Making Burritos in June (Burrito Books, that is)

Thank you to Bobbie H. for this month's fun and instructive workshop. We all enjoyed learning the secrets behind making these simple, yet interestingly decorative books that are joined together through slitted pages. No need for glue or thread! We called them burrito books, but other names for this structure include slot and tab books, slit and slot books, or interlocking signatures books. However you describe them, they're fun to make.

Papers and instructions were provided.

Colorful pages.

One of Bobbie's models.

Some of us got a little extra creative.

June Workshop

These little books range from the ridiculous to the sublime. A burrito book is a small book put together without the aid of sewing, glues or fasteners. The sheets of the ‘book’ interlock by rolling a page (like a burrito) and putting it through an opening in another page. 

Tools to bring:

• Cutting mat 
• Xacto knife 
• Scissors 
• Metal Ruler 
• Bone folder 
• Materials to decorate your books: rubber stamps, photos, collage, etc. 

 What will be supplied: 

• Paper for 3 small books 

When looking on the internet, YouTube shows teachers putting pieces of paper together for young students to use as notebooks. As usual, we up the ante a bit. 

We will start with the simplest of the formats using text weight paper to make a glue and fastener free note book. This will demonstrate why it is called a “burrito book” and the basics of the technique. The second book will be made of card stock and can have an unlimited number of pages. It also has an interesting spine. The third book will contain two “signatures” and be a little more sophisticated in appearance. 

Many of you will finish fairly early. Please bring materials to decorate your book (e.g., rubber stamps, photos, collage, colored pencils or media of your choice). The book of card stock will be high contrast with brightly colored pages. The third book will have a choice of covers with white "signatures." 

We'll be meeting in our usual room on the HSU campus on Saturday, June 8. Please note that this workshop requires an RSVP so that Bobbie, our instructor, can prepare enough materials. Bobbie's contact info is in the newsletter. Please let her know as soon as possible if you plan to join us. There will be a $1.25 materials fee.

A big thank you to Vivienne B., who sent samples and instructions for the Burrito Book. 

Paste Painting Fun

Everyone combed and rolled and stamped and sloshed paint to their hearts' content at our May paste painting workshop, and many gorgeous papers were made. Unfortunately, the thought didn't occur to take pictures until it was time to start packing up and papers were being removed! Only a tiny fraction of what was made got recorded. There were some really beautiful paste papers.

Ellen posted more about the workshop, with more photos of papers, on her personal blog. As well as pictures, that post also has links to suppliers for the decorative rollers we used.

We haven't been able to identify the makers of several of the paste papers. If you see yours and would like to be credited, please let us know.

Paste Painting Workshop in May

Please note: we are meeting in a different location and at a different time!  

• We'll be having a general meeting, which will include the book exchange, at 11:30am, Saturday May 11. The workshop will start at 12 noon.  
• We are meeting in the Social Hall at Arcata United Methodist Church on 11th Street, Arcata. 

This month we are having a special paste painting workshop with Ellen Golla. Unlike many of our workshops, this one required preregistration. To all of you who've signed up, thank you! If you aren't enrolled and would still like to come, please get in touch with us. If there's been a cancellation, we might be able to accommodate you.

Participants will each get a starter kit, to keep, that will include a plexiglass worktop and supplies for making stamping, patterning and rolling tools (and whatever else you can think of). You'll also get to try out an assortment of tools that will be available for use during the workshop. Papers, both plain and colored, plus a few sheets of non-paper Wet Media Dura-Lar and Tyvek will also be provided.

You don't need to provide anything. However, if you have tools or papers you want to use, feel free to bring 'em! 

Also, there are some things that, while not required, will be helpful to have on hand. These are optional, but recommended:

• Scissors (especially recommended--please bring if possible)
• Craft knife and cutting mat
• One or two paintbrushes. Brushes will be provided, but you might want to have one or two of your own for blending colors on your paper. High-quality synthetic house painting brushes from the hardware store are ideal. Sash brushes with angled bristles are particularly nice, but regular-shaped brushes are fine. Low-quality brushes are not recommended, as they shed and will ruin your design. Foam brushes are ok, but real ones generally give better results. 

Additionally, you might want to keep an eye out for extra tools to paint with. These can include:

• Toothbrushes
• Old credit cards
• Rubber and foam stamps
• Silicon spatulas (that you won't use for food)
• Anything else made of silicon (rubber dog and horse curry combs with interesting patterns, for example)
• Whisks and other cooking implements with interesting shapes (again, not ones you'll actually cook with)
• Wood graining combs and rockers
• Decorative painting combs
• Painting knives
• Plastic toys (textured car wheels, old legos…)
• Sponges
• Anything with an interesting shape or edge that can withstand paint and is washable

If you don't come up with anything, don't worry--an assortment of these will be available to borrow at the workshop. As you can see, paste painting is a perfect pastime for the hoarding fetishists among us. It's time to empty those junk drawers.

Also, please keep in mind that paste painting is messy. Wear comfortable old clothes and/or bring an apron.

April Workshop: Triple Chain

Triple Chain Stitch Binding with Connie Rose

Connie’s elegant
Triple Chain Stitch Binding

At the April workshop we will learn the Triple Chain Binding, a link stitch sewing that creates a chain effect on the spine. Single chains can be used to bind in any number of signatures, whereas the Triple Chain is used to bind three or multiples of three signatures. We will create a three-signature journal that is 8-3/4" tall by 5-3/4" wide. The focus of the workshop is on the stitch itself.
Please RSVP by April 8 by phone or email (see newsletter for contact info). Connie will respond to all emails. If you don’t hear from her within a day, she didn’t get your email—please resend.

Materials to bring:
• 3 SIGNATURES: please cut and fold signatures prior to the workshop. Folio size should be 8-1/2" x 11" folded in half widthwise. Number of folios (folded pages) per signature will vary depending on what kind and thickness of paper you use; you’ll need 6 to 8 sheets or folios PER signature. Paper options: 60 or 80# drawing paper, lightweight (90#) watercolor paper, recycled heavyweight book or magazine pages, recycled journal paper, scrapbook paper, lightweight cardstock, etc. Each folded signature should be around 1/8-inch thick at the spine edge. Cut, fold and weight overnight.
• COVER: 8-3/4" x 11-3/4" grain short (paper length will wrap around book). Cover options: watercolor paper, medium or heavy cardstock, anything that will fold easily but is heavy enough to be a cover.
Note: If you would like to line your cover, do so before the workshop. Cut a piece of decorative paper 8-5/8" x 11-5/8" and glue to the inside of the cover. You could also finish the edges of the cover with washi or other decorative tape, or cut and glued strips of paper – use your imagination.

Tools and Supplies to bring:
• Thread: options include waxed linen, hemp (available at Michaels, JoAnn, Scrapper’s Edge), size 5 perle cotton or crochet cotton, 6-strand embroidery thread
• Beeswax
• Awl or Japanese screw punch
• Book binding needle
• Piercing cradle (or old phone book or thick catalog)
• Bone folder
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Cutting mat

What will be provided:
• Hole punching template
• Extra piercing cradles
• Stitching diagram


When?
Saturday, April 13, 12 noon
 
Where? NEW LOCATION FOR THIS MEETING
Harry Griffith Hall, Room 204, HSU, corner of B and Harpst
(from L.K. Wood Blvd or B St, turn on Harpst St and then south on Rossow St. There is a large parking lot on your left. There is an elevator in the build-ing for easy access to the second floor)

What to bring?
See list above

RSVP
Yes, by April 8
Cost? 50 cents

Humboldt Library Kiosk: Books by Michele Kamprath

The Humboldt County Library kiosk is currently featuring Michele Kamprath's beautifully crafted handmade books. Michele is a regular contributor to our book exchanges, and her interests in book arts are wide-ranging. If you are in the area, be sure to have a look at this delightful sampling of Michele's work.

Coptic Workshop Addendum

From Dolores:

If you are planning on binding all (or more than one) of your compendiums into one book by taking apart previous compendiums, you can hide the previous sewing holes in the following manner:

Cut a piece of paper (decorative, plain, or colored) 11" x 1" grain long. You will need one strip for each signature of each compendium (16 strips total, if binding all 4 compendiums). Gently fold each strip in half (do not bone it flat). Run a glue stick along the spine edge of a signature; place the folded strip around the signature and press onto the signature. You are only tacking the strip; the glue will hold it in place when you re-pierce your signatures. Do not glue the entire strip to the signature, just the spine edge.

It won't matter where your previous holes were punched, as you will make a new jig to pierce all of the signatures and the wrapped strip will be the only visible spine to show off your Coptic stitching. As you can see from my book, all 4 volumes are bound as one. I used alternate colors for each volume (cream for volumes 1 & 3 and grey for volumes 2 & 4).

(See below for full workshop description)