Handmade Book

I had a lovely time in the studio yesterday. I started this book some weeks ago. All the signatures were complete just waiting to be stitched together. I hadn't started the spine as I didn't have any of the correct canvas or the latch hook - I have never done rag rugging.

I bought both the canvas and the latch tool when I visited Very Crafty in Lower Largo in Fife the other day and I couldn't wait to get started. I first saw this wonderful technique on Linda's (Purple Missus) blog. I had lots of different painted papers and thought this would be a great idea to use them up. The technique is from Traci Bautista's book (there is a DVD as well) Collage Unleashed, it's great fun.

As with cooking recipes I never follow directions directly I always add a little something else just as we all do. I used the painted kitchen paper for the cover. I started with a whole piece the size of the cover and cut squares and rectangles from other pieces and layered them on top. I then stamped and stencilled over the whole piece. I cut a piece of craft vinyl and machine quilted through the layers. The vinyl safeguards the painted and decorated kitchen paper - this is my added ingredient.

This is a closer view of the front cover.

Here's the back cover. The spine is made from strips of fabric, yarns and threads.

I am working on another one but this time I decided to use just one yarn. Although Traci says to add the yarns on the canvas randomly and fill in any gaps I am not good at random and so I filled in every single hole in the canvas. This time I have added three (good number for design) long strands to which I am going to add some beads I am going to make from the air dry clay to match my theme.