Exploring Japanese aesthetics to create a cloth book
Welcome to the new offshoot group to ‘Slow Stitched Books – Ellen’s Legacy’. Thank you for joining me here, in this new and inspirational project, I am excited to see what you create.
You will not need anything special for the workshops, I will be mainly be using white cotton, linen and calico (all rescued fabrics). There will be some dyeing, but it will be ‘store cupboard’ ingredients. As for threads, there will be an assortment of threads used, but I am sure you will already have everything you need.
For many years I have been inspired by Japanese words, aesthetics and techniques, I am not an expert by any means – I have never been there, nor can I speak their language. But I am an admirer of many Japanese things.
Each month I will introduce you to a Japanese inspired textile technique and a beautiful Japanese word. We will blend the two together to make unique pages for our Japanese bound cloth book.
So what do you need to get started? Not very much really:
Fabric: My pages will be made of white linen which I rescued from a charity shop, Calico would also work very well. Something simple and plain, but with a little bit of weight to it if possible.
Threads: An assortment of threads would be useful, I mainly use the six strand embroidery threads (usually split into two strands). I also use Perlè and thin crochet cotton - some times I even use threads that I have pulled from other fabrics. Just use what ever you have got to hand.
Needles: Once again, an assortment of needles, embroidery and chenille needles tend to have sharp points and larger eyes than ordinary sewing needles. You will also need a large eyed blunt needle for chapter 2 in February. I used one of those chunky plastic ones that are made for young children – but a darning needle might work for you.
There will be a few other things to look out for as we progress, I will let you know in advance.
I have chosen a fairly simple technique to get us started, all I used was the white linen and a few shades of muted embroidery thread strands.
Disclaimer: Once again I will say that I am no expert on Japan, I have never been there, nor do I speak their beautiful language. As an artist, Japan really inspires me on so many levels – and it is that, that I want to share with you in this Japanese inspired project.
This is one of my pages: it is approx 14” x 4” - it is a double page so will be folded in half.
VERY IMORTANT: The centre fold will be part of the binding, plus another inch either side so keep that 2” area between the dotted lines clear.
You will need 12 pages like this - you can make them any size you want to, but they do need to be long and thin - with a 2” gutter in the centre for binding.
Welcome to the new offshoot group to ‘Slow Stitched Books – Ellen’s Legacy’. Thank you for joining me here, in this new and inspirational project, I am excited to see what you create.
You will not need anything special for the workshops, I will be mainly be using white cotton, linen and calico (all rescued fabrics). There will be some dyeing, but it will be ‘store cupboard’ ingredients. As for threads, there will be an assortment of threads used, but I am sure you will already have everything you need.
For many years I have been inspired by Japanese words, aesthetics and techniques, I am not an expert by any means – I have never been there, nor can I speak their language. But I am an admirer of many Japanese things.
Each month I will introduce you to a Japanese inspired textile technique and a beautiful Japanese word. We will blend the two together to make unique pages for our Japanese bound cloth book.
So what do you need to get started? Not very much really:
Fabric: My pages will be made of white linen which I rescued from a charity shop, Calico would also work very well. Something simple and plain, but with a little bit of weight to it if possible.
Threads: An assortment of threads would be useful, I mainly use the six strand embroidery threads (usually split into two strands). I also use Perlè and thin crochet cotton - some times I even use threads that I have pulled from other fabrics. Just use what ever you have got to hand.
Needles: Once again, an assortment of needles, embroidery and chenille needles tend to have sharp points and larger eyes than ordinary sewing needles. You will also need a large eyed blunt needle for chapter 2 in February. I used one of those chunky plastic ones that are made for young children – but a darning needle might work for you.
There will be a few other things to look out for as we progress, I will let you know in advance.
I have chosen a fairly simple technique to get us started, all I used was the white linen and a few shades of muted embroidery thread strands.
Disclaimer: Once again I will say that I am no expert on Japan, I have never been there, nor do I speak their beautiful language. As an artist, Japan really inspires me on so many levels – and it is that, that I want to share with you in this Japanese inspired project.
This is one of my pages: it is approx 14” x 4” - it is a double page so will be folded in half.
VERY IMORTANT: The centre fold will be part of the binding, plus another inch either side so keep that 2” area between the dotted lines clear.
You will need 12 pages like this - you can make them any size you want to, but they do need to be long and thin - with a 2” gutter in the centre for binding.
