Pocket Accordion Book

Perhaps this series of posts (yes, there will be more) should be titled Further Adventures in Book Making with Esther K Smith as it's all one big informative experiment following her instructions in How to Make Books.

You see, I love books. Everything about them - from perusing the shelves of book stores to reading them; admiring and appreciating the fonts used, the paper, the feel and whisper of the pages as they are turned. And then there are the stories contained within... Just heavenly.

Yesterday while the house was quiet, I decided to attempt making a pocket accordion book

 following the diagrams only.

After selecting several pieces of Crate & Barrel bags, I set about cutting and folding the paper, ending with six long pages

that I decided to stitch together before folding them into an accordion.

 I also stitched along the folds to add texture

as well as support and separation to the pockets.

The finished pages measure 5" x 7" - the perfect size to hold a 4" x 6" postcard. There's a little flap that overlaps on the front to help hold the book closed. Using an extra piece of the paper bag, I quickly made a wrap that fits over the whole book. This little beauty is going to Pittsburgh with me at the end of the month when I venture out to see Fiberart International 2016.

In the studio

The Connecticut chapter of Surface Design Association (SDA) met last week for our monthly gathering/summer party to share ideas, ask for suggestions, tell about upcoming exhibitions, etc. Anita Balkun shared Esther K. Smith's How to MAKE BOOKS.

The book is wonderful, beginning with the textured cover. 

Helpful diagrams are found throughout. 

This morning, while my not-so-little urchins were still asleep, I decided to try a few of Esther's instructions for making accordion books from one sheet of paper.

After folding and refolding per the diagrams, I turned the sheet over to begin cutting. The spiral is more visible this way.

The last step is folding this way and that to transform one sheet of paper into a funky accordion. The corners create a V in one place and an M in another which break the traditional accordion shape. I'm eager to try this again with more folds...and with paint on both sides of the paper. Stay tuned!

7th Annual Artist Retreat, part 3

The morning light as it begins to sneak into Pam's studio is glorious.

For a few seconds yesterday morning, before the sunlight drifted to the side, it made the recycled Macy's shopping bag handles of my newly created paper bag journal glow. 

Thursday was dedicated to finishing the black, white and red scroll. After all, it was home and it wanted to be completed here...to move on to its next life. 

So I listened and obliged.

 Sewing

and cropping, 

aligning

 and joining.

We had both machines fairly humming most of the day. I always enjoy a bit of a chuckle when Pam and I sit at opposite ends of her worktable and begin stitching - Pam at her George and me at the full metal Elna that was once her mother's. Can't help but think of dueling sewing machines...

Pam's creation is exquisite. I need her permission to share photos though.

At some point around mid-day, Pam looked out the window and spied this little fellow searching for his lunch. He's so tiny - would fit in the palm of your hand. 

Back at work, the black, white and red scroll has become a double-sided accordion book. 

front

back

a different view

The last day of the retreat has arrived far too soon. I feel like I wasted half the time trying to do regular work. On one hand, I did. On the other...well, my folly proved once and for all that this time at Pam's truly is sacred play time. And we are serious about play. All bets are off, there are no mistakes, no bad ideas. And that is a very good place to be. 

7th Annual Artist Retreat, part 2

Way back during the first annual artist retreat at Pam's house, we agreed that this week would be a week of experimentation, much what if-ing and just doing it. A week to try those methods, techniques, tools and/or materials that were on our one day lists. Somewhere along the way this time, I lost sight of that and attempted to do a bit of serious tea bag work. If you read part 1, you know that that was unsuccessful and highly frustrating.

This studio radiates fun, cooperation, sharing ideas, lending a hand, etc. That's not to say serious work never happens, but it comes about as a result of giving yourself permission to play and follow an idea...even the hint of an idea. With this in mind, Pam declared the remainder of the retreat to be about play and I happily followed her directive.

We raided her stash of paper bags and 

while she painted fabric,

I set about slicing

and dicing the bags.

Pam decided to add more handles 

to her journal while waiting for the paint to dry.

Soon enough, it was time for me to sew this to that

and that to this.

Some parts of the bags seemed perfect for creating pockets.

In all, there are 3 pockets in this journal...in fact one whole page (not pictured) is a pocket.

With plenty of supplies at hand, today's question is

do I finish the black, white and red book or make more paper bag journals? What do you think?

Waiting = stitching

For over 10 years now, it's been a habit of mine to hand stitch during times of waiting - on trips when someone else is driving, on flights, during quiet moments in the morning, watching tv and, most consistently, since my little urchins started taking various lessons after school.

My bag nearly always contained a roll of black cotton and a pouch of brightly colored threads. The stitching was intuitive while varing direction, stitch length and contrasts. The action itself gave me joy, a sense of contentment. It came as a great surprise toward the closing of 2015 to find myself no longer enamored with this work. It had become a chore and ended up being undone most often than not.

One morning during that week between Christmas and New Year's, as usual I found myself downstairs before the house woke, wanting to hand stitch, but being a bit reticent to do so. My old way was not working and I knew it, but what next? Try stitching on white cotton? On my rusted cottons? Or on that pad of St Armand Canal black denim paper that I'd bought in Santa Fe? Hmmm...now there's an idea.

2016 waiting = stitching #1

I began with +'s by punching holes in the back for the rows

 2016 waiting = stitching #2

and then proceeded with this one. It was too much like what had come before and left me frustrated.

2016 waiting = stitching #3

This luscious paper wanted to be different. Wanted me to stitch in a new way. Wanted me to embrace the chaos that I felt around and inside me. So on the third piece, I punched holes and then more holes on the back 

 2016 waiting = stitching #4

before beginning to stitch...all the while promising myself to stitch only through the holes already punched,

 

  2016 waiting = stitching #5

to not look at the front and decide that another was needed just here...or right there. Just let go and accept what exists.

 2016 waiting = stitching #6

Acceptance = a sense of freedom  = many ideas on where to go from here.

2016 waiting = stitching #7 in progress from back

I'm enjoying this new waiting = stitching series very much and am trying to take it slow and let the process guide me and grow organically rather than to rush and get ahead of myself. 

By the way, if anyone knows where more pads of St Armand Canal paper in black denim (9 inches by 10 inches) can be purchased, would you mind dropping me a note? I'd be very grateful for the info. 

In the studio

Since returning from Pam's and my 6th annual artist retreat, time in the studio has been hit and miss. It will become even more so over the next few weeks as the school year ends and my little urchins are home until summer camps begin.

My plan for the summer is to rise early and get in the studio for whatever period of time the day brings before the girls wake. This means quiet, focused work. Don't want to wake the urchins too early! 

Over the weekend, I cropped the craft paper that had been printed at Pam's

and began sewing the sections together. What's happening in your studio?