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Thursday 2 November 2017

Time for a change

Towards the end of last week I was starting to feel that I had 'sewing overload' and felt the need to spend some time doing something different. I have not really done any sketchbook work for a while so I was toying with the idea of playing in one of them when along came the DMTV newsletter and I spotted the perfect thing. Handprinted Sketchbooks. So I signed up for the videos and on Monday I made a start.

The idea is that you start off by taking a very large - A1 - sheet of good quality white paper and play around printing and stencilling on to it. Now of course those large sheets of white paper that I put carefully away were nowhere to be found! So instead I laid out 8 sheets of handmade cotton rag paper onto a plastic sheet and printed on to them instead.


My print blocks - that old sandal has been hanging around for a couple of years waiting for just such an occassion.


So I printed over one side of the paper and left it to dry.


Then I turned the pages over and did some more printing.


Once they were dry came the exciting bit - each page is carefully torn in half. Then the half pages are folded in half and put together four at a time to form the book.


And at this point I was so happy as the pages were looking great all together. The next stage was to stitch the pages together and into some covers and hey presto, one new sketchbook!






It was much quicker and easier than I had thought. I have just used mount board for my covers as I intend to make a fabric slip cover for the book so the board will not be on show.






I am so pleased that I used the rag paper as I love the soft edges it gives to the page - now to pluck up courage to go in and start working into some of the pages!!

It's FNwF tomorrow - still time to sign up so if you fancy joining in then sign up here  - hope to see you there.

15 comments:

  1. It's gorgeous - as you say, though, now you need the courage to start using it!

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  2. That's a brilliant idea. It's a really effective little sketchbook. It would make a lovely Christmas gift for the right person too!

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  3. Wow Lin your new book looks fantastic,what a great idea and a great way to have a break from sewing xx

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  4. Oh, wow, Lin! This is fantastic!

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  5. Love what you have made, kind of another version of a junk journal except you have made the beautiful pages yourself. Looking forward to see what you do with it.

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  6. Hello Lin - I really loved reading and seeing you create this gorgeous sketch book. The page edges are so pretty and soft too. Such a wonderful idea and I shall look forward to seeing how you use them.
    Cheers now :D) xx

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  7. Hi Lin. Its fabulous! You have made a wonderful sketchbook.....just LOVE it. I know that scary feeling about new pages lol!

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  8. You are so clever and imaginative with the things you do... this looks a heap of fun...

    Hugz

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  9. What an interesting change , love your new book and hope you will share some of your work on the pages as you have created . You are so creative ❤

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  10. That looks so cool! Who knew that would be a use for an old shoe!

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  11. Wow such a beautiful finish !!

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  12. Wow, Lin!
    Such a great use for an old shoe!
    I found it very interesting to see how you printed the pages, and look forward to seeing the cover.
    I’ve not heard of rag paper, do you make it yourself?
    Barbara xx

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  13. Such a great idea, Lin. And I love that you had an old shoe ready for some printing! I look forward to seeing the cover you make for it, and what you put inside it x

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  14. That's such a great idea! I like how you tore the paper to create the book, and then stitched it together. Very unique!

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  15. Hi Lin Oh yours is hand printed sketchbook is gorgeous. I made one at the time of the video. I don't know where I went wrong but mine ended up landscape haha. Iv'e since completed a few pages but like you I hav'nt really picked up a pencil in months. Maybe I two need a little break from needle and thread. X:0

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