The Clam Shell Book Box

The clamshell book box would have been big enough for the pamphlets after all. But I went ahead with the new book/book box combination anyway since the slipcase for the pamphlets was finished. Dark blue and purple batik cotton fabric was used to cover both. First I used HeatnBond on the fabric to keep the glue from seeping through the material. I have used it before although I am not sure it is necessary if the glue is applied in the right consistency to the boards.
Now that I have finished this matching set, I have moved on to another book. I have the paper folded but still am in the process of deciding which book form to use. I am torn between doing a quarter leatherbound project and doing something Coptic or Ethiopian style. Neither the clamshell book nor this current one is printed. Rather they are both blank books.
Plans in my mind include completing the Magnusson family stories, my boat trip journal, and a book of poems that I have written over the years. The latter is a very small collection so it might be something I could print on my press and thus use for THE BOOK. THE BOOK is the one that will be comprised of paper that I have hand made, text that I have written and printed on my hand press, and a binding that I have completed myself using my own hand decorated paper for the cover material.

It is with some regret that I have completed the very last binding of Pike Stories. The pamphlet bindings were fun. I used a combination of coordinated batik printed fabrics that I purchased. Yellow food coloring dyed the thread well enough to use it to sew the five signatures. Each one is sewn with a different pattern.
When it came time to make the box, first I created a clam shell box, but I soon realized that there wasn't enough of the fabric to cover it the way I preferred. Therefore I made a simple slipcase book box covered in some of the same cloth as the pamphlets. I will use the clam shell box for another project.
There is a waiting list for the papermaking class I wanted to take; thus I doubt that I will be able to attend. Perhaps I can manage to learn the art of making and dyeing paper the Japanese way on my own if I can locate the proper supplies.
Luckily I have found some new information to add to the Magnusson family history so I am hopeful that there will be enough to make an interesting story.

Finishing Pike Stories

There are now fourteen copies of Pike Stories completed. The pamphlet bound copy is not covered yet, but otherwise the project is finished. Research has begun for the Magnusson/Kirby volume. I am hoping to complete a papermaking class this summer; in the meantime, I have been making various types of bindings to keep in practice - a few more albums, miniature books for thank you's to the quilt square makers, and the last of the Pike Stories. The latter were completed with cloth covers.