A Book a Day? What's Up With That?


Hi, and welcome to this year-long project. So what's this all about and how did it happen, you might ask. In mid 2007, artist Noah Scalin decided to make a skull out of anything he could find, every day for a year. It stretched him in ways he never imagined, as an artist, a writer and a person. His experience turned into a blog that went viral, and then a book.

Others have picked up on the idea: 365 Hearts, 365 Masks, 365 Bears drawn on a cellphone, 365 paper napkin mustaches.
I wanted to play, too, and I chose books. I love books, I know a bit about making books (thanks to my talented book-maker sister, Marilyn Worrix), and they're broad enough in definition to give me a lot of creative leeway.

The whole point is not really the books. The idea is to stretch myself in many ways as an artist and a person, to set up a discipline, stick with it and see what that teaches me.

I hope you'll join with me and follow along on the journey chronicled here, and let me know what you think.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Book 168 - Single Signature Recessed Skewer Binding - Handmade Book

I've been planning to do this single signature recessed skewer binding for some time. It is a direct lift from Shereen LaPlantz' "The Art and Craft of Handmade Books" - page 112.

This is an easy project with no stitching and only one small gluing step on the cover (which could easily be eliminated since it's only decorative, not structural). Basically, the binding is simply two ribbons tied around two skewers, one inside the spine and the other outside. Using pretty paper makes it a lovely little creation.

This would be a nice simple book to do for a children's class or am easy craft project.





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7 comments:

  1. RitaJuly 13, 2011 at 2:30 PM

    OMGosh! What a simple idea! Looks quite elegant, actually. :)

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  2. RachelJuly 13, 2011 at 5:16 PM

    Yummers, that looks like such fun.

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  3. UnknownJuly 13, 2011 at 10:55 PM

    I've just discovered your site. You have made some incredible books, I can't wait to look through all the others! I've only recently started trying to bind my own books (mostly coptic so far). :D

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  4. FiveAcresJuly 14, 2011 at 6:29 AM

    Lovely: how do you cut your skewers?

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  5. NancyJuly 14, 2011 at 8:45 AM

    Simple yet elegant!

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  6. DonnaJuly 14, 2011 at 9:50 AM

    Elaine - These bamboo skewers are quite thin and soft. I marked the length then used my X-acto knife. I rolled it across the skewer at the mark several times. Then I just snapped it off with my fingers. I sanded the ends with an emery board nailfile. Easy!

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  7. TriciaNovember 29, 2011 at 7:32 AM

    I like the look of this, but wonder: are the skewers fairly secure in there? I'd be worried that they might slip out and the book fall apart...

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