I'm going to say right up front, I love this hand-made wrap-around journal. I haven't loved many of the books I've made the last week or two--liked them, yes, but not loved them--but I love this one. The leather is butter-soft calfskin and I love the way it wraps up all wrinkled over a firm base structure.
I saw a wrapped up leather journal somewhat similar to this on a website a few days ago and have been thinking ever since about how to construct it. While figuring it out, I have basically made this book several times in my head over the last couple days. I didn't want to make it a case binding, I wanted a longstitch journal, but I didn't want the stitches to show and I wanted a hard or semi-hard cover on the front and spine only, not on the back.
From medium weight chip board, I cut a piece for the front cover and another for the spine. I then covered them with the front and spine parts of the cut leather piece, turning the corners in neatly. I then chose a fairly heavy cardstock and cut it like a wrap cover for the book block. I stitched the 12 signatures to it at the spine as if it were the cover for a longstitch binding book. Then I glued the wrapped book like end pages onto the leather.
Hmmmm, I finding this a little hard to explain. I hope the phtotos make it clearer. The leather flaps that extend from the sides and back wrap up the book like a package, and a leather thong wraps around and holds it all together.
This hand-made wrap-around leather journal is delightful to the touch, and the chip board liner gives it a firm structure to hold onto. Finally, a book I'm really proud of.
I saw a wrapped up leather journal somewhat similar to this on a website a few days ago and have been thinking ever since about how to construct it. While figuring it out, I have basically made this book several times in my head over the last couple days. I didn't want to make it a case binding, I wanted a longstitch journal, but I didn't want the stitches to show and I wanted a hard or semi-hard cover on the front and spine only, not on the back.
From medium weight chip board, I cut a piece for the front cover and another for the spine. I then covered them with the front and spine parts of the cut leather piece, turning the corners in neatly. I then chose a fairly heavy cardstock and cut it like a wrap cover for the book block. I stitched the 12 signatures to it at the spine as if it were the cover for a longstitch binding book. Then I glued the wrapped book like end pages onto the leather.
Hmmmm, I finding this a little hard to explain. I hope the phtotos make it clearer. The leather flaps that extend from the sides and back wrap up the book like a package, and a leather thong wraps around and holds it all together.
This hand-made wrap-around leather journal is delightful to the touch, and the chip board liner gives it a firm structure to hold onto. Finally, a book I'm really proud of.
I agree, this is great! would be excellent for special top-secret ideas
ReplyDeleteThe pictures do help a lot. That looks fantastic!
ReplyDeleteI don't know how you do it! It looks great. I can only imagine the feel. (I trust you're going to have a show at the end of this project?)
ReplyDeleteThis is absolutely gorgeous!
ReplyDelete