And A Ribbon Ran Through It 4

And A Ribbon Ran Through It 4

The French Link stitch can uniquely engage the ribbon in fun and functional ways.

The French link is a beautiful binding that links signatures (gathering of folded pages or sections) and creates an open spine book through which a ribbon can weave.

Covers transformed with decorative paper, chain link stitch above and below the French Link stitch which is sewn over the ribbons.

Fun book for preschooler with foam sheet pages, Eco-fi felt covered covers, and thick ribbons for durability. Extra cuts in the felt allow the ribbons to weave through the front and back covers, adding visual interest and texture.

The “Honey Bear Brown Book”! Ribbons used for closure ties and detailing, as well as under the French Link stitch.

Using ribbons here for closure ties, under the French Link stitches, and to create the first letter of the young recipient’s first name.

The imagery on the ribbon supports the “outer space” theme of this book, while the double closure ribbons flow and waft.

Three French Link stitches over ribbon creates greater stability. Matching closure ribbons add a touch of whimsy.

“Humble Materials” sample, practicing the French Link stitch. I often love these models or samples…perhaps because they are done in the spirit of exploration, learning and discovery and feel free and inventive.

Here’s to learning, invention, freedom, with a bit of whimsy thrown in for good measure!

In my book, the French often know how to do this best. Go for it…The French Link Stitch! Use those ribbons!

The French Connection or How I Learned to Love to Link 2

The French Connection or How I Learned to Love to Link 2

Books made for children, featuring the “French Link” stitch

   I continue to play with the “French Link” stitch I recently learned. The best way to learn and skill is to do…so inspired by some special upcoming birthdays, I went to town with color, ribbons, and, of course, the “x” -like French link stitch!

Using “Eco-fi” felt (made of recycled plastic bottles, no less) in brilliant colors. The pink and green pop, in complimentary fashion. I hope the heart is seen as coming together, not breaking apart. This book was made for an eight year old girl!

The French link stitch over ribbons, using hemp cord.The knotting below and above the French linking gives the effect of a chain stitch, though each knot is independent of the others.

The flowing ribbons are folded in half, the loop pushed through a slit in the cover, and the ends then pulled tight through the loop.

The theme here is outer space, based on the ribbons, hopefully the polka dots elicit the feeling of planets roiling about in space. The red and black color scheme is meant to be positive,  powerful and masculine, with a bit of white to soften the effect.

The shape of the ribbon ends brings a sense of flags and heraldry to the piece, while the imagery on the ribbons remains playful.  This book was created for a six year old boy (after all!), who is fascinated with space.

   Designed for a spirited three year old girl, this book sports pink, purple. polka dots, and pastels. It’s green ties are made from shiny cord, knotted at each end.

The connecting ribbons are woven through two slits on both covers, with the end of each folded under and glued down. The polk-dotted ribbon glued to the page is the same colors, but a different scale then the connectors. it is fun to play with scale!

The extra slits for the ribbon create a pattern, and add an extra bit of zip to the cover design.

This work isn’t only pure love, it is sheer delight and great fun. Of course there are challenges and ups and down in the process, but the result is arresting and gratifying to the soul. Link On!

Spring Suite: Red Green Blue

Spring Suite: Red Green Blue

A series of single and multiple signature books….bound with the pamphlet stitch, and wrapped with “Eco-fi“, a felt-feeling cloth made from recycled plastic bottles. Sewn with hemp cord. Pages made of acid-free drawing paper. Each made with a person or people in mind. Embellished with repurposed jewelry parts, charms, Eco-fi scrap,  and ribbon.

RED, Fire in the Belly (for Jane)

 

Green, The Right of Spring (For Mom)

  

Blue, Thinking About You, (For D and V)

Pure Joy.

Winter Suite: Engaging the Warm Fuzzie, Again

 Winter Suite: Engaging the Warm Fuzzie, Again

Fascinated by the use of cloth, fabric, and textiles in the built environment, as well as a tactile material to use in bookmaking, I started using Eco-Fi “felt’, a fiber made out of recycled plastic “PET” bottles. In addition to reducing the amount of waste going into landfills, Eco-fi felt can be found in a range of colors, takes glue well, and can be a satisfying and even addictive material to work with.  The following comprise a series called “WinterSuite“, which to my mind, brings the “warm fuzzie” back to bookmaking. Did it ever leave? Books have always been our bedfellows, our constant companions, our friends. Now they can double as a security blanket, as well.

WinterSuite: Gray, multiple signature sewn book, recycled board, Eco-fi felt, hemp cord, pastel drawing paper, UHU glue. Diamonds made from corners cut from felt covers.

 WinterSuite: Blue, Single signature sewn book, recycled board, Eco-fi felt, hemp cord, pastel drawing paper, UHU glue. Diamonds made from corners cut from felt covers.

WinterSuite: Gold, multiple signature sewn book, recycled board, Eco-fi felt, hemp cord, pastel drawing paper, UHU glue. Diamonds made from corners cut from felt covers, blue appliqué made from repurposed felt scrap left over from WinterSuite: Blue.

WinterSuite:BlueBlack1, multiple signature sewn book, recycled board, Eco-fi felt, hemp cord, pastel drawing paper,  zipper, UHU glue. Diamonds made from corners cut from felt covers.

WinterSuite: BlueBlack2,  Single signature sewn book, recycled board, Eco-fi felt, hemp cord, pastel drawing paper, zippers,  UHU glue. Diamonds made from corners cut from felt covers.

WinterSuite: Pink,  Single signature sewn book, recycled board, Eco-fi felt, hemp cord,  UHU glue. Diamonds made from corners cut from felt covers. pages made from felt!

Comfort Object; “…an item used to provide psychological comfort, especially in unusual or unique situations, or at bedtime for small children.”  Let’s hear it for Linus!

Material World (3)

Material World (3)

One of the pleasures and deep satisfactions of bookmaking is delving into the visual, visceral, and tactile pleasures of materials, and how to employ and combine them. The following shares one step of my journey exploring and investigating the qualities inherent in specific materials.   Though many artists do not make the kind of money that allows for indulgence in what might be termed “material pleasures”, we can be seen as materialistic… for materials are the very warp and weft of our trade.  We find our way to the ineffable through the use and exploitation of the materials we choose to create from.

The following books are created from basic but sturdy  cardboard, the kind that drawing pads are attached to, wrapped with a felt that is made from recycled plastic bottles. That aspect alone would lend these pieces a feel-good quality, but the fact that they become warm, fuzzy and strongly tactile books for some reason is currently irresistible to me. Playing with the single signature bound book form in this way has been pure joy. All the books employ the pamphlet stitch.

WointerSuite: Gray

This is a multi-signature (gathering of folded pages) book structure, even though each signature is composed of a single folded page, stitched separately to a piece of felt that was then glued to the whole inside surface of the book. The pages are high quality drawing paper  designed for pastels.

WinterSuite: BlueBlack

This piece is also a multi-signature structure, each signature composed of a single folded sheet, stitched separately to a strip of felt that was then glued to the spine. Two other cerulean blue sheets of felt were then glued to the inside surfaces of both covers. The pages are also pastel drawing paper, of a different sort. Yes, that is a working zipper on the spine. “Unzipped“?  “All Zipped Up“?

WinterSuite: BabyPink

Fascinated by the use of Eco-fi felt, I wanted to see how felt pages would look and feel, and so bound this “BabyPink” book.   It’s 6 pages are created from a single signature of 3 folded felt pieces, stitched to a strip of felt that was then glued to the spine. A piece of off-white felt was  glued to the inside surface of each covers. The corners that were cut off the felt “wrapper” and other felt fragments were used for embellishment, in an effort to use the felt to its fullest. In this way, such activity becomes piece / peace work.

 There is something primal about doing this… primal as regards to materials, and creating the basic form of covers, spine and pages.  Even when open, the book remains  mysterious and primordial form in feeling. It seems to start at the very beginning…