The holidays are quickly approaching, and it’s my favorite time of year to be more creative with my handmade gifts… let’s face it, handmade gifts are just the best!
Being an avid bookbinder and box maker, I get dreamy eyed thinking about how I will invent something fun using our bookbinding kits. Oh, and can I say what a luxury to have these pieces precut to save your wrists?! Not to mention how they make being crafty so much faster!
If I could give you one tip for bookbinding it would be the following: Have what you need at your fingertips!
So, with that in mind, here’s a list of my Top 5 Bookbinding Must-Haves:
1. PVA:MC- Have your mixture of PVA glue and Methyl Cellulose in a small tub ready to go (I use a 60:40 ratio)
2. Always have a new blade in your cutting knife. I actually prefer the 9mm Retractable Blade– You can snap off a fresh edge after about 20 cuts. A good project can be lost due to a dull blade and we all know you haven’t changed that X-Acto blade since 1996!!
3. Bone folder- The kits all use the measurement width of ¼” for gutters, corners and hinges, making the Teflon Folder the perfect tool for easy board placement – without measuring!
4. A good glue brush can make your project easier. I’ve had my glue brushes for about ten years now, and while they may look well loved with a build-up of glue, they work like a charm! Always rinse them thoroughly…then repeat, then once more for good measure. My training mantra for new staff is, “3 minutes at the sink will save your brush and gives you time to think!” If you don’t rinse your brush or soak it in water after you’re done with your project – it will harden like a brick!
Teflon folder (left), glue brush (right)
5. A self healing cutting mat to work on. This handy little mat saves your kitchen table and keeps everything nice and smooth for cutting, folding, and gluing!
Now that you know my tools, tips, and techniques, you can start creating!
If you want a bit of hand holding, we have a rare combo “Book & Box workshop” this coming weekend, October 16. A few stores have seats available, so register now! This workshop is all day – meeting in the morning to make our cute pocket journal, with a break for lunch, then back for the 5×7 drop spine box kit in the afternoon. In the end you’ll truly be on the road to becoming a seasoned book arts person!
Can’t make it to a class? Simply blend our collection of papers and bookcloth to make any handmade gift feel personal. With all the new papers we’ve gotten in from around the world, choosing might be your only challenge!
Cheers,
–Linda
PS colors: chartreuse & pool
Latest fave: 2011 Paper Source Booklet Calendar
Some very useful tips here, I never did get myself a teflon bone folder, perhaps I shall buy myself one for Christmas. You really do need a self healing cutting mat. But one thing, don’t run them under hot water to clean them, they buckle and set in a wierd shape, experience speaking 🙂
Richard
I did the Book and Box workshop this weekend at your new Suburban Square store in Ardmore, with Logan, and it was great!! I loved the project and I am about to embark on making more for gift giving. The selection of papers and ideas is so inspirational and beautiful, its hard not to want to make one of everything. Thank you for opening a store in suburban Philadelphia!!
any chance of offering this workshop online? I am in Columbus, no PS here. Sniff, sniff.