Doraecyscraps: Notebooks

MR DT: Single Coptic Notebook

17 July 2017

Hello! It has been a while and I had been busy stitching!

Today, I am on the Maya Road blog sharing a hand stitched notebook today! I will never get tired of stitching notebooks, they are special with different stitching patterns and a useful gift for the recipient!

There are many chipboard albums from the Maya Road collection which I dismantle to make my notebooks. They come with tabs, which makes the notebook very different from what you can get with regular rectangular chipboards. I intend to use this notebook to document my travels, hence the travel token come in handy on the front cover. I like to keep the front cover of the notebook as flat as possible, so as not to hinder when I write.

With the same thought in mind, I hang some charms on the tabs of the front cover with the help of a bulldog clip and a mini safety pin. I like dangling charms - they are always pretty on albums or notebooks! The bulldog clips allow me to hang these beautiful charms and removing it when I need to.

Charms are very useful in every project! They are good as decor, either pasted as an embellishment or hung for decorations. Here, I am using the single coptic stitch for this notebook. The KO Waxed Hemp is perfect for this stitching! It gives me the perfect tension, and a good visual for the coptic loops. The waxed hemp is also strong enough to support the weight of charms dangling from the spine.

Maya Road is also having a promo in July - Charms! Get your supply of charms at 30% off now!
Thanks for joining me through this post and dropping by the blog today~

Supplies Used:

MWL DT: Long Stitch Binding & some tools I use!

03 October 2016

Hello fellow crafters! I am back today with a project for Made With Love! This time, I am inspired by long stitch binding to come up with not only 1 but multiple designed long stitch books!

The long stitch structure had its heyday in the middle ages when it was popular across the Europe. Typical materials were leather, vellum and cartonnage.

There are many reasons why I am keen to make use of long stitch binding in my frequently used books, and here are some of them:

1. Cover Materials

The long stitch sewing can be combined with various other structures, whether it is exposed spine, hard cover binding, or soft cover binding. This allows me to work with different kind of materials and explore more into the different "feel" when it comes to cover making.

2. Variety of end product

Not only can it be used as a notebook stitch, it can also be used for making mini albums and scrapbooks. There is also an added possibility of different types of cover. Sometimes, I add a flap to the cover so it locks the notebook in place. I could also leave it to expose the sides of the signature.

Long Stitch Binding, otherwise also known as Lattice Binding

Long Stitch Binding, otherwise also known as double star binding

3. Variety of patterns

The stitching along the spine is visually appealing and can be altered to form patterns and weaves. Another long stitch technique is done in conjunction with chain stitch. The possibilities are never ending - it's up to your own exploration and imagination!

Weaving and Alternate Long Stitch

Long Stitch with chain stitch

4. No glue, no fuss

The text block is sewn directly through the cover material which eliminates the need of linings, tapes, hinges, sanding and adhesives common in other types of bindings. Often long stitch bindings are completely glue-free. I like that there is no fuss that goes around this stitching method.

5. Variation of binding strings

Long stitch allows you to explore the use of different strings for the binding, be it waxed thread, twine or even leather threads. Different sewing threads can give a different outlook to the entire project.

Twine

DMC Thread

Waxed Thread

That is why I explore much into this simple yet complicated stitching. There are so many ways to elaborate on the long stitch binding and it is bound to give a different feel with different binding techniques, materials, and colors.

~Some Tools I Use~

If you are keen to get started on book binding, you will need some simple tools to help you along this wonderful journey. Personally, these are the tools which I typically use on a daily basis:

1. Penknife / Craft Knife

Having a sharp blade is very helpful when you want that perfect edge for the signatures. While the book publishers have machines to cut the straight edges, we book binders depend on the craft knife to accomplish the same purpose.

2. Piercer

This tool is another important tool for book binding. It allows us to make small holes prior to the binding process. The size of the hole depends on the type of piercer you use, which in turn is dependent on the thread that you use.

3. Bone Folder

This is such an important tool when it comes to cover making, or signature preparation. Nothing can crease the way a bone folder functions, and this makes a huge difference for book binding.

4. Paper Trimmer

Book binders nowadays are super lucky. At least you have paper trimmers to help with the cutting of the pages. It is so much easier with this tool, and your time gets reduced significantly. My preferred choice of paper trimmer is from Fiskars, since it has the sure-cut guideline and ensures more accuracy in trimming papers.

5. Cardboard Trimmer

In the cases where I am making a hard bound book, I tend to use a rotary trimmer to cut the chipboards. Compared to the old manual way of doing, this definitely saves you energy and time!

7. Needles

Of course, you will need some needles to get started. I usually go for tapestry needles when I bind to avoid pricking my fingers, but sometimes, I opt for normal sharp sewing needles. It really depends on the type of thread you are using, and the material you are doing the binding on.

Hope you enjoyed this walk through long stitch binding and the materials required to start book binding! If you are looking for the tools I used, do check out Made With Love. Book binding can be a whole load of fun without much expensive and bulky tools! There is so much more to learn about book binding, so be sure to catch the book binding workshops available at Made With Love!

Thanks for dropping by my blog today!

MWL: Handmade Organizer

12 October 2015

Today I would like to share a handmade notebook inspired by the recent craze of Midori traveller's notebook. As most would know, I am a constant traveller and always in need of a notebook or two to document the journey. What I also like is the possibility to include different notebooks in 1 organizer which I can freely design according to the theme of use.

That's why I always insist to make my own notebooks, such that I can design different themes for different purposes. Make your organizer at your own desire - that's what makes handmade notebooks special!

This time round, I have decided to use a transparent cover. I love this transparency - it helps to showcase the pretty notebooks within, and is sturdy enough to hold the structure.

Here's my take on the organizer:

Each of the notebooks inside this organizer were hand sewn with saddle stitch, or more commonly known as pamphlet stitch. It's easy and fast, and the pages inside can be switched with water color paper or other papers suitable for calligraphy use. Like I mentioned before, the possibilities are endless. Vary it according to your preference and style, and create an organizer of your own!

It is not that difficult to make your very own organizer after all! :)

Supplies used are available at Made With Love. Do also check out Made With Love for more book binding class schedules! :)

See you around and stay creative!

Book Binding: Criss Cross & Long Stitch Binding

28 July 2015

Just for fun, I decided to play around with more book binding again. Inspired by the German style of binding and re-adapted it to suit my binding mood today.

Looks like I am addicted to it for some reason, and it is fun to see how different the stitching looks like with different threads.

I am using my favourite Simple Stories papers from "I am" collection. The polaroid frames are apt in this type of binding, where i could wrap the leather strap around the frame to create an insert for different titles on the front cover.

Hope you liked it!

MWL: July Book Binding - "Smile" and "Journey"

06 July 2015

Time really flies! It's the start of July already, which means I had been MRS for a whole month already! Yes, thats why i had been busy, adjusting life as it comes along the way and like many other just married couples, start to move into my new home. Though it is just 1% completed at this point (because i have much more crafting stuffs than most other married couples), i am taking time to enjoy this moving process slowly.

But of course, i can never stop crafting. It hurt me badly enough when i had to stop for 2 weeks to prepare for my ROM in May, so much so i had to go back to visit Made with Love on the eve of my marriage to keep me saint. That bad huh? Yes it was!

So now that i am back, it feels good to be able to lay my hands on needle and book binding and scrapbook! (oh well, i had been back for 1 month actually... Right on the day after ROM!)

Here's what i had been busy with recently, for a brand new class upcoming at Made With Love this July.

This time round, i am finding the need to focus on handling fabric. Fabrics are a wonderful form of material to use for our crafting needs, to create a special effect and it goes hand in hand with book binding techniques!

In this class, be prepared to get your hands busy to create this notebook / travel journal / album to suit your needs and spice up our craftiness! We will be working with long stitch binding this time round, don't worry if you are a beginner in book binding, because this stitch will be easy for any first timer to try your hands at book binding.

Remember to check out MWL facebook page for upcoming class schedules and call them to book your slot!

In addition, i will also be re-running 1 session of "Journey" due to overwhelming response. In case you have missed it, this class emphasizes on single page binding - good for guest books, birthday books and many other significant events book! Opens flat for writing - this is a great feature of this binding. Remember to book your slots fast for it re-runs once in July only. [Updated: slots are already full!]

July is going to be a busy month of craftiness for me and i am so looking forward to it! See you around soon!

MWL Workshops: Flexible Spine Album

05 March 2015

Alongside with a re-run of the Love Guest Book, I am holding a new class which allows you to change the booklets inside as and when you want it! Another easy binding incorporated in this class!

Project Title : Flexi Spine Journal

Description : Make your very own notebook suitable for daily recording and change according to your preference. Learn simple binding technique (Saddle Stitch Binding) and flexible spine structure in this project.

Techniques Learnt: Sadle Stitch Binding, bookbinding, flexible spine album construction, Sizzix