bindery blog

tool talk

2009-07-06T09:36:00.000-07:00

The other weekend I took a workshop at The Center for Book Arts with Sylvia Alotta, who led us in finishing a trio of bindery tools. Pictured from the left are a piercing cradle, a finishing press and a sewing frame. All the tools were designed by Ms. Alotta, who has a background in industrial design.

I'm most excited about the finishing press, which will make hand sewing endbands a much more comfortable task. I had been making do with a portable nipping press (which you can see behind the sewing frame, with rubber balls at the end of threaded rods) turned on its side.

school's in

2009-04-01T23:14:00.001-07:00

I have a section of Bookbinding I coming up at The Center for Book Arts here in NYC, meeting Monday nights from April 20 - June 29. Join us and learn or review bookbinding fundamentals this spring.

Come see what this is all about.

nothing too much just out of sight

2008-11-24T20:49:00.000-08:00

Late this summer I had the honor and thrill of lending a bone folder-wielding hand to Sir Paul McCartney's latest project, executing models of various concepts dreamed up by Norman Hathaway for the CD packaging of The Fireman's Electric Arguments, including a binding with an exposed spine and thread tails left long.

The music fan in me is enjoying this album, particularly the tracks "Sing the Changes" and "Don't Stop Running."

the quilt shop at the center of the universe

2008-09-22T10:22:00.000-07:00

The City Quilter, an indispensable partner in my art making, celebrated its 10th anniversary with a commemorative quilt, to which I contributed this log cabin block featuring the storefront - teeny tiny quilts and bolts of fabric and all. The quilt has just been completed and is currently on display in the shop in Manhattan and on The City Quilter's web site.

goodbye friend

2008-08-27T20:35:00.001-07:00

RIP Lizzie, the Center for Book Arts cat

summer school

2008-05-06T08:06:00.001-07:00

I'm teaching a new workshop at The Center for Book Arts this summer, in longstitch binding - a favorite of mine. We'll meet July 19-20 to explore this ancient and useful structure.

Also, I have another section of Bookbinding I coming up in August.

And some good news for students past and present: as I have promised some of you, I have begun making PDFs of handouts from my classes available by email request.

the care and feeding of old books

2008-03-18T11:56:00.000-07:00

My work in book conservation at the Met continues... this year I am assisting conservator Sophia Kramer in the conservation of French illustrated books, 1800-1850. This day I was removing staples from the spine of an illustrated novel. Later I sewed the text block and Sophia returned it to its repaired case.

too pretty to eat

2008-02-18T09:47:00.000-08:00

Mindy Dubansky celebrates the life and work of Alice C. Morse in style, with a book and exhibition at The Grolier Club - the culmination of 10 years of research and collecting. Cookies by Roni Gross depict signatures used by Alice Morse in her designs.

Happy New Year!

2008-01-23T11:18:00.000-08:00

I hope 2008 brings health and prosperity to you and yours.

Did you resolve to learn bookbinding this year? I have two classes coming up at The Center for Book Arts here in NYC. I will be teaching Bookbinding I in a weeklong intensive workshop March 10-14 and also in an evening class meeting weekly from March to May. Banish those late winter blues.. the Center's warm and cozy binderies are calling you...

happy holidays

2007-12-01T11:54:00.000-08:00

I will be at The Center for Book Arts' holiday sale this year. I'll have ornaments like these pictured, and lots of books (including my quilted ones).

The sale is Saturday, December 15, with a preview party Friday night, December 14, both at the Center. Hope to see you there!

in the press

2007-11-04T13:16:00.000-08:00

Neighborhood newspaper Chelsea Now has a nice feature on The Center for Book Arts, where I've been hanging around in various capacities for the last five or six years (my, has it been that long? how time flies), most recently teaching bookbinding.

Happy Halloween!

2007-10-31T08:53:00.000-07:00

Chelsea Hotel ghosts

art and magic

back to school

2007-09-20T15:04:00.000-07:00

Bookbinding I students, from left: Patrick, Heather, Eric, Shane, Lizzie, Linda, Alice, Mary

making models

With two classes under my belt and another around the corner I'm getting into the swing of things, and finding teaching to be fun and enriching beyond my imaginings. A lot of neat people seem to find their way to the Center and it's been great to teach and learn from them.

first class!

2007-05-19T00:46:00.000-07:00

from left: Toni, Churchill, Mia, Geri, Frances, Catarina, James, Manuel.

Catarina and Manuel are artists in residence at the Center.

passing it on, cont.

2007-05-05T20:08:00.000-07:00

The bookbinding class I'm teaching at The Center for Book Arts here in New York this month is full, but another section has been added, meeting August 20 - 24. No prerequisites! Come and indulge your love for books.

learning models

2007-04-26T17:18:00.000-07:00

Preparing to teach had me looking at some of the books I've made in classes over the years. Pictured are books made under the tutelage of Barbara Mauriello, Susan Mills and Sage Reynolds, all at the Center for Book Arts here in NYC (where I'll be teaching Bookbinding I in a couple weeks).

2007-04-12T15:41:00.000-07:00

God Bless You, Mr. Vonnegut.

happy spring

2007-04-09T11:38:00.000-07:00

This year Dan and I used decoupage to color eggs (a favorite tradition at our house).

2007-03-29T21:45:00.001-07:00

If you're like me you're as fanatical about pens as you are about paper and books. I was a Sanford Expresso devotee for years until they became increasingly hard to find. Then there was a transitional period where I didn't have a steady pen, and my husband Dan stuffed my stocking with replacement candidates at Christmastime. The Le Pen marker was a winner, and has been my pen ever since.

Now the stationery shop in the neighborhood doesn't seem to have them in brown anymore so I stocked up online. I was tickled to receive the boxes along with the pens. I was reminded of Charles Schulz who, upon hearing his favorite pen was going to be discontinued, bought an entire drawer's worth so he could continue to draw Charlie Brown and company for the rest of his days.

2007-03-04T22:04:00.000-08:00

Ever have a project take on a life of its own?

books at work

2007-01-26T13:49:00.000-08:00

Books that I made that I use.. some of my sketchbooks/project books and journals. I didn't make the binder; it contains handouts and things I've collected over the years from classes and workshops and whatnot.

It looks like I laid things out nicely for the photo but this happened organically.

passing it on

2007-01-08T18:31:00.000-08:00

I'm excited for 2007 because, among other things, I'm going to teach bookbinding at the Center for Book Arts. My class, Bookbinding I, will be a weeklong workshop in May. The class has no prerequisites, so come one, come all!

everything old is new again

2006-12-28T14:17:00.000-08:00

While fetching paper for a recent project I also picked up a copy of New York Central's new paper catalog, pictured here with its well-thumbed predecessor.

Happy New Year!

adventures in bookbinding

2006-12-05T21:46:00.000-08:00

You never know when a project will take you somewhere new, like the land of Tyvek. It turns out to be a fine, even favored bookbinding material. Used mostly for hinges, it's also popular for covering material like paste paper (and perhaps marbling?). In my case it came in the form of a preprinted map and worked well for a guestbook commission.

drawn to books

2006-11-29T09:22:00.000-08:00

I stretched my wings a little and made a drawing of a stack of books for the Center for Book Arts web site, for the annual fund drive. My original idea was to add books to the stack as money was raised (as in, more money means more books) but the powers that be decided to display the final drawing and color in the books as the total rises. I'm just tickled to see my artwork on the site.