Basic Japanese Stab Binding

Join Lynne Gurnee on May 14 for an afternoon making two small Japanese stab binding books. One will feature humorous haiku poems by Kobayashi Issa, and the other will be a simple "ledger book" which can be used as a purse notepad.

A fun historical note: in the Edo period (1603-1868) "completed ledgers were often strung together and tied with a long cord so that in case of fire --a common occurrence in crowded Japanese towns-- they could be flung into a nearby well and later retrieved without damage to either paper or ink" (source: Japanese Bookbinding, by Kojiro Ikegami, and available from the NORBAG library.

Materials to bring for the haiku book:

• 2 pieces 3 1/2" x 5 1/2" cardstock for covers, grain short
• Decorative paper 1 1/8" x 3" to glue on the front cover for decoration

Materials to bring for the ledger book:

• 4 sheets of 8 1/2" x 11" text weight paper, cut in half short ways resulting in eight 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" sheets
• 2 pieces of colored or decorative cardstock, 2 3/4" x 7 3/4" grain short, for the covers

Tools to bring:

• Scissors
• Pencil
• Cutting mat or magazine
• X-acto or craft knife
• Metal ruler
• Awl
• Needle for sewing
• Bone folder
• 2 small to medium binder clips
• Glue stick
• Bees wax (optional)
• Waste paper for gluing on
• Perle cotton or other strong binding thread (Lynne likes yarn for the ledger book--be sure to have a needle that is compatible with your thread choice)

When:     Saturday, May 14 at 12 noon

Where:    Eureka Methodist Church on Del Norte & F Streets

Cost:       $1.00

Bring:      See list above for tools and papers

RSVP:      Yes! by May 9 to Lynne Gurnee--see the newsletter for her contact information