Notebook covers and journals

A couple of years ago, a workmate and friend of mine did me a nice favour. He was getting rid of a lot of old law books, and as he’d heard me mention that the sturdy book covers would be great for projects, he got me a whole bagful of covers as a surprise. When I saw the bag that he’d snuck into my room, I decided that I was going to make him something from those covers as a little thank you. I soon started on a notepad cover, but faced with some construction problems, the project remained a UFO. Recently, however, I learned that he will soon undergo complicated surgery, and I decided that the time had come for me to finish what I started. Fate helped me along with this, because I had just treated myself to the latest issue of International Quilt Fest: Quilt Scene, and there I discovered an article about [drum roll] fabric-covered notepads. This article gave me a fresh perspective on my own project, and I finally finished the cover. I snuck it into his room this morning. I hope he liked it. :)

I’ve also been busy with a couple of other projects. One of them is also for a friend, but still not ‘open to the public’, and the other one is a new journal. A while ago I asked you to stay tuned for more of my bookbinding adventures, and here’s the next instalment: Gwen Diehn’s Thirty-Minute Multiple-Pamphlet Journal (from The Decorated Journal). This was a lot of fun, even though I got myself into trouble by deciding that I was going to take a slightly alternative approach to making the cover. I did pull it through, though, and I’m very pleased with the result. I made this journal for a specific purpose. My partner Jarkko and I are going on a vacation to Thailand (!) soon, and my hope is that it won’t be too hot to journal there. I’m finding it difficult to get into the habit of journaling, so I’m hoping this trip might kick-start me. There has to be loads of things worth drawing or painting there, and I should hope my usual excuse (lack of time) won’t be a problem. I‘m very excited about our new adventure, and can hardly wait for it to begin. But, oh, there’s so much to be done before that!

Fodral och skissböcker

Under helgen som gick sysselsatte jag mig med tre små projekt. Det första projektet var ett fodral till ett anteckningsblock som jag började med redan för länge sedan, men som hade blivit liggande. Det var tänkt som ett litet tack till en arbetskamrat och vän som hade gjort mig en tjänst, och när jag nyligen fick höra att han ska bli opererad och sjukskriven en längre tid, bestämde jag mig för att tiden var mogen för att avsluta projektet. Jag smög in fodralet i hans rum idag. Jag hoppas att han gillade det.  :)

Mitt andra projekt är också till en vän, men det är inte ”offentligt” ännu. Det tredje projektet blev en fortsättning på mina äventyr med bokbindning. Det blev en skissbok som jag ska ta med mig när min Jarkko och jag åker på semester till Thailand (!) inom kort. Jag hoppas det inte är för hett för att teckna och måla där. Det ska bli spännande och jag ser verkligen fram emot det!

Notepad cover with the Finnish Coat of Arms

Fodral för anteckningsblock med Finlands vapen

My journal, with 300 g/m2 watercolour paper and vellum

Min skissbok, med 300 g/m2 akvarellpapper och vellum

Bitten by the Bookbinding Bug

I signed up for a class in Japanese bookbinding last October, as some of you may remember. I really liked the idea of making my own sketchbooks, and have since become increasingly aware of the fact that a lot of artists enjoy making their own sketchbooks, or journals, for a number of reasons – aesthetic as well as practical. As a result, there have been a few additions related to simple bookbinding to my library. (I’m beginning to worry that one night I’ll wake up to a tremendous crash, as my flimsy bookcase finally surrenders to the weight of my collected wisdom. That doesn’t stop me from buying more books, though.)

As a warm-up exercise before the Real Thing, I decided to try making the little pamphlets that Gwen Diehn describes in her book The Decorated Journal. I started with the Three-Minute Pamphlet, and then moved on to the Six-Minute Double Pamphlet, in two different styles: the Pleat Book and the Dos à Dos. I used 120 g/m2 drawing paper, and my plan is to slip a pamphlet into a pocket in my personal organiser, to have it near at any time I’m stuck somewhere and feel the urge to doodle. I probably crammed too much paper into the pamphlets, as they all sprawl open, but never mind. A rubber band will fix that.

Next time I’ll go for the Thirty-Minute Multiple-Pamphlet Journal. That sounds very impressive. Stay tuned.

Biten av bokbindningsflugan

Kommer ni ihåg att jag var på japansk bokbindning i höstas? Jag gillade det där med att binda mina egna böcker och planerar nu att binda en egen skissbok så småningom. Men innan jag tar mig an ett så avancerat projekt har jag övat mig lite med enklare modeller. De här små häftena är beskrivna i Gwen Diehns bok The Decorated Journal. Jag tänker stoppa in ett litet häfte i min almanacka, så har jag det nära till hands när jag fastnar någonstans och vill fördriva tiden med lite skissande. Håll utkik efter nästa övningsprojekt, som kommer att börja likna en riktig bok!

 The Three-Minute Pamphlet

 The Six-Minute Double Pamphlet (Pleat Book)

 The Six-Minute Double Pamphlet (Dos à Dos)