Smaller books made from water colour paper.

Here are two smaller books made from one sheet of water colour paper painted with an extended 

(1 meter long) brush and Indian ink.

After the mark making, the sheet is torn into pages 10cm x 14cm, then each torn page is folded in half to measure 10 x 7 cm.

Each small book has seven signatures of two pages each.

Stitched together using waxed linen thread and coptic stitch.

   

                                               

                                           The spine stitching is woven with embroidery floss, then embellished with

buttons.

Discoveries in the Studio

I've been sorting through collections in the studio, found this book that I made years ago, to go into another project containing botanical themed items. Like this book for recording Field notes, small glass bottles containing plant seeds etc.

It is a piano hinged style binding on bamboo skewers. I had made many of this style before this one. 

and sold them as wedding guest books and journals.

Plain, cream parchment paper inside this one, no lines.

five signatures, ten pages per signature.

covers 17cm x 17cm.

The first book made from online class

Well, I started a class online with Nik the Booksmith on Teachable and have enjoyed every minute of it. this is my first book. I've made a couple more and actually sold a custom order last month, which was so great.

It is filled with tea stained papers and some embellishments, I have tried to stick with a musketeers theme. I was so thrilled with the result.

Finally blogging again,

It has been ages since my last blog post,  I've spent quite a lot of time down the you Tube rabbit hole gaining inspiration from some amazing artists and finding online classes.
I have also been spending some time trying to get through the mountain of supplies in my studio so as not to purchase more. Plus I have rediscovered my love of handmade books.

This is one of my latest book orders, the design is a vegvisir, which is a Viking compass.

I had a lot of fun making this one.

It is filled with tea stained papers for journalling in. Also some stitched pockets to pop in some tags etc.

These three viking inspired covers prompted the custom order, I still have to fill them up with pages and embellishments, but they will be finished soon.

Project number three for the year

Fabric flowers from 2" circles

Begin by cutting five 2" circles from fabric using the Fiskars circle cutter.

Fold the circle in half. Thread a needle then tie a knot at the end of the threads. Sew a running/gathering stitch along the curved edge. Begin and end on the same side.

Gather up to form a petal, leave the petal on the thread.

Repeat for all five petals.

Sew the first petal to the last at the gathering point to secure then knot and cut off thread.

Add a button or bead to the centre. Glue a small circle of felt to the back then add a brooch back to the felt.

For the other flower, cut seven 2" flowers in the same way as before. Fold the circle in half then fold a third of the half circle towards you as shown below.

Fold the last third away form you as shown below.

Thread a needle as for the last flower and tie a knot at the end. Sew through the point then leave on the thread.

Repeat for all seven petals.

Sew the first petal to the last then secure with a couple of knots.

Stitch a bead or button to the centre. Glue a small circle of felt to the back then add a brooch back to the felt.

Second project for the year, fabric bucket

This is another project for a customer of Fiskars, these ad hoc projects just add to my goal of weekly projects for the blog and keep the momentum. These are instructions for a small bucket, but just alter the measurements accordingly to make a larger bucket.

1. Choose two coordinating fabrics, choose from heavy weight fabrics like canvas, furnishing fabrics etc. You want them to be pretty sturdy, although you can add stiffening or interfacing to the fabrics if you like.

2. Cut two, four inch circles using the Fiskars fabric circle cutter, one from each fabric.

3. Cut two strips of fabric 14 inches x 5 1/2 inches, one from each fabric, then sew each strip into a tube by stitching the short sides together.

4. Pin the matching circle base to the tube, then sew in place for both fabric buckets. One is the outer and the other is the lining.

5. No need to decide which pattern you prefer for the outside of the bucket as it will be reversible.

6. Turn both buckets inside out, then insert one into the other, right sides together matching the side seams. Pin around the top edges to hold in place for sewing.

7. Stitch around the top edge leaving a gap big enough to turn through to the right side.

8. Turn through.

9. Push one bucket inside the other then pin around the top edge closing the turn through gap. Top stitch around the top edge. 

10. Turn a cuff over the top of the bucket to expose the lining, then fill with your favourite things.

Done!

The first project for the year

This week I had a project to create for Fiskars Australia to promote their cutters for one of their customers. This is the project I came up with.

Its a modern take on quilling, and was so so much fun to do, I think I'll do more another day.

So this is the first weekly project under my belt, I had a few issues with the blog this week and didn't think I'd make my own deadline, it was a bit frustrating but with the help of my techie hubby he got it sorted for me.

Completed project

Framed and Mounted.

So happy with the end result.