterdream world inspired bya childhood love of themovie and story TheWaterbabies, warmmemories, created bymy mother.





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paper. The antiquing gel will stay in

the scratch, making your piece seem

even older.

13. Use drywall tape and mesh as

stencils and paint over them with

metallic paints, applying the design

randomly onto both pieces. Just like

we did with the paper lace, make

prints by placing the painted sides

face-down onto the paper and then

peeling it up. Allow to dry.

14. Following the manufacturer's

instructions, apply webbing spray to

both pieces to unify. Allow to dry.

skinny book

pagesTo turn your fabulous new backgroundsinto skinny book pages, just cut them

to size (4" 8"). Give your page that

SUPPLIES

Skinny book backgrounds

A selection of photographs andimages

Glue or permanent glue sticks

Burnishing tool Tim HoltzDistress Inks

Faber-CastellPitt Artist Pens

An old book you can cut up

An assortment of markers and gel

pens

Permanent ink pad or metallic

leafing pen

KrylonWorkable Spray Fixatif

optional

Gel Medium Charcoal

Embellishments (Such as mulberry

flowers, pressed flowers, gems,

fibers, ribbon, beads)

Walnut ink

Tweezer BeeNonstick Tweezers

Lovelier (left) was inspired by nature and the possibilities an open door,

or window holds. I used dried flowers, and bravely doodled over whatseemed like a perfect page. The risk paid offit turned out lovelier thanbefore. I loved the rich, simplistic feel of the Onward (right) background,and wanted to showcase it by making the translucent tree doodle the mainfocus. I used gray Pitt Artist pens to achieve that effect.





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finished look by inking the edges with

a permanent inkpad or using a metallic

leafing pen.

You can easily create a fabulous pocket

page as well. Simply cut the background

to 8" 8" and fold it in half. Glue, tape,

or sew the bottom and one open side

together, leaving the top of your page

open: Voila! One gorgeous instant pocket

page.

directions1. Carefully look at your painted

backgrounds: what do they say to

you? Maybe you see a mystical sky,

or perhaps a breathtakingly beautiful

autumn day. Are there rolling hills,

or do you see a path? Maybe your

space is broken up by the marksyou made, and a layout is already

designed for you. Regardless of what

it is your pages whisper to you, work

with the design you may not have

realized you had. Dont limit yourself

to one vision; be open to the hidden

possibilities that exist.

2. Choose images that go along with

your vision. I often see children

and animals in elaborate, magical

worlds where they coexist as one. My

photographs often find their way into

my work as well. Doors, windows,

landscapes, and architecture are

all subjects I favor, and they make

stunning heat or gel transfers when I

convert them to black-and-white. Not

only do they add interest, and depth,

but my work becomes yet another

part of my experiences. If you decide

to add a transfer, now is a good timeto do so.

3. Dont worry too much about how the

image works with your background

yet; we can make any image work.

4. Using your favorite adhesive (I like

old-fashioned permanent glue sticks),

place your images onto the paper and

burnish well. If you notice any loose

edges, rub some gel medium over

the image with your finger to ensure

your image stays put.

5. To make the images cohesive with

the background, recolor the images

with markers or paints; tint them

with a Distress Ink pad, or use my

favoriteFaber-Castell Pitt Artist

Pens. These are fabulous, as they

allow the details to shine through.

6. If your images have a broad range of

colors or styles, consider a unifying

element over your entire page:

spatter paint with a toothbrush, spray

walnut ink, or scrape gesso lightly

over the page.

7. Look at your page; do your images

need to be more defined? Does

the white edge of the image stand

out? Use charcoal and rub it in the

crevices of your images to add some

depth. Wipe some away to make it

less defined.

8. Use your gray Pitt Artist pens and

add shadows to your images creating

even more definition and depth. To

prevent smudging, be sure to seal

your page with the Spray Fixatif

when done.

word playI am absolutely addicted to the English

language, to the power of words. The

way they dance off my tongue or pop

off of a page, how they take me to new

places and conjure whimsical images

in my mind. I just cant get enough of

them.

Old poetry books provide me with an

array of delicious words that make my

art come alive. I cut out phrases and

words that grab my attention and play

with them until I get a sentence, phrase,

or an idea I like. Give it a try: snip out

words and phrases that appeal to you, lay

them all out, and rearrange them until

you are happy with your new poem.

Use your favorite adhesive and glue

them to your page. Ive found nonstick

tweezers to be helpful with this. To

make the words blend into your page,

simply repeat the same steps we did with

incorporating images.

get your doodle onWhether your page looks finished or

you feel it needs something more,

pull out your markers and do some

doodling, right over your work. Yep,

right over your work. I know you may be

questioning my sanity right now, afraid

that you'll ruin your work, but thatsnot possible. These doodles and simple

sketches are part of the personalization

process. Just like in accessorizing a

room, its these personal touches that

make it shine. Give it a whirl; try a tree

or a flower or any shape that appeals to

you. If youre afraid of detail, try simply

adding a pattern to the page.

Dont fret about it. If you end up hating

your doodle, just consider it another

interesting layer in your collage, and

work over the top of it. No harm done!

Some of my most interesting pieces were

created this way.

finishing touchesRe-ink the edges of your page and then

begin embellishing, if you desire. I love

adding sparkle with gems or making an

element pop with flower heads or beads.

Sometimes, a simple button and somefibers are enough. Embellish as much or

as little as youd like.

Learn more about Chrysti and her art atalwayschrysti.com.





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bookswitha repurpose


March/April 2010

BYJeannine Stein





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I always try to incorporate

recycled or repurposed

materials into my work,

whether its making a

journal pocket page out

of a cookie bag or cutting

felted sweaters into flowers.

These notebooks are a product

of that habit. I call them scrap books

because theyre just thatsimple booksmade from scraps of things I have lying

around my home and work space. They

have one signature (group of pages)

hand sewn into the spine and offer

countless variations for covers.

The first book I made had covers

constructed from cereal boxes. Food

packaging is one of my favorite

materials, since the bright colors

and often iconic imagery make for

sensational, eye-grabbing covers. After

making the first one they became

something of an obsession, as I found

more and more things I could recycle

into covers: vintage Bingo cards, cabinet

cards, old postcards, and record album

and CD covers.

I quickly realized this was also a great

way to thin my ever-growing stash.

Items tucked away for just the right

project were now seeing the light of day.

Some pieces werent sturdy enough to

hold their own as covers, so I added heft

by adhering them to same-size pieces of

cardstock

or

decorative file

folders. Small

pieces of book cloth

(paper-backed fabric

often used in bookbinding)

made perfect spines, but after a

while I sought some variety there, too. I

tried scraps of leather and heavy brocade

fabric, and even decorated some book

cloth with rubber stamps.

I often give my larger journals closures

and thought these petite notebooks

deserved them as well so I tried a

number of options. I decided to use

a five-hole pamphlet binding sewn

through the spine, since it sews up

swiftly and neatly secures the inside

pages.

For embellishments, pretty much

anything goes: metal label holders,

photographs,

lace, metal book

corners, brads, even

flowers.

directionsIf youre planning to create severalof these books at a time, make them

assembly-line style: do the covers first,

then the inside pages, then sew the

books all at once. This will streamline

the process.

1. Use the glue stick to glue the

cardstock sheets to the wrong side of

the cardboard and allow to dry.

2. On the back side of the 112" 614"

piece of book cloth, measure1

2" fromboth long edges and draw a line from

top to bottom so the piece is divided

into three 12" columns.

working with recycledmaterials may just be one ofthe most satisfying creative challenges.

To take nothing and make it into

something beautiful and appealing

fulfills the artistic need like nothing

else.





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3. Apply glue up to the line on the left

side of the book cloth and attach the

front cover, front side down, leaving

about a 14" overhang top and bottom.

Do the same on the right side and

attach the back cover the same way,

making sure the covers are aligned.

Press with the bone folder to make

sure the pieces are adhered.

4. Glue the top and bottom flaps, and

fold them over (Figure 1).

5. Glue the other piece of book cloth

and adhere it to the inside of the

spine (Figure 2). Allow to dry and

press flat if necessary. When dry, fold

the covers in half and crease firmly

with the bone folder.

6. On the fold of the reserved sheet of

text-weight paper, and working from

the top of the sheet down, mark12", 1

58", 234", 3

78", and 5". Open

the sheet, carry the marks across

the fold, and then fold the sheet the

other way so the marks are on the

inside.

7. Place the template inside the nested

pages and, holding the pages at a 45

angle, use the awl to punch through

all the pages at each mark. Remove

the template, center it inside the

cover, and punch the holes in the

cover piece.

8. Center the pages inside the cover and

align the holes. Thread the binding

needle with the 24" length of waxed

linen thread and enter the middle

hole (hole #3) from the inside,

leaving a 2" tail. Enter the next hole

up (hole #2) from the outside and

MATERIALS

Two pieces of cardboard334" 558" cut from food packagingsuch as cereal, cracker, or pastaboxes for the covers (Round corners ifdesired.)

Two pieces of cardstock with thesame measurements as the cover

pieces (Round corners if desired.) Two pieces of book cloth,

112" 614" and 112" 512"

15 sheets of text-weight paper, 714"512", folded in half and nestedtogether. Set aside one sheet for thepunching template. (Round corners ifdesired.)

Waxed linen thread, 2-cord or 2-ply(24" for sewing book, 7" for sewingbutton)

14" ribbon, 14"

One 1"-diameter button

Glue stick

Bookbinding awl or paper piercer

Bone folder

Binding needle (a large darningneedle can be used)

optional

Corner rounder





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Figure 1

Figure 2 Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 3

enter the top hole (hole #1) from the

inside. Pull the threads to tighten,

always pulling parallel to the spine in

the direction of the sewing. Keep the

threads taut throughout.

9. Enter hole #2 from the outside.

Being careful not to split threads

(Figure 3), and skipping hole #3,

enter hole #4 from the inside. Enter

hole #5 from the outside, and hole

#4 from the inside (Figure 4). Enter

hole #3 from the outside, coming

up on the opposite side of the center

thread from the tail thread (Figure

5). Tie the thread ends in a double

knot and trim them to 14".





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note: A seven-hole pamphlet stitch workswell with these books, too. Add two moreevenly spaced marks to the punchingtemplate and sew the binding the sameway as the five-hole pamphlet.

10. For the closure, sew the button to

the front cover using the 7" piece

of waxed linen thread, keeping the

threads loose.

11. Tie the 14" piece of ribbon

underneath the button, wrap it

around the book, and then again

around the button to close.

making booksof different sizes Start by choosing the size of your

covers.

Use these formulas to determine the

size of the inside pages:

For the height, measure the height

of the cover and subtract 18".

For the width, measure from the

spine to the right side (the fore

edge), double it, and subtract12"

34".

When pages nest together, the edges

will start to peek outthis is called

the fore-edge creep, or just creep.

You can leave it like that for a more

handmade look, or trim the ends

flush with a sharp utility knife or

sturdy guillotine-type paper cutter.

closure options Use a button and ribbon closure as

described in step 11.

Attach a hitch fastener to the front

of the book. Attach a small piece of

leather to the back cover with a rivet.

Punch a hole in the leather piece and

slip it over the fastener.

Lace ribbon through two small holes

in the back cover. Wrap the ribbon

around the book several times before

tying a bow in front.

Learn more about Jeannine and her art atjeanninestein.typepad.com.

tipsfor best results For quick results, use a glue stick instead of PVA (polyvinyl acetate, the go-to

bookbinding glue). I found it adhered everything well.

Use two-cord (also called two-ply) waxed linen thread for the binding because itsthin and creates less bulk at the spine. It comes in a variety of beautiful colors.

When using a thicker material for the spine, such as leather or brocade, allow fora wider gap between the covers. The book cloth spines have a 12" gap, but youmay need to expand it to 1" for heavier materials. To cut down on some of thebulk, use book cloth for the inside of the spine. To adhere the leather and brocade,substitute thick craft glue for the glue stick.

If time permits, press the signatures overnight before sewing them. This allows thebook to close more easily. If the book still springs open a bit after its bound, pressagain under weights.

Recycled papers can be used for the inside pages. I interspersed blank pages withold catalog pages, antique ledger paper, security envelopes, and sheet music.Remember that the heavier the paper, the thicker the book. If youre using heavierpaper, you may need to use 11 or 12 sheets instead of 14.

CPS Freemium Books v2

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