Bookbinding

I went to an online bookbinding workshop with Ali Ferguson and I am SO excited by this new skill!

We learned how to make (stitch) a small sketchbook consisting of several sections (signatures), with an open spine and fabric taps and a fabric cover.

It’s a time-consuming process but very rewarding. I love paper and have been collecting all kinds of paper and wrappers for such a long time. It’s wonderful to put these to good use!

So far I’ve made 5 sketchbooks. I’ve used paper from the Flow book for paper lovers, notepaper, food wrappers and other assorted leaves and scraps. I embroidered onto the pages, decorated them with washi tape, little envelopes, some fabric, postcards, images and quotes. This way the sketchbooks became quite personal gifts and I hope they encourage people to continue to decorate and fill up of the pages.

Bookbinding is defenitely a craft I hope to explore more in the future!

            

some of the pages are decorated, others are still blank :

Dawn

This work has an architectural image as its starting point. By editing and reducing the image I created a more abstract design. Out for three pieces of fabric (old clothing) I cut pattern pieces, then started puzzling them together until I got 3 similar and yet very different views. I sewed the pieces onto a neutral background and added some embroidery. That is how this fabric triptych “Dawn” came to life. 

Many thanks to Richard McVetis who taught this great technique via TextileArtist.org.

creating the piece:

Another dear woodland friend

And here is Robbie the robin, knit from a kit that came with the Christmas special 2013 of Let's Knit magazine.
These kits often contain acrylic yarns that feel horrible and aren't so great to work with. But sometimes the pattern is so cute, that I have found myself persuaded to knit it anyway. Besides, I have learned some great things by making these small objects. And that is why I feel attached to them, although nowadays I make more sustainable yarn choices.
The filling is sustainable though: all kinds of yarn and fabricscraps, so this is one heavy bird!

The nicest words

When we assembled this blue cupboard (from the well-known furniture store) we noticed one of the little crossbars wasn't properly painted. Instead of going through the hassle of driving back to the store and sorting it out, I decided to find a solution myself. I painted the part white and stamped some lovely words on it and let the words spread onto the sideboard. They are all wonderful Dutch words, starting with my favourite letter W. Love my cupboard now!

 

Inspired by this, I decided to spruce up another handy but boring cupboard this way. 

"Always another walk", something Virginia Woolf used to say, walking to her sisters house every day in the Sussex South Downs. I love walking.

"Today is the tomorrow we worried about yesterday, and all is well". I spotted this great saying in the tower at Sissinghurst Castle, where Vita Sackville-West used to live. It is a good thing to see first thing in the morning.