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NewsletterSome mistakes in bookbinding
Hello everyone! I wanted to share some progress in my journal making and bookbinding adventures…namely, some mistakes and major boo boos! I was able to finish two journals, but learning a lot along the way.
First, I made this shabby chic journal, pattern paper from scrapbooking to make the covers with some heavier weight cream colored paper inside. I stitched this page by page, so every page could lay out flat completely. However, using embroidery thread and a loose hand, it became really loose as you can see in the photo and I don’t think the decorative element shows with such soft thread. Inside I also printed a titled but made a mistake with the term “create fearlessly” as I meant it to go on the last page, oops! Well, the rest of the pages are blank, so maybe it’ll provide funky inspiration regardless!
The second journal also has similar pattern paper covers and on second thought I will try to find some thicker type of board for covers. This one has cream paper as well, but regular copy paper weight with 8 signatures, so lots of pages for sketching and such. I also used natural fiber linen string, which I think looks much better…more structure and stitching design showing in the binding. However, I also had tension issues with this as well, some places looser, some places tighter!
So now I am going to try and make a sort of remains of the day type of journal from some cardboard covers and random papers I have lying around. Better bound than spread all over my room definitely. Not sure what to do with these journals though…I already have too many started and doodled in…eek!
Posted on February 16, 2010 at 4:54 pm | bookbinding
Hello fellow explorers and creative minds! My name is Linda, aka tortagialla - a nickname my adorable husband dubbed me meaning "yellow cake" in Italian. I'm your not-so-typical Californian girl who took the plunge and moved to the Tuscan hills of Italy. Now I'm living my dream designing, illustrating and crafting full-time. You can contact me via email linda [!at] tortagialla [!dot] com
I love the look of the natural fiber linen string, very nice! I’m so fascinated by your bookbinding posts, how long does it take you to do the stitching for one journal?
Oh yeah, I actually found the linen string at the hardware store here in Italy and love it! I’ll have to share more explorations tomorrow, but it doesn’t take long at all – although depends how many pages. You just have to sewing through all the holes and weave thread around. I followed this tutorial on youtube actually http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHAJyzzb4EE
I bound my first book recently and hope to make many more. Thanks for the reminder. I think your books are beautiful, even with the boo boos.
Hi Julie – Yes it’s so fun to be able to bind anything into a book form…really cool! Thanks for thinking even my boo boos are beautiful… hehe…
I really liked your post. It’s very interesting! (And the book is quite pretty:) Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for stopping by and hope to share more soon!
Both journals are lovely. The color scheme you pick works very. All natural and fresh. Wish I know how to make a journal. As of what to do with the two journals, why don’t you sell it in your shop? Just a thought …
Thanks so much…I suppose I tend towards more shabby chic or naturals…but sometimes I’ll go for the bold…whatever I feel like. I think it’s pretty easy to make a journal – the simplest would be to just fold papers in half and staple! Wahh-lahh! But even the sewn versions aren’t difficult techniques, just takes some learning. Great idea on the shop, but I don’t want to sell if the journals are more refined…not sure!
Dearest linda, your journals are looking really gorgeous and i adore that shabby chic journal!! I too make mistakes and sometimes major boo hoo when im creating especially when it comes to something new. Surprisingly in the end, the mistakes often turn into something good! Thank you so much for your lovely well wishes on my “Hearts and sweetness” post! Made me sooo soo very happy. Have a lovely merry happy day and love to you!
Hi Jacqueline – thank you for your kind words, as always! You are right though that usually a mistake isn’t that bad in the end…I guess it’s more of a personal bashing at times. Have a great week as well and thanks for stopping by
Hi linda – your books look lovely. The tension will come with practice I think. Both books look beautiful, I also love the color schemes on each one. I am sure you will love using these and forget all about the small issues.
Thank you and you are right that the little handmade touches, whether a mistake or not are starting to grow on me. I like how each one made is super unique…no one has one like it ever…Actually I’m giving them away, so if you are interested check out my next post!