The Art & Craft of Handmade Books Review & GIVEAWAY

Have a story to tell? Make your own books with The Art & Craft of Handmade Books by Shereen LaPlantz. This packed guide contains written and illustrated instructions for seven book models and 25 patterns. It's a revised and updated reprint of work first published in 2001 by Lark Books. While there are prettier books, for substance this book stands the test of time. Learn step-by-step how to create a wide range of handmade books using a variety of materials, tools and techniques. The first project and a variation are shown below - the Concertina and the Concertina with a Text Book Wrapper. Making them involves measuring, cutting and folding paper. Successive projects build upon each other. Latter chapters focus on stitched or sewn bindings. See the complete table of contents below. Multiple galleries showcase contributions from more than sixty artists. Dover Publications released this 128 page paperback July 20, 2016. A Kindle edition is also available. Get your copy below!

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

BASICS

Vocabulary

Glossary

Materials

Tools

Techniques

PROJECT SECTION

Concertina

Bestiaries

Formats

Concertina Gallery

Slit Concertina

Imposition

Counting Books

Slit Concertina Gallery

Star  Tunnel Book

Abecedaries

Making Tunnel Holes

Faux Postage and Artists' Stamps

Star Tunnel Gallery

Pamphlet and Running Stitch

Making a Hole Jig

Book Parts

Making an Explosion Page

Pamphlet and Running Stitch Gallery

Tacket Binding

Commonplace Books

The Dressed Book

Tacket Binding Gallery

Coptic Stitch

Botanical Books

Book Mapping

Coptic Stitch Gallery

Recessed Skewer Binding

Specimen Books

Embossing

Ephemera, Broadsides, and Catchpenny Prints

Recessed Skewer Gallery

Contributing Artists

Acknowledgements

Index

Colophon

The Art & Craft of Handmade Books is available worldwide at Dover Publications. Dover, Great Books, Variety & Value Since 1941. Check out their catalog at Dover Publications. Dover has generously offered to giveaway a copy! One winner will be selected at random. Open until March 10, 2019. Canadian & US addresses only. Good luck!

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Bound Review & GIVEAWAY

Want to create unique and personal handmade books? Check out Bound: 15 beautiful bookbinding projects by Rachel Hazell. Also known as The Travelling Bookbinder, Rachel enthusiastically invites you to come and make books. After exploring an introduction that includes tools, materials and techniques I jumped right in. So far I've made practice copies of the first three designs - the Slit Book, Concertina and Turkish Map Fold - using items I have on hand like printer paper, a bone folder, ruler, scissors and glue. Rachel shows how these can be turned into treasured keepsakes. Making them involved folding, cutting and gluing paper. All projects include a list of the supplies required and step-by-step instruction, both text and photograph. Rachel suggests doing the projects in order as they progress in difficulty. Later designs utilize sewing (the ladder, string of pearls and chain stitches).  You may want an awl, bookbinders needle, slitting knife, cutting mat and scalpel. There are very helpful diagrams, a glossary, resources and index at the back. I love the books aesthetic. The muted colors are easy on the eyes. Susan Bell did the photography. Every time I pick it up it leaves me feeling inspired. It's full of creative ideas for making gorgeous book art. The 160 page paperback was released October 16, 2018 from Kyle Books. Get your copy below!

contents

INTRODUCTION

TOOLS

MATERIALS

TECHNIQUES

SLIT BOOK

CONCERTINA

TURKISH MAP FOLD

FLIP FLAP TAB BOOK

SLOT STRIP BOOK

CONCERTINA WITH POCKETS

RIBBON BOUND PAGES

FIVE HOLE PAMPHLET

SINGLE SECTION:

RUNNING STITCH

STRING OF PEARLS

CHAIN STITCH

JAPANESE STAB BINDING

MULTI-SECTION SOFTBACK

PLACKET BOOK

HARDBACK

DIAGRAMS

GLOSSARY

RESOURCES

INDEX

Pages 20-21 tools.

Pages 28-29 materials.

Pages 80-81 concertina with pockets.

Pages 88-89 ribbon bound pages.

Pages 98-99 single section: running stitch.

Back of my copy. 

Bound by Rachel Hazell © 2018 Kyle Books, photographs © Susan Bell is available worldwide at Amazon. Ron Longe PR has generously offered to giveaway a copy! One winner will be selected at random. Open until December 2, 2018. Canadian & USA addresses only. Good luck!


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