The ivory paper is one of my favorite handmade papers. It has big sharp pits on the front side, but it also shows well on the back. Very thick to boot, which adds substance with the texture.
Overall, my caterpillar attempt turned out ok. It is a very loose binding, and I should have used some normal stitches between. A cool looking effect regardless!
When I made the book, I didn't have a plan for it. But it turned out perfect for my anatomy class notes and drawings. I became very carefully to keep the colors and style consistent.
Anatomy Bind
Exposed Spine - Caterpillar stitch. Handmade paper covers. Drawing paper pages. Used for figure anatomy class. Various dry media, felt tip pen, and watercolor pencil in natural tones to match the cover.
The smaller bottom cutout is a handmade red paper with a thick laquer finish that highlights the deep ripples and the color. The clover paper is one of my favorites, especially with the red accents I added!
Originally, as seen here, I used floss on the teardrop beads. It was fun and jingly, but sketchbooks get abused and it eventually brook. I replaced with wire as I should have (more easily) done from the beginning.
I'll be honest - I can't remember what this binding is called. It's from Keith Smith's invaluable Exposed Bindings book. It worked out great and holds very well! You do end up with quite a gap between signatures, but that worked out well for painting. The front cover is loose, but notches under the cords keep in place when stored.
Clover
Exposed Spine - Coptic Binding. Nepalese Lokta Paper cover. Decorative cut-out feature leather, glass beads, metal. Various watercolor inside pages.
Embody
Exposed Spine - Coptic Binding. Handmade paper covers. Dried rose petals, decorative wire ribbon, metal lock and key. Watercolor and handmade paper inside pages.
This was my first book! The binding is quiet loose for so many pages but it held together! By the end the cover got a paint job. I used a few half size inside pages for fun, visible in the peek of red and grey on the first image.
The butterfly is a vintage charm from my grandma's jewelry collection. The leather wrap can slide from the knot to open. It very quickly became clear after assembling that I should have used a padding under the fabric cover, to hide the sewing underneath that became visible after gluing down! A lesson for next time.
Note the hanging page marker: an old calligraphy nib, amethyst, soda cap, charm, and small beads.
More on the page marker: A Jones soda cap with a green watch frame embedded inside. Scrapbooking paper distressed with paint and lots of hand sewing. A tiny key trapped in the thread, with a feather and lock nearby. Broad pen calligraphy on a distressed watercolor paper.
Jewel
Exposed Spine - Coptic Long Stitch Binding. Tree Peony Fabric by Amy Butler and glass bead covers. Plastic button, leather, stone, metal, shell closure/accents. Various Watercolor inside pages.
I made this is a just for me sketchbook, promising myself not to share until it was finished and signed! Still not finished, although only a few blank pages remain. I keep going back to old pages and adding more, refining, repainting... it's been a journey!
The bride had a lot of extra invitations due to a reprint. So this cover was not only the invitation, but also the program cover and again here. Such a beautiful design!
I just love this gold moiré! I ended up with enough extra materials to make almost an exact duplicate of this book... those papers are still sitting at the bottom of a drawer untouched.
The book cloth I ordered ended up being shorter than what I measured for. I used this silk ribbon to hide the unplanned seam. Ended up being a cool accent!
Moiré
Case bound book. Moiré fabric covers with silk ribbon and laser cut paper accent. Cardstock inside pages.
This was used as a keepsake wedding guestbook. Recipe for love cards were filled out by guests at the event, then glued to the book pages. The cover cutout shows off the cover of one of the wedding invitations (Vera Wang design).
A case bound book with fabric covers and some craft store embellishment finds. A medium drawing paper was used for the pages.
A post bound album with alternating black cardstock and black leather pages. The cover is a pocket with added ribbon and sew on embellishment.
Matching post bound photo albums. More craft store extras, fun good quality wrapping paper for the covers, metal corners, and plastic photo page sleeves.
A tiny square quick book with scrap canvas cover and pages. Added beads on the spine sewing and a ribbon closure. I think I painted the flowers from life - I liked to sneak flowers from the neighbors yards occasionally to brighten my desk.
Various other bookbinding projects, trying an array of techniques and materials.