PAPER: Handmade book 

One of my retirement goals was to make handmade books. I've made a few books over the years and really enjoyed it. I found a Facebook group, Vintage Page Designs, run by a Massachusetts bookmaker. I took her class in March and found it to be well-paced and enjoyable. I ended up with a watercolor journal that I will use when we travel. You know, plein air and all that!

There are two pieces of watercolor paper in each signature.

The papers were torn by hand to size.

Each cover, both front and back was constructed by covering a piece of watercolor paper with a special paper I got decades ago from Paula's Kit Club. I think these were from Japan!

I used these Student Handbooks to weigh down the signatures and the covers after they were glued, before stitching. This flattens everything.

Holes punched in the covers signatures: ready to stitch

I decided to use two colors of waxed linen thread to bind the signatures using the coptic stitch. 

It really wasn't very impressive on the completed book because the color values of the threads were very similar to each other.

The completed book. I think I will cut off the thin leather cording that I added in the covers to tie the book closed. It lies very flat and they get in the way more than they are useful. Looking forward to actually USING a book that I made! 

I really enjoyed this class and the subsequent connections it afforded me.

This is a good view of the spine and the signatures, splayed out. 

Note the two-colored coptic stitch.