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November 10, 2014
Visit Handmade for Christmas at The Workhouse Chapel for a glorious selection of unique and beautiful gifts from 35 of Dorset's finest local artists and makers, including my fine leather books.
The chapel is an amazing space for an pop-up shop. Sadly I forgot to photograph it, but the massive woodburner makes you feel very welcome... and warm!My work: I don't know the maker's name, but I covet this jug!Richard Gibson makes beautiful boxes in the Shaker tradition:Rose Hatcher is not only the owner of The Workhouse Chapel, she's a talented textile artist:
October 28, 2014
October 25, 2014
Artist-educator Laura Joy and I ran a second one-day workshop at Artisan Community Art Studio at the end of September. We had a full house of 10 participants and made a simple but pleasing Single Pamphlet notebook, then moved on to the main event, the Medieval Journal.
The Longstitch with Linkstitch binding is the one I specialise in because it's so simple yet effective in design and function. It was a real pleasure to pass on some knowledge and hopefully some useful techniques to our wonderful, enthusiastic and creative workshop participants. A 15th century German style originally used for council documents and accounts, the Longstitch with Linkstitch makes a great journal or sketchbook as it lies flat on a desk, takes some inclusions and although very beautiful, is practical and sturdy.
Thank you to everyone who came and generously allowed us to photograph you hard at work. It was particularly wonderful to be able to include some of your work in Stitch & Bind: an exhibition of handmade books and textiles at Bournemouth Library as part of the Arts by the Sea festival in October.
I'll be running further 1-day workshops as well as a 6 week short course, please email info@boundbyhand.co.uk to be notified of future dates and venues.
Susan
At Artisan Studio:
Folding and tearing paper down to size:
Choosing a colour scheme and selecting a variety of decorative papers to use as endpapers and section dividers:
A bright colour scheme, all the signatures assembled:
A muted and atmospheric colour scheme:
Sewing the final signatures:
The room was very quiet at this point:
Some of the finished Longstitch with Linkstitch journals, some bound in leather, others in synthetic PU, a vegan alternative. Some 'icebreaker' activity prompts which we used to select colour schemes are also seen with their corresponding books.
A happy bookbinder:
October 21, 2014
Almost time for October's #giveaway! Follow @boundbyhand to #win a Hallowe'en Mini Journal. http://t.co/FKvxp3YLg8 pic.twitter.com/fQJXIJQ6Rt
— BOUND (@boundbyhand) October 20, 2014
Best of luck and see you there - do introduce yourself! Susan
October 17, 2014
If you find yourself in or near East Sussex over the coming week you might like to visit Robin Hutt at Fairlight End, who is showing her photography work in Dawn and Dusk: the Fairlight End Garden Journals, a PhotoHastings open studio exhibition.
Robin chose my Accordion Sketchbooks to display her work: "I love your Accordion Sketchbooks because of their simplicity, the quality of the paper and their understated stylishness.... They are really helping me refine my ideas for this exhibition".
At dawn and dusk Robin Hutt has been making journeys of discovery with her camera around her 3 acre garden. Mutability and imperfection are realities, which gardeners have to embrace all the time. The work shown in this open studio shows the ways in which a photographer grapples with and conveys these elements through chance encounters as the sun comes up and goes down.
Venue: Fairlight End, Pett Road, Pett, East Sussex (opposite the Two Sawyers’ Pub) TN35 4HB
Dates: 18th and 19th October, 24th 25th and 26th October
Opening times: 11-4 pm
October 06, 2014
Save the date for the following exhibitions, Christmas fairs and artist book events where I will be exhibiting, selling and sometimes demonstrating.
Stitch & Bind Bournemouth Library for Bournemouth Arts by the Sea Festival: an exhibition of handmade books made by workshop participants, myself and fellow tutor Laura Joy during two recent bookbinding workshops at Artisan Studio. Runs til 24 October.
Handmade 4 Christmas at the Workhouse Chapel, Sturminster Newton Open daily 8 November until 24th December. A wonderful collection of work from renowned local makers.
Etsy Dorset Team Christmas Fair 6 December 10-4 at the Allendale Centre, Wimborne. One of only 17 official European Etsy Christmas craft fairs, I'll be joining fellow members of the Dorset Etsy Team and I can't wait to spend the day with my fellow team members and welcome lots of local visitors. Come and say hello!
BABE: Bristol Artists' Book Event 11 - 12 April Arnolfini, Narrow Quay, Bristol. Over 100 national and international artists, publishers, presses, dealers and organisations come to BABE over the weekend to show their artists' books at this two-day event. The last BABE in 2013 was a busy weekend with 7,530 visitors! I'm looking forward to meeting up with other book artists and seeing their amazing work. I'll be there with my work in Gallery 3 on the 1st floor.
Hope to see you there!
Susan
October 06, 2014
STITCH & BIND: exhibition at Bournemouth Central Library Gallery for Arts By The Sea Festival.
Bookbinder Susan Green and artist-educator Laura Joy recently ran 1-day book making workshops at Artisan Community Art Studio in Moordown, Dorset. The result is this exhibition of a variety of interesting book forms made by workshop participants, accompanied by examples made by both Laura and Susan.
Several kinds of bindings are on display in the glass cabinets, ranging from the 15th century Longstitch with Linkstitch in both leather and vegan alternatives, the Japanese Stab Stitch, to the more unusual Concertina & Double Concertina forms, the Single & Double Pamphlet notebooks.
Most participants were new to bookbinding, some came to the workshops from a background in fine art, craft or design, and many others simply enjoy crafting or creating in their free time.
Some brought their own artwork, such as cyanotype prints, to incorporate into their books, others used a variety of handmade plant fibre papers. We also recycled pages from withdrawn library stock otherwise destined for landfill, and culled fashion and lifestyle magazines for inspiration and decorative book covers.
Stitch & Bind runs at the Gallery on Level 2 of Bournemouth Central Library until 24 October. Also on display are contemporary textiles made by workshop participants and tutor Leah Watts, including examples of patchwork and quilting, as well as sketchbooks filled with textile and stitching examples.
Tutors Laura Joy and Susan Green continue to run their 1-day workshops and are also developing a 6-week bookbinding short course to run in the Spring term at Artisan Community Art Studio.
To find out more about these book making workshops & register your interest in the short course, contact Susan Green: 07748 759 371, email susan@boundbyhand.co.uk or sign up to her newsletter.
Some images from Stitch & Bind:
Here you can see examples of Accordion fold books, also known as the Concertina fold. Some have been left blank, others digitally printed, one has been filled with mementoes from a holiday, the covers feature a map of the start and end points of the trip.Also on display are two examples of the Japanese Stab Stitch, with cyanotype prints incorporated into the front covers.
Case 2 includes some examples of the Longstitch with Linkstitch binding - these were made with synthetic PU, a vegan alternative to leather.
The Gallery area on Level 2 of the library, with textiles by workshop participants and tutor Leah Watts:
September 15, 2014
I've had some lovely commissions for bespoke guest books recently.
Bespoke Wedding Guest Book with Miniature Journal Favours
Louise asked me to bind a Guest Book in Duck Egg Blue leather to match her bridesmaid's dresses, with matching Mini Journals as bridesmaid favours. The frontspage is printed with the illustration Louise had designed for her wedding invitations. The commission was finished off with an Ivory presentation box.
Bespoke Wedding Guest Book with Monogram
Ana Lucia commissioned me to bind this medium guest book in Biscuit leather and Neutral thread for her sister's wedding. The frontspage features the couple's names against a watermark they had designed for their wedding stationery.
If you'd like a Wedding Guest Book bound to co-ordinate with your colour scheme, please take a look at your leather options here and email me to discuss your requirements: info@boundbyhand.co.uk. Standard Guest Books in White and Neutral can also be purchased here.
Susan
September 08, 2014
I'm shortly heading to the Isle of Portland for a late summer holiday. I'm renting a cottage with sea views and will be visiting the many site specific art exhibitions and installations for the B-Side Festival. I'll return to the studio on 18th September; current commissions are in progress and I will update you on my return if not before. All new orders and enquiries received between 10 - 18th September will be responded to on my return.
Thanks for your understanding during my short annual leave!
Susan
September 08, 2014
Sunday's bookbinding workshop was a great success! Fellow tutor Laura Joy and I were joined by 6 participants, some of whom had made books before, others had not. We set up the day with examples of the book forms we'd be making. And sunflowers.
As well as a quick and simple Hot Dog booklet, everyone made a Concertina binding with a choice of 2 cover styles, a Double Pamphlet notebook and then a Japanese Stab Stitch binding. Book covers were made from maps, pages of photography books (otherwise destined for landfill) and plant fibre paper. One participant used her own cyanotype to make the cover of her Stab Stitch book.
Thank you to everyone who came, I hope you enjoyed it as much as Laura and I did. Thanks also to Pauline Stanley at Artisan Community Art Studio for providing such a great workspace and setting it up so wonderfully.
If you're continuing to make books and have any questions or would like some help, please feel free to ask here or email me: info@boundbyhand.co.uk You can also buy that waxed linen thread in small quantities here.
Look forward to seeing you on the 28th September for the Medieval Journal workshop!
Susan
August 26, 2014
Heads up if you love to win! Coast Magazine is running a Twitter giveaway for a pair of my brilliantly blue Sapphire Miniature Journals.
To #win these @boundbyhand leather journals, follow us & retweet before Wed 12pm. We love the bright coastal colours! pic.twitter.com/02Xfpgl3iY
— Coast Magazine (@coastmag) August 22, 2014
July 23, 2014
Get social for regular chances to win Mini Journals - they've been featured in Oh Comely, Country Living and Hello! to name but a few, and they make great little gifts.
INSTAGRAM - first ever giveaway to a follower who comments on this post: TWITTER - monthly to a lucky follower
Psssst! It's almost giveaway time!. Tell your friends to follow @boundbyhand and they could win a Mini Journal. pic.twitter.com/rkCMgGVZAw
— BOUND (@boundbyhand) July 21, 2014
FACEBOOK - major milestones - so far, the only place to win a 'full size' journal. View my page here.
So get liking, sharing and commenting - let's hope you're one of the lucky ones! To see what some of my lovely social media followers have won recently, click here.
Susan