morgaina | Bookbinding

The bookbinding classes are still going so I am happily attending them all as long as they let me. I have a longstitch book (style from the 1500s) completed and another started. I have also begun a modern "art-book" in an accordian style using pages from old (discarded) books for my pages. I'm drawing and putting found poetry in that one. The next style I'll tackle is the coptic bound book. It sounds as if the Gothic style bound book is somewhat too challenging for beginners, although Jim is such an open teacher I'm sure he would happily try to teach me if I asked. There are a couple of people who bring their 9 year olds, who are good kids, but they have nothing to do while there. After everyone had settled on their projects Jim spent most of the evening teaching the kids how to use a hand saw and rasp, so kind.
The basket I use to carry the materials for class has become woefully inadequate.
Of course, my rank beginner-ness is resulting in some funky details, and rather embarrasing craftsmanship. However I'm not expecting mastery with these early attempts, but I still wish they looked better.