Category: Guards

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Prints by Four Artists – Creating guards

Yesterday was my last Monday at the V&A until May – this is due to a series of varied events including some bank holidays, a two week trip to Scotland (next week!) and a two week trip to Norfolk (in about a month) and after that I will be back at the V&A.

I had hoped to get my book on four artists to a stage where it could be sewn at least, if not finished. Unfortunately, being plagued by illness this week, it was all I could do to get there and do a few hours work. Prior to getting to work I had already forgotten my tool kit and  managed to fill my tank up with petrol, then realise I had also forgotten my wallet – so the day started well!

Anyway, I did manage to guard all the central sections. The first and last sections are connected to the cover by the first two leaves being pasted down to the front cover and the last two to the back cover, so these two sections will need a little more complex guarding techniques, which I will tackle on my return in May.

  • Adding the guards
  • Leaving them to dry
  • Guarded and unguarded
  • Guarded and unguarded
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Hen-Do Memory Book | Coptic Binding

I made this particular volume some years back for a friend’s hen-do. It is a fantastic little binding, designed to be a keepsake of memories from friends, and would make the prize gift of any hen party. The best part of this book is the contents – lovingly and individually made by the girls together, so the hen will always have a cherished book to remind them of the night and all their closest friends.

ORDER YOUR OWN HEN-DO MEMORY BOOK

  • I will send you sheets of paper for the girls to write/draw/collage on in what ever form they like.
  • I will include some simple printed instructions, including what direction the writing should be in so that the contents are consistent.
  • You give a sheet or more to each of your girls for them to personalise.
  • You send the completed pages back to me a minimum of two weeks before your hen-do for me to create the book.

SUGGESTIONS OF CONTENT

  • Photographs of you together
  • Past memories of school, college and work days
  • Drawings and collage cuttings of things to make her laugh.

SPECIFICATIONS

  • Coptic binding, fully bound in coloured paper, with additional crushed decorative paper on the cover and ribbon.
  • Guards for each folio are in the same paper as the cover.
  • Single folios with guards created each signature, the paper stock was thick to provide bulk and hold photographs.
  • Each individual is given a landscape folded folio to be written/drawn/collaged on as they choose. It should be noted that each folio will have guards wrapped at the spine.

For other examples of bespoke bindings, have a look at the bookbinding page of this website.

This particular book was made for my oldest and best friend, who go married some years ago. Well the weekend was her hen-do – a raucous event of karaoke and champagne amongst other things! And, as many hen-do’s do – this one required a hen-do memory book! This duty obviously came my way and I endeavoured to make it well and appealing. The best part of this book was that all the chicks (is that the term??) had a huge input into it, each making their own pages for the book, as apposed to giving me their pictures and notes and me putting it all together. It worked really well as each page had real individuality of that person, and the bride was amazed and thrilled by everyone’s effort.

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Wedding Memory Book | Case Binding

This beautiful handmade album is designed to be a Wedding Memory Book of your big day. It is a landscape cased binding, with guards throughout. The guards will allow you to insert photographs, printed memorabilia and ephemera, as well as high quality paper for guests to write their well-wishes.

ORDER YOUR BESPOKE WEDDING MEMORY BOOK

This particular volume has been bound in handmade book cloth from blue silk, with an additional diamante decoration on the cover. This design was complimentary of the bride’s wedding dress. If you would like to order a bespoke Wedding Memory Book, you can have an alternative cover design should you wish. We will need a minimum of one month advance notice to make the book for you.

SPECIFICATIONS

  • Case binding, fully bound in blue silk, with lace decoration and silver tooling.
  • Handmade book cloth from blue silk, backed with Japanese tissue.
  • Textblock to include guards to allow compensation for photographs.
  • Textblock to be sewn onto four tapes.
  • Made endpapers.
  • Endbands to be made from additional blue silk.

For other examples of bespoke bindings, have a look at the bookbinding page of this website.

I made this book for one of my oldest and best friends got married – which was wonderful, especially as I was a bridesmaid! I was asked to create a wedding memory book for the big day, that was be something for everyone to leave messages and well-wishes in.

I knew that part of the wedding dress was to be made with blue silk and diamante lace decorations. So with a bit of help from the John Lewis haberdashery department, I was able to create a complimentary binding, that would keep all the memories safe for the future.