This week I decided to use some old techniques I learned in my bookmaking class last semester. I wanted to make a book out of a thrift store jacket with a nice floral pattern to play around with stamping. The book’s pages consist of white card stock, and the string I used to sew the book together was a pre-waxed tan color. The type of stitch I used is called Japanese Stab Binding, which happens to be one of my most used bookbinding techniques. I find it a relatively easy stitch pattern to follow, and it also holds your book binding together sturdily. 

As for the front and back covers to this book, I started off by cutting out pieces of my jacket to fit the cover size I intended to create. I specifically cut out the front cover from the front pockets of the jacket. I did this in order to transfer the original buttons from the jacket onto my front cover. As for the back cover, I cut out one of the sleeves with my pinking shears and began the process of gluing both the front and back cloth covers. 

The process began by carefully gluing the back of my cloth onto spare chipboard, along with trimming and folding the hanging edges of the cloth. I then folded and cut signatures of white card stock and began the sewing process. 

After my book was put together, I wanted to use it as a stamp collection. I was recently given stamps that were going to get thrown away, and I wanted to display them properly, and put them to good use! This book will be an ongoing stamp display, until it is filled!