Bookbinding opportunities in the Autumn

Autumn is a great time to start a new interest or learn a new skill. I will be teaching bookbinding at Craft in the Bay this year where there will be three very different courses to cater for varrying interests and levels of skill but everyone is welcome. The new course with Make it in Wales in October is designed for those wishing to use their own fabric to bind a book- perhaps for a wedding guest book or photograph album. All tools, materials and a choice of fabrics will be provided for everyone at these courses

29th September Bookbinding for Beginners Simple pamphlets with soft covers, concertina books with hard covers and ribbon ties and books with stab-stitch bindings at Craft in the Bay, Cardiff 20th October Coptic Binding Coptic bound books are constructed with decorative chain stitching across the spine and open flat when laid on a table at Craft in the Bay, Cardiff 17th November Tunnel Books A magical, miniature world contained inside a book. Let your imagination run wild as you create unlikely scenes in 3 dimensions, using found images. at Craft in the Bay, Cardiff These courses will take place in the workshop areas at Craft in the Bay Booking for Courses at Craft in the Bay  can be made by telephone 029 2048 4611  Parking A discounted rate of £4 per day for parking in Apcoa Waterside (subject to terms and conditions). Please speak to the staff Craft in the Bay staff when you book for more information.  18th October  Square hard back sketchbook or journal Hand stitch and bind a chunky square book with fabric covers, finished with a button and cord closure. with Make it in Wales at Ceridwen, Drefach Felindre Booking for this course can be made through the Make in Wales website HERE

OTHER EVENTS 27th and 28th October  10-5pm  and there will also an informal workshop day  sometime in September when I can see a slot- more information soon

How to........ instructions to make a concertina book

Those attending my workshops on printmaking or bookbinding will have received notes on various techniques. I have now started turning these into a series of little books. 
These concertina books contain fully illustrated instructions for making zigzag ( concertina) books. Approximately 10 x 15 cm (4 x 6 inches) and hand bound in my own handprinted paper with hard covers. The 8 pages have been digitally printed and folded to give clear directions for making any size of book.

To purchase your own copy go to https://folksy.com/items/6584355-How-to-make-a-ZigZag-book

How to make a concertina book

Just in time to make a few gifts for Xmas I have updated the instructions, added a few more diagrams and made it available to those who cant get to my workshops

Downloadable digital PDF file (1.19 MB) in colour containing  full directions for how to make a concertina fold book with 14 usable surfaces using easily obtainable materials.

These directions explain all the stages of the process with clear diagrams and text, tips for folding the perfect concertina fold  and making neat corners, to give your multi purpose book the perfect finish.

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/211360291/pdf-how-to-make-a-concertina-fold-book?ref=shop_home_active_1

Concertina Folds

This method of folding a concertina makes a neat zigzag and will fit the cover every time.
Be sure to measure the cover accurately before cutting your paper strip for the pages. The concertina needs to be just smaller than the finished covers so that the book will lay flat on the table when opened.

Zigzags and pockets

This little book has been designed based on the simple concertina format but includes extra pages stitched into the folds with long-stitch and pockets to hold this and that.

The ribbon is secured between the books cover and its pages through decorative star eyelets, these are also used to hold the pockets in place

Book Kits

Writing an article about using ribbons in book making earlier this year created much of the material necessary for a book kit. The "how to do it" part was almost complete- I just had to decide on packaging and contents.

The final packaging

Each kit contains paper to cover the book,ribbon, card , ready folded pages, and full directions to make the book

On the back of each pack is a sample of the paper and ribbon to be found inside and details of what the book will look like

This finished book has been used to display pictures that show silkscreen prints are created and the equipment used- very useful when explaining the process.

My kits can be purchased on Etsy, see my shop  Nant Designs

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3d collage and Tunnel Books with Fishguard Arts Society

 Glossy magazines are an exciting medium for collage workshops- a collection of images can be made in a short time provoking  imaginations into life.
Tunnel books create a stage set inside an expanding book format allowing images to be place one behind the other to be viewed in 3 dimensions.
See http://nantdesigns.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/tunnel-books-and-collage.html

 These fabulous examples were made in just a few hours with minimal help.
 After creating the individual panels, each with a window the separate elements are joined together with two concertina folded strips. This holds the panels in place  and enables light to fall between them -bringing the scene to life.

Freddie created this collage in 2d- the textures creating the hair and leggings are not what you might think!