Month: September 2015

September 21, 2015 – Beginning Bookmaking

We met on an extremely hot day and met early to beat the heat. The subject for our September meeting was making covers for handmade paper notebooks. Frank Mikulastik was our fearless leader. Frank makes 40 pieces of handmade paper in his kitchen on Sunday afternoons!  Frank is a good teacher and showed us how to size a cover for the size of the paper, told us what materials to use and showed us how to sew a signature into a cover. He is quite inspiring with his own indigo dyed notebook covers.

Sandy brought some leather that we cut for notebook covers. She was able to cut them to size with a metal ruler and a box cutter. She made them big enough for two signatures. It is a nice pliable soft leather and will be great for notebook covers.

Sharolene shared her madder dyed fiber that she dyed in the last few weeks, linen towel that she just pulled off the loom and cotton from the garden. The madder process was

Sharolene's Linen Kitchen Towel, just pulled from the loom.
Sharolene’s Linen Kitchen Towel, just pulled from the loom.
Madder from Phyllis' and Sharolene's garden were used to dye this yarn.
Madder from Phyllis’ and Sharolene’s garden were used to dye this yarn.
Sharolene's madder dyed fiber. Madder was dug from Phyllis' and Sharolene's gardens.
Sharolene’s madder dyed fiber. Madder was dug from Phyllis’ and Sharolene’s gardens.
Notebook made with handmade paper and store bought batik fabric cover.
Notebook made with handmade paper and store bought batik fabric cover.
Homegrown cotton
Sharolene’s Homegrown cotton
Sandy making her handmade paper notebook.
Sandy making her handmade paper notebook.
Leather cutting for notebook covers
Leather cutting for notebook covers
The designs on the paper were from liquidized paper, squirted on after the paper was made.
The designs on the paper were from liquidized paper, squirted on after the paper was made.
Frank used a cut plastic bottle and poured liquid paper into it for the designs.
Frank used a cut plastic bottle and poured liquid paper into it for the designs.

Attendees at meeting were:  Phyllis, Frank, Sharolene, Sandy, Marsha and Carol Lewis (new member).