May 2024 Book Releases
Create simple no-sew fabric book covers, turning the ugliest of books into the perfect decorative accessories.
From Selfmade 'Pithy' pattern idea - you will have to adjust the pattern to the size of your book and yarn you are using - you start with one row of chain (stitches?), it should wrap 1cm around the top and bottom of the book cover - 2 or 3 rows of single crochet (this will be at the inside of your book to 'hold' the cover in place - so make it as long as you need to), 1 row of slip stitch (that should be where the inside 'turns' to the outer side), 2 or 3 rows of single crochet - double treble crochet to the end of the cover page (again, length depends on your book size) - for the 'back' of the book you do again 2 or 3 rows of single crochet, one row of slip stitch for the break (if you wish, you don't really need to) and 2-3 more rows of single crochet now you are at the back cover page - double treble crochet to the end of the page (leave room for 2-3 rows of single crochet) - 2-3 rows of single crochet, one row of slip stitch, now for the inside of the book 2-3 rows (or more if needed) of single crochet - Now all the way around one row of single crochet and one row of slip stitch to make the crochet pattern a bit more even (in the photo I only have one row of slip stitch) (the 'around' row is meant as some sort of a border to even out the uneven crochet bobbles that you will have. Like, when you crochet a square, two sides will have uneven edges. Just crochet along those edges and you have a nicer 'border') - sow the corners together - crochet a row of slip stitches (like a loop), sow it to the back of the book cover and sow a button to the front Please test in between, if you have the correct length and width! German version
Turn your favorite books into miniature versions with our step by step tutorial on making DIY miniature books, from binding to cover design!
You’re not likely to find a historical structure decorated as over-the-top as this, but I wanted to try various traditional patterns out.
Bind a Book in Tooled Leather: Turn an old ugly book with a broken cover into an heirloom-worthy hand-tooled masterpiece. After trying several methods, I think I've found a pretty good one. Here it is:
How to make beautiful book covers with paper! Includes free patterns!
An illustrated guide to the amazingly multifarious sex lives of animals, from elephants and bonobos to butterflies and bedbugs.There may be nothing unnatural...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6121u2MLHc&list=PLC8AED55CC1...
I've noticed lately that I've been getting quite a few hits on my blog from Pinterest... from a really old post about some things I made for a craft fair! Ha! ... it was such a long time ago, but the ideas are still quite cute. Well, based on one of those crafts, I made a tutorial( a year or so ago) about how to cover a photo mat with fabric. Today, I'd like to show you how to cover an old book in fabric... similar to another craft on that ancient post :) MATERIALS enough cotton fabric to cover the book you've chosen... I love using vintage fabric for old books an old book, preferably one that has a blank cover, as some titles or illustrations can show through spray glue -nothing beats 3M Super 77 found at Hobby Lobby or hardware stores a scissor - one you don't mind getting glue on Mod-podge small foam brush (you don't need a knife... I don't know why I put that in there, Ha!) 1. Lay out your book and cut a rectangle of fabric larger than the size of your book... 1 to 2 inches larger on all sides (you might want to iron your cut fabric at this point if it's creased or wrinkly). 2. Spray the back side of the fabric and the outside of the book with spray glue (not in the house!). Make sure you get a good coat... and don't forget the spine of the book. It works well to clip the piece of fabric to a wire hanger with clothes pins and stand the book, spine up, like a tent to spray. 3. Next, carefully lay your fabric out (glue side up!) and place your closed book on one end. Press book firmly down, checking to make sure the fabric is smooth and securely adhered to the book cover. 4. Carefully flipping the book over, while making sure the the spine keeps contact with the fabric, wrap the other side of the fabric around the front of the book. Once again, being careful to make sure there are no air bubbles or wrinkles in the fabric. Your book should look like this at the end of step 4. 5. Cut off all 4 corners of the fabric, leaving about 1/8 of an inch margin between the corner and the edge of the cut. 6. Make two cuts in the fabric by the spine. The cuts should line up with where the cover creases. Do this on both ends of the book. 7. Smooth the fabric over the edges of the cover on all sides. Pay special attention to the corners, making sure to pull the fabric tightly over the edges. Use Mod Podge if necessary to make sure the flaps are adhered completely. Your books should look like this at the end of step 7. 8. Add a very thing layer of Mod Podge to the left over tabs of fabric on either side of the spine. Then using a letter opener or a butter knife, push the tabs down into the little gap between the cover and the binding. 9. Add a little Mod Podge to the the corners of the book and use your fingers to push down the fabric (if necessary) to make a clean looking corner and keep them from fraying in the future. Let dry and display... :) YOU'RE GOOD TO GO! Blessings,
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Since The Art of the Hut project was first formed I've been gathering inspiration from various artists and visualizing all the drawings of huts I will be doing this coming summer. Studying paintings and drawings that I admire helps me with things like what works in perspective, composition, and focal points. The great artist Richard Schmidt is one of my main inspirations and I admire all of his work, and at the moment particularly his paintings of buildings. He says so much with each brushstroke and he keeps his focal point clear and the painting unconfusing which is hard when it comes to buildings. Here are some more sketches of buildings which inspire me found on Google images. Here's some sketchbook inspiration from YouTube: Both watercolour paintings, I might take a few watercolours with me and keep a watercolour sketchbook while we are on the trip. Speaking of sketchbooks I have ideas of making a few of my own. I love all kinds of sketchbooks, but it is hard to find the perfect one. I may get close to what I want by making my own, using the Coptic binding technique which will allow me to open it up flat. And I also have some inspiration for covers from Pintrest.
I learned leather craft from a few books but I felt kind of lonely just doing things I like all by myself. Thanks to Bubi Au Yeung, a figurine artist, who told me about Fungus Workshop, so I signed up...
How to make fabric covered books. Step-by-step tutorial with photos.
Un petit cadeau de Noël et un geste pour le recyclage! j'ai fait en sorte que le mini entre dans la boîte et résultat: la boîte a retrouvé une seconde vie! des couleurs givrées et hivernales pour la saison, et des feuilles très colorées mais très douces...
Today Donna Downey brings us some amazing new designs. Poppies and Peonies is a line full of color, canvas, and flowers. ................................................................................. Donna's new collection of canvas sheets are filled with beautiful floral designs, vibrant colors, and are perfect to add to any of your...
You know me, pretty determined about finding and using the best practices for all sorts of things... This week I'm writing about a little detail regarding attaching covers to a Coptic bound book - the hidden diagonal stitch (for the lack of a better term). Have you noticed how the sewing thread in
We’re almost at the end of our journey now. A lot's going to happen in this post and if you are following it I would read it thoroughly before attempting to cover your book. The reason being, once you get started you can’t really break off. Our first job is to mix up some paste. There are many forms of paste from basic flour to cornstarch and refined wheat starch pastes. There are ready made pastes on the market and they can be useful to have around for some jobs, but you’ve already gone to this much trouble, what’s making a little paste. The reason for using paste as opposed to PVA is that it penetrates the leather and the board causing a very strong bond. It is also reversible if required. The paste I have used here is made by adding 25g of shoufu refined wheat starch to 250ml of boiled water that I’ve aloud to cool. The mixture is then heated in a double boiler for about 20-30 minutes until it thickens. When ready sieve into a sealable jar, and allow to cool before use. This will last 3-5 days if refrigerated. For more paste recipes please follow this link http://www.maudiemade.com/making-paste/ I have used plain flour before, and it is more than adequate but shoufu is incredibly fine and makes a lovely paste. You’re going to need to prepare your area, and have everything you need close to hand. Various bone folders, shears, various brushes, scalpels and some thick string. Before you start, make sure your fingernails are clipped and take all rings, watches etc off. While the leather is being worked it can be marked very easily. We now need to perform a couple of small yet important tasks on the book itself. Firstly we need to cut back the corners of the boards close to the joint at head and tail. This angled cut allows the leather to be formed into the joint and stops it from possibly tearing over time. To do this open the cover and slot in a thin plate just in case your knife slips and you cut into the spine. I use a No.25 scalpel for this. Repeat at all four corners. Next we need to slit open the hollow back at a depth matching the amount of leather to be turned in. When this is done place the book aside. Make sure your work surface dust free and clean as anything can and will mark your leather. Ok, now take your leather and dampen the ‘hair’ side of the leather. This makes it more supple and helps draw the paste into the leather. Now give the ‘flesh’ side of the leather it’s first pasting. This primes the leather. Have a pair of tweezers to hand just in case you brush starts to shed hairs. Allow this first pasting to soak in for a little while. Now apply a second layer of paste to the leather and some to the spine and joints of the book. Place the book, front side first, onto the pasted leather keeping to the markings. With the palm of your hand carefully bring the leather over the spine and onto the back. Now up end the book and rest it on it’s fore edge and smooth the leather over the spine and down towards the fore edge. With your folder and fingers start to work the turn ins. Work on one side at a time turning the leather in towards the spine. The next stage, in my view, is one of the most difficult in the whole process. We need to feed the leather into the slit we made in the hollow back. This can be quite frustrating due to hollow sometimes being a little stiff. For this purpose I’ve made a couple of wedges that help to keep the hollow open. When the leather is tucked in, make sure you leave some excess leather poking out to form the ‘caps’ later. The amount you leave needs to be enough to come over and partially cover the headbands. Repeat the process on the other spine edge. Before we start on the fore edge we need to set the joints. Take a gilding or pressing board, open the cover and push the board up against the edge of the book board. Paste the fore edge turn ins and using you folder and fingers turn them in crisply. Now pull open the leather at the corner, pinch the leather together and with your shears trim the excess. Reopen the corner, re paste and start to pleat the leather at the very corner over the board. Bring the turn ins together and smooth off with your folder. Repeat on the other three corners. Cut a piece of string long enough to go all around the book from head to tail. With the string mark the joint top and bottom on both sides. Now tie the string around the book located in the marks you made. This can be annoying and an extra pair of hands wouldn’t go a miss! We’re now going to work on the head and tail caps. To protect the rest of the book I wrap some Archival Kraft around so as not to mark the leather. With a small thin folder flatten out the excess leather at the cap making sure it looks even. Take the same small thin folder and flatten the leather close to the joint, up against the tied string making them nice and neat. With a pointed folder pull out the edges of the caps, easing them out against the string. Finally with a flat folder push straight down onto the cap. This will flatten it, forming a cap that will partially cover and protect the headband and mimic the thickness of the boards. Now place acetate between the boards and book to prevent any excess moisture getting to the book block and press between lightly weighted boards and leave over night. Next day while the book is still a little moist we need to perform a controlled opening. This basically lets the book know that it is a book and better start acting like one. First try to open the cover. If it opens freely, all well and good. If not, slightly dampen the joints at head and tail where it is thickest with a soft brush and start to ease it open. Eventually it will open freely. Do the same to the other side. Now with the book lying flat take a page either side and open them flat working your way to the centre of the book. Replace the acetate and return to the weighted boards. Our final stage will be to fill and line the inside of the boards and apply the endpapers, which we will tackle in the last of these posts. Thanks to Rick Whitham for taking the photo's for this post. Would have been quite tricky otherwise!
This week sewing tutorial is a easy tutorial on how to make an ipad cover. If you can stitch in a straight line, you can easily make this pretty ipad
An easy and satisfying brown paper bag craft idea! Instead of throwing, reuse Grocery Bags to make cute Books.
That's right! The third and final installment in the Possession trilogy now has a face! And here it is! I especially LOVE the tagline...
