Summery Summary of Custom Projects

Dear Everyone ~

Custom projects are one of my favourite parts of Bari Zaki Studio. They are also “the original part” of my bookbinding passion. Thirty-plus years in, each project still seems new and one-of-a-kind, even if it involves multiples. From family memoirs to large storage boxes, from artists’ portfolios to ephemera albums, each commission has its own distinctive parameters. And the recipient, the audience, the user is part of my process. Who will do what with the object I’m making?

I haven’t written about any custom projects this year, but that is not because I haven’t completed any. Au contraire! I am starting to make up for this l-o-n-g lapse today, the longest day of the year. I have just added to the Project Gallery a four-needle Coptic-stitch binding which I refer to as Double Bind.

The “cover story” is a rainbow of bookcloth that houses, if I may say so, an epistolary pot of gold. Donald’s inspiration was to give Stephanie, his wife, an album for a very special set of letters relating to her passion for equality, which has become her profession. I wrote a blog post about Donald’s surprise for Stephanie shortly after I finished the project, and you can find that here.

Donald recently sent me this update: “ Stephanie’s book sits proudly on our bedroom bookshelf. The letters were once folded up in a crumpled brown paper bag and not touched for years at a time—she knew they were there, but she never looked through them. Now they sit on display with her other personal memories…definitely an upgrade. She does visit it from time to time. Because it’s private, she’s only shown it to her friends who also attended Emmaus. ”

* * * * *

My most recent commission was from Eunique D., who came by the shop this past Saturday, to pick up her amazing Father’s Day gift for her dad. We had started musing voice-to-voice about her project this past January. She e’d me a few photos of her grandparents’ wedding album, which she was hoping to restore in some fashion for her father. The original album turned out to be in poor condition, so my challenge was how to retain its persona while creating an entirely new album. I double hinged the pages and bound them into a screw-post binder. One of my favourite details is the front cover “window,” framing an important portion of the original cover: the couple’s names and the date of their wedding. I plan to add this to the Project Gallery in July, with my production details and Eunique’s wonderful narrative.

Also earlier this year, I received an email from Sarah B., a longtime customer who now lives in Japan. She wanted to commission two albums to give as baby gifts. We mused about binding styles, number of pages, and, of course, what papers she would like the books covered with. I was thrilled when she offered to ship me a selection of papers from Itoya, one of the largest paper stores in Tokyo! I was further excited when she requested that I hand-fold an assortment of envelopes that the recipients can place wherever they’d like in their books. Both albums are now finished, and I will be making the envelopes this coming week. And, then, to the Project Gallery it will go!

If you’re curious as to how most customers select their palettes & materials, you can read about our swanky swatch service right here.

Project Gallery

Projecting, Bari

Fresh Supplies for Summer

Dear Everyone ~

Scouting for new tools & supplies for bookbinding, corresponding, and drawing is a part of the creative process I find so enthralling. And when a new-to-me supply turns out to work like a charm, I'm charmed! Herewith a tour of my favourite recent discoveries & acquisitions for the shop.

Let’s start with my new crush. It's true glue love. Yamato brand glue from Japan is a smooth, lightweight paste that comes in a squeezable tube. Made, from tapioca starch, it is both acid-free & non-toxic. Most exciting of all: it is s-l-o-w drying, giving you ample time to position and reposition whatever you are glueing. Once dry, what you’ve glued remains perfectly in place. I was eager to see how this glue behaves with thin, delicate papers, as well as chiyogami & katazome. I am delirious to confirm that a layer of this paste, brushed on lightly, performs superbly. I also tried glueing bookcloth to bookboard with excellent results! And it’s perfect for collage work. Totally tubular.

Also new in the bookbinding department is a six-inch teflon bonefolder. I’ve used mine for many, many moons & consider it indispensable when I’m working with soft Japanese papers, especially when on larger books or boxes. The teflon finish makes this tool the smoothest of operators, simply gliding over the paper, banishing any bubbles or wrinkles without scuffing or marring the paper. Make no bones about it—once you use one, you’ll wonder how you've bound without it.

An Xacto knife (#1) is an essential bookbinding tool, always included on the “tools needed” list for my bookbinding & boxmaking workshop. Finally, you can purchase one #1 Xacto knife individually, with five fresh #11 blades. Xacto-ly the tool for the job.

First up in the paper department is a delicious pad of cappuccino from Hahnemühle. It’s one of their newest toned (meaning “coloured”) sketch papers in pad form, measuring 4⅛ x 5⅞ x ¼, with 30 silky smooth sheets. This paper takes all manner of mediums beautifully, which is why we've given it our stamp of approval!

Pads of Rivoli Rose notesheets in European A5 have arrived. You might wonder what size that is, and it is 8¼ x 5¾. It is twice the size of the A6 sheet and, as it happens, half the size of a European letter sheet, which is called A4. Yes, it’s a system! The companion C6 envelope measures 4⅞ x 6⅞. The A5 notesheets fold in half to fit comfortably, with room for larger enclosures, such as a postcard. I've bundled the envelopes in a set of 10, tied with snowy white seam binding.

Back to the Kuretake fudegokochi brush pen. It’s a felt-tip pen, with a cap that snaps shut. The ink is pigment-and-water based, so it is not waterproof, but let that not dissuade you. I found the tip to stay in pristine condition, even after long interludes of drawing. I also enjoyed using it to outline and then fill in the deep black ink on my wintry botanical illustrations. Its nib is good for drawing wide lines as well as thin, and is also great for calligraphy and hand-lettering!

Last, but not least, we have a charming addition to Washi World! The official pattern name is “stick stick” which cracks me up. It’s ¾ wide and marvelously mix & matchy, natch!

Yamato sticking glue
Teflon bonefolder
Xacto-knife (#1) + five spare blades
Hahnemühle cappuccino pad
Rivoli Rose (A5 pad) & envelopes
Kuretake fudegokochi brush pen
Stick-stick washi tape

Iced cappuccino, Bari

A very epistolary & origami friendship

Dear Everyone ~

While I was in packing mode for my trip to San Diego, I received a large Tyvek envelope from Alyson Kuhn, a.k.a. my Postal Muse. Inside that envelope was a “glassine suitcase” enveloping…an origami wardrobe! I left the suitcase closed (it was latched with twin strips of washi), saving it to savor upon my return. I could see, as can you, Cambritches and shirts within, and I knew that Alyson had not folded them herself. I “suspected” her friend Eroca Brawne in Vancouver and promptly sent Alyson a handful of questions. I’ve never met Eroca but feel I know her, thanks to our papery kuhnnections.

Please divulge your inspiration for this Cambridge folding caper.

Well, I have a constellation of Cambridge stars and butterflies in my open-fronted china cabinet, all folded by Robb. I enjoy them every day, and it occurred to me that some of the patterns would make charming fabric. It was less than a leap to think of origami shirts, so I packed up some sheets and sent them off to Eroca with a buttery note.

Can you remind me how you know Eroca?

Our friendship started with an exchange of mail, back in 1993. I had seen Eroca’s self-promo piece in a paper company’s awards show. I typed her a fanletter, on the wonderful stationery of the printing company I worked for in Atlanta. I was rewarded not only with a piece of paper-engineering magnificence and a delightful handwritten letter…but also with the beginning of an extraordinary friendship.

Eroca is a designer, an artist, and a creative spirit. Recently, when she sent back the Cambridge suits, she included samples of several of her recent projects & passions, including the handsomely bordered sheet you see above. The marvelous menagerie is not Eroca’s handiwork, but her note (set in Aquiline Two, based on a Renaissance script) tells a captivating tale, which is well worth sharing:

“ This beautiful bit of artwork is from Philipp Hainhofer’s ‘Grosse Stammbuch,’ a friendship book signed by some of the most powerful figures of 17th century Europe. Hainhofer would ask dignitaries to paint in his friendship book, and each individual would commission an artist to create a painting accompanying their signatures. It took more than 50 years to compile the 100 drawings in the book. In our current times of instant gratification, it is quite an amazing accomplishment. (1578–1647) ”

I asked Eroca if she’d done anything else with that gorgeous border, and she e’d me back, ‘No, I thought a friendship book was appropriate for our 29 year love-of-paper correspondence—and it had a beaver in the margin, so Canadian!’

Have you ever had the pleasure of seeing Eroca hand fold her suits in person?

I have! When I worked for Crane & Co. in the late ’90s, Vancouver was part of my territory. Eroca invited me to her studio, and I arrived laden with Crane promotion materials. It was a momentous interlude. She gave me a little suit she’d folded out of Italian currency, and it looked like Gucci-Pucci lounging pyjamas. Eroca commented that U.S. currency was actually her favorite to fold, so I asked why, and she replied (unaware that I currently worked for the American manufacture of that paper) that the paper was quite crisp and folded beautifully and could be ironed with great results. I explained that Crane paper is 100% cotton, and that it behaves and feels like fabric, but with a superior memory. I happened to have some crisp $1 and $2 bills with me, for tips, and Eroca folded them into suits for me before I left Vancouver—including a pleated skirt!

So, have you ever had any creative pursuits featuring the suits?

Oh, of course! I’ve given many suits, always folded by Eroca, as gifts over the years. The little medallion with a letter inside refers to the Federal Reserve Bank for which the banknote was destined. There are twelve Banks, lettered A through L. One of my funnest capers, many years ago, was presenting my friend Jake with a set of four “monogrammed” suits, in a Sobrani suitcase. (Thank you, Jake, for these fresh photos!)

For a dinner party at Crane & Co., attended by engravers from across the U.S., we commissioned Eroca to fold 160 shirts from crisp $1 bills. The gentlemen received slacks she folded from Crane’s Old Money, which was itself made from a blend of recycled undeinked $1 bills and cotton linters, so it was pale green, and the ladies had skirts Eroca pleated from Crane’s Distaff Linen. “Distaff” is a tool used in spinning; it more broadly refers to “womanly work”—so, ahem, suitable for skirts!

Are you considering learning to fold yourself?

I am not. I will continue to impose on Eroca for shirts, though I do enjoy folding slacks. Recently, I tried pairing a Cambridge shirt with inside-tint capris, and I was quite pleased with the beachy-keen result. Wouldn’t we give the shirts off our backs for outfits like these?!

Speaking of outfits & suitcases, I am happy to report that my week of filming with The Crafter’s Box in San Diego was a dream, quite literally. And as soon as I had finished unpacking, I was Zooming Lesson #3 of Bookful of The Clothes We Wear! This past week Cat focused on entire outfits. Here is what Alison Zehr from Chicago shared along with one of her Bookful pages:

“ Bookfuls are always a two-for: you come away with a book and with some art work. Both of which continue to inspire. Cat really acts as a sort of coach, encouraging, reassuring, providing helpful hints. I’ve done several Bookfuls, starting as a complete neophyte. I think the image completed last Saturday, in the beautiful book Bari guided us through, is the best I’ve done. Thanks to Cat! ”

Ready, steady, thready!

Dear Everyone ~

I am delighted to debut two new workshops via Zoom: Mighty-fine-nine-signature-spine Book and Trio of Diamond-stitched Booklets. My table and my heart are almost overflowing at the prospect of assembling the kits for these workshops. Photos of my “Palette Palace” will be forthcoming!

The mighty-fine-nine-signature spine book (MFNSSB) is one I am particularly fond of, and not just because its name delights me. Pre-pandemic, I had taught this structure as a group workshop in the studio, and my students had a mighty fine time indeed. Zoom forward three years, and Gabriele B. in Austria scheduled a private workshop, via Zoom of course, to make her own MFNSSB. She showed herself to be a speedy, tidy, and über-joyful stitcher. She is currently on holiday without her book, but promises to send photos with her oeuvre upon her return. Chuffed by Gabriele's enthusiasm, I will offer MFNSSB as a group workshop in June (which rhymes with swoon and summer solstice moon). I’ve devised an aviary of palettes, all with Saint-Armand covers and Stonehenge signatures. Deckles abound, ditto waxed-linen thread combinations.

I myself am now on a bit of an MFNSSB jag, and hereby admit that I have made five (yes, 5) of these in the past several weeks. They are each about 2½ inches thick, so I currently have a linear foot of them on a bookshelf.

Switching stitching gears: The Trio of Diamond-stitched Booklets will be my very first two-Saturday workshop—a double happiness happening! Each booklet uses a different stitch, so it’s almost a triple happiness. Each booklet has three signatures; two of the booklets involve two needles for their spine stitching. Don’t let the arithmetic put you in a tizzy! No previous bookbinding experience needed, and we will have two sessions, so the pace will be comfortable. Again, Saint-Armand covers, Stonehenge interiors, a multitude of colour-curated thread options…and (hold onto your Cambritches) Cambridge Imprint papers to reinforce your covers. Like a beautifully lined jacket.

As always, the sessions will be recorded and viewable immediately after class. And extra kits will be available. I am excited to be teaching these workshops and look forward to basking in the creative camaraderie with you.

Speaking of teaching: I’m delirious & mysterious to announce that I am embarking on a collaboration with The Crafter’s Box (TCB). This coming week, I will be in San Diego at TCB studio headquarters, filming workshops that will air this summer and fall! I’ve been given the AOK to post some behind-the-scenes photos on IG… so stay tuned!

The dynamic duo of Tammy and Zak will be shipping online orders while I’m on the Left Coast.


Mighty-fine-nine-signature-spine Book
Trio of Diamond-stitched Booklets

Threading my way, Bari

May I marvel at my mail?

Dear Everyone ~

A lot has been happening in the studio these past few weeks, perhaps even a little more than usual. Now that National Letter Writing Month is behind us, I’d like to showcase an artful handful of lovely mail I’ve recently received from customers & students (who, of course, are also cherished customers), mostly via first-class mail. It almost goes without saying that receiving mail is a happy occasion unto itself.

Will, my trusty mail carrier, definitely recognizes a good envelope when he sees one. Sometimes, he will obscure my “good mail” under a commercial envelope or two, so I can be surprised… and, sometimes, when it’s the only envelope, he hands it to me slowly as if unveiling it. It’s a joy beyond measure to see the creative uses and beautiful things inspired by the papers & teachings purchased from Bari Zaki Studio. I am honoured to be on both ends—and sometimes in the middle!— of people’s correspondence & gift-giving.

This envelope was sent to me by Melanie O., who writes: “ The envelope, well, it was made by Ellie, my 4½ year old granddaughter, with my assistance. She chose the paper from an art book by Carla Sozzani, with my guidance, as I shared what I look for to coordinate with the watercolor [which was enclosed]. You should have seen her with the bonefolder! We pieced it together and even though it ended up upside down, we were pleased. ”

Melanie followed up in an email with a charming photo of Ellie hugging the envelope she’d made. “ Here Ellie is giving the finished product a hug. When I asked who the envelope was for, she exclaimed, ‘MEEEE!’ ”

Melanie affirms, “ Passing on my love for envelope making is such a joy! ”

Coco D. has been a student in the duo of recent group Zoom workshops, Glueing Happiness (GH) & Chic Cambridge Suite. Moments after the conclusion of GH, Coco emailed me this incredibly charming collage she’d made with scraps from the hardcover padholder-folder, which she planned to give her mom for Mother’s Day. She shares: “ The colorful scraps were so beautiful and just the right materials to create a collage in my sketchbook for my 100-day project, which is titled ‘Woof Meow Chirp.’ The linen paper tape called out to be hair and a skirt while the top, shoes, and hat were my inside papers used on my notepad book. Adele the Cat developed as the character to fill the outfit and, of course, there had to be birds :) ”

Melanie M. lives in Outer Chicago, and I’ve been shipping parcels to her since the pandemic panned in-person shopping. We’ve kept in touch via email, and so when an unassuming envelope arrived and I saw her return address, I was eager to see what might be inside. I absolutely love how she pieced together two sheets of cover weight paper with washi tape, complementing her Cambridge Imprint origami heart. The added Thank you tucked inside the heart itself warmed my heart from ear to ear! Her companion notecard reads:

“ Heaps of thanks to you! Your beautiful papers and all the other treats you’ve sent inspire me! Making cards to connect with family and friends has provided me with a much needed creative outlet. I figured it was time to let you know! Thank you! ”

Michelle H. ordered a MORE Art of The Handfolded Envelope kit. When I received her freshly hand-folded recent envelope, I recognized paper from the kit. I carefully opened it to read the card, and, oh my, a double-happiness moment indeed! Her use of scraps to create a bounty of bookshelves still has me aswoon. She writes: “ I really enjoyed going through the process of making the envelope. Upon receiving my kit, I had to make all of the selections. It was incredibly fun and satisfying. The ‘scraps’ in the package I bought were just so gorgeous that I knew I needed to create something with them immediately. ”

Laura L. is a big fan of the Extremely Exquisite Scraps, so when Will handed me her envelope, I was delighted to see the colourful collaged scraps, as you see, on the envelope itself as well as on the notecard. I took a moment to marvel at how well Laura’s artistic envelope had fared through the mailstream. I had to immediately send her an email letting her know it had arrived in good order and she replied: “ I had so much fun making that for you. At the time, it was cold and wintery. It sat with me in my studio whilst I worked on so many projects and finally told me it was time to be sent. ”

Debra M was a student of Bookful of Notes to Self and sent me this heartfelt missive as a thank you. I so enjoyed the way she described her Bookful book. “ I loved the bookful class I took with you and Cat. My journal is a bit wobbly, the stitching uncentered and yet it is a friendly place. Notes to Self, a collection of thoughts, ideas, experiments so I don’t forget any of the inspirations that left an invitation. ” She has annotated her wonderful watercolour of a mailbox, on a petite Saint-Armand sheet, saying “It’s a handmade envelope made with love from Bari Zaki.” The thrill of a trill!

Late-breaking muse: Just yesterday I opened a large envelope from my Postal Muse, containing a poufy glassine envelope, containing little origami lounging pyjamas folded out of…hold on, yet again, to your Cambritches…Cambridge Imprint sweet sheets. Eroca Brawne is the paper engineer in Vancouver pressed into service by my Postal Muse. There’s delightfully more to this story, as I shall reveal in due course, of course.

MORE Art of The Handfolded Envelope
Extremely Exquisite Scraps
Bundle of Stationery Joy

Post haste, Bari

Padding the Hahnemühle Ultimate Palette

Dear Everyone ~

For many moons, I have sung the praises of Hahnemühle Bugra. I introduce students to this gem of German papermaking when they’re binding their first case-bound book. It glues like a dream & stitches like a charm. No need to wheedle your needle! It is also one of my preferred papers when making books for the shop (and myself). It’s a beautiful weight (130 gsm) & texture to write and draw on. As my homage to Hahnemühle, I reissued the Heavenly Housemade Hahnemühle pad last year, featuring a total of 120 sheets, measuring 4 x 7¼ x 1, and combining at least two, sometimes three, and on some occasions four, different Bugra colours in stripes.

Even with the help of my two nimble studio assistants, Tammy Stams & Emery Kennett, making these pads is an all-day process. We count, divide, stack, sip some tea, and then collate 22 beautiful Bugra hues into assorted striped pads. Earlier this year, whilst we were mid-assembly of the previous batch of pads, I decided I had to see how thick a pad would become if we padded 10 sheets each of all 22 colours, and OMW (O, my wow)! It became a brick to behold, at 220 sheets & a full three inches tall! Paper happiness abounded and abided.

I’m delighted to debut it, in all its multi-colour glory: The Hahnemühle Ultimate Palette Housemade Pad! More than a deluxe desk accessory, a divine hostess gift, a nightstand companion, it is a source & surface of endless experimentation & exploration. Think of the combinations & permutations you can try with various mediums, both opaque & translucent! Clearly an opportunity!

But, wait, while I envelop you in Hahnemühle happiness: herewith a complete suite of Hahnemühle A6 square-flap envelopes, one each of 17 colours. The A6 size holds a postcard (or several postcards) perfectly. A Rivoli Rose sheet (or 2, or even 3) also fits nicely. And, hold onto your Cambritches: you can easily, and almost instantly, line your envelope with a 6 x 6 sheet of Cambridge Imprint craft paper. Simply score, fold & taper with a snip of your scissors (as seen below) and apply a swish of a glue-stick, et voilà! You have a luxurious envelope inside and out, like an epistolary sweater set.

Twin tips: (1) Measure 1½ inches down from one edge of your sheet, and then score with your bonefolder (2) Measure ¼ inch in from both upper corners of your sheet and make 2 tiny pencil marks (3) Use a sharp pair of scissors to shave off your tapers (4) Slide your Cambridge Imprint sheet into the envelope and align your folds (5) Swish a swash of glue-stick across the top edge of your CI paper, close your envelope flap & press! Presto!

* * * * *

Mother’s Day is just around the calendar corner. I’ll be delighted to assemble custom gifts for shipment or curbside pick-up early next week. Might I suggest a bouquet of coloured pencils (lavishly beribboned), a binder’s dozen of Japanese paper covered mini-pencils, or assorted desk bonbons?

Hahnemühle Ultimate Palette Housemade Pad
Suite 17 of Hahnemühle A6 square-flap envelopes

Colourfully, Bari

Postal Parcels on Parade

Dear Everyone ~

I spent much of this past week assembling kits for my two upcoming (and newest) group workshops via Zoom. It was a bit of a marathon, but ultimately a case of Double Papery Happiness. My big table came close to overflowing, what with the whirlwind of measuring, trimming, counting, stacking, and then guillotining galore. A handful of students have signed up for both Introduction to Glueing Happiness (GH, not to be confused with a certain magazine) and Chic Cambridge Suite (CCS). Their pair of kits will arrive together in one perfectly papery parcel, the materials for each workshop swaddled in their own kraft wrap.

Kit assembly has taken on a new dimension (pun inevitable) at Bari Zaki Studio, as group workshops via Zoom have become the norm. In the pre-pandemic days, I was able to set each student’s place at my big table, somewhat like a dinner party, but with tools instead of silverware. And, I had the reserves of my entire studio close at hand, for the rare mishap or occasional glorious inspiration. Now, students have the pleasure of decanting their kits in the privacy of their own creative spaces, usually several days before their workshop. It thrills me when a student dashes off an email acknowledging receipt. These emails are incredibly restorative.

Lorraine in Canada is a Bookful six-timer, so she is certainly accustomed to receiving kits from me. Her choice of adjective this last time was a treat: “ Great instructions as always and it is lovely to receive the ready made scrumptious kits. ”

Michelle in Tennessee wrote, “ I opened my box of beautiful papers and trimmings from your lovely studio when it arrived the other evening, and did a quick peek. But I really like to sit down and savor the entire experience and your handwritten note. ”

Nancy in Vermont enthused, “ Writing to let you know my boxmaking kit just arrived and I couldn’t be more excited! All of the components were so carefully and beautifully wrapped, like lovely little gifts. Can’t wait for our class! ”

* * * * *

As I write this, 40-ish kits have been wrapped, packed, and are now making their way to students on the East Coast, the West Coast, and between and beyond: three to Canada, one to Austria, and one to Hawaii. I continue to be enamored, even enraptured, with the technology that allows me to connect simultaneously with students in multiple time-zones.

If you’d like to register for Introduction to Glueing Happiness (Saturday, April 30) or Chic Cambridge Suite (Saturday, May 7), there’s still time to receive your kit. And if you’re tempted to take both workshops, you will receive a 15% discount for CCS. As always, please feel free to call or e me if you have any questions about the workshops, the kits, the cosmos. I look forward to hearing from you, and glueing & stitching with you very soon!

Bookful of The Clothes We Wear

Dear Everyone ~

Bookful of The Clothes We Wear is my seventh Bookful collaboration
with artist, author & dear friend Cat Bennett. Our four-Saturday workshop via Zoom will debut Saturday, May 14, which is one month hence!

The inspiration for this Bookful series is Cat’s love of clothes and her delight in depicting them, in a textured array of mediums, from sweaters & jackets to petticoats & leggings, and all manner of accessories in between.

The book structure you will make is an elegant triple-signature sketchbook with Mystery Bodice stitching up the spine. The portrait format (8 wide x 11 tall) provides a gracious proportion for illustrating your wardrobe whimsies and cherished accessories.

Cat will lead us in exercises to draw & paint the clothes we wear, or remember, or might like to wear! We will work both figuratively & fancifully. We’ll use coloured pencils and markers, and experiment with opaque paints such as gouache or acrylic to create bold, colourful images. Our emphasis will be on gaining assurance with line, tone & colour. Who knows, we might even fashion some new fashions!

The materials I’ve selected for this Bookful book are a colour-coordinated ensemble of Saint-Armand handmade papers & Cambridge Imprint papers. I will assemble each & every kit with a complementary combo.

As always, Cat & I want to assure you, especially if you are a Bookful newcomer, that absolutely no drawing or bookbinding experience is necessary. The pace is comfortable and the camaraderie is as cozy as our screens allow. If you are inspired to wear some of your favourite pieces to class, please do! And you will have the videos to watch and rewatch. We look forward to zooming with you soonish!

Bookful of The Clothes We Wear

Dressy, Bari

Brush Up Your Glueing

Dear Everyone ~

Introduction to Glueing Happiness via group Zoom returns for a second season on Saturday, April 30, exactly one week before Chic Cambridge Suite! This is the perfect workshop to acquaint (or reacquaint) yourself with glue & glue brush while making a duo of delightfully different noteholders! You'll also up your comfort level with three types of bookbinding materials.

The two structures we will make in this workshop are a hardcover folder and an elegant petite clipboard. The folder sports a soft-spine and a back pocket that holds a lovely pad of drawing paper. The clipboard is a robust slab of bookboard, and its clip will be covered (by you!) with a madam-sized butterfly-clip. You’ll also cover a clip to accessorize your folder. At the end of the workshop, I will also demonstrate padding a stack of paper using P.V.A. glue. You can make more pads on your own, both to refill your hardcover padholder-folder and to pad your favourite papers.

Your kit of materials includes a springy seasonal array of Japanese decorative papers, Cambridge Imprint papers & linen bookcloth. I will mix & match for you, natch, while I assemble your kit. If a particular paper or pattern catches your fancy, please feel encouraged to e me and I will do my best to accommodate. And if you order additional kits, I will be sure that you don’t receive any duplicate materials.

If you have been musing over registering for the upcoming Chic Cambridge Suite via group Zoom, but are still feeling slightly, or even extremely, intimidated by the structure, Introduction to Glueing Happiness will absolutely help alleviate your glueing anxiety and elevate your stick-to-it-ivity. I offer this encouragement: If you sign up for both Introduction to Glueing Happiness and Chic Cambridge Suite, you will receive a 15% discount on your C.C.S. registration.

What a stitch: Learn the Cambridge Hitch for a switch

Dear Everyone ~

Chic Cambridge Suite is my newest & springiest group Zoom workshop, and it will debut on Saturday, May 7, come rain or shine! In seasonal serendipity, you could take the workshop & have a beautiful gift ready for Mother’s Day on the morrow! Or keep it in reserve for a graduation or celebration of the summer solstice.

My inspiration for this newest group workshop is the delight of building on a technique or binding style to improve one’s skill. In the Introduction to Glueing Happiness last autumn, students had the chance to work with three different types of material & two distinct surfaces. Most bookbinding styles typically use at least two types of material, sometimes more, and having experience of each is hugely helpful in deciding which materials will best suit your next project.

In Chic Cambridge Suite you will learn how to hinge two separate bookboards to create a soft fabric spine. The stitch we’ll use is our Cambridge Hitch, to make a hardcover single-signature stitched booklet. You will also learn how to create an angled interior pocket, which is no petite feat (but it is neat & discreet!). And for the finale, you will learn to wrap butterfly clips with Cambridge-coordinating papers! I will also share my personal tips for trimming your clip-covering papers perfectly.

The papers I’ve chosen for this kit are from the boxed set of Cambridge Imprint Special Papers. We will make one book during the workshop, and you'll have all the materials to make a second book on your own at your leisure. Each kit includes two pairs of red papers and two pairs of blue that complement the two bookcloth colours, as you see here. You can mix & match, natch, to create a tone-on-tone effect.

I hope you will join us for the love of glueing, stitching & creative camaraderie. As always, I will be recording the workshop live, and you’ll have it to watch & re-watch. And I’m delighted to confirm that I have just resumed shipping to the UK and the EU. (You’ll find shipping charges included in the dropdown.) No bookbinding experience is necessary, although a dollop of glueing expertise is a plus.

Chic Cambridge Suite via group Zoom

Without a hitch, Bari