Making a Bible Clasp

During the Middletown Valley Craft Festival, Darryl and I visited The Moonshine Forge. I asked Joe, the owner, if he would be interested in making a clasp for a Family Bible. The catch remained on the front cover, but the back-cover plate and leather strap had disappeared. He took on the challenge and produced a beautiful, custom clasp that matched the catch on the Bible cover. When he came to our home to attach it, I saw that our work is similar in many ways. We must fit, shape, cut, color, and clamp (or press) in order to create a piece, or a mend, that looks smooth and finished. No one sees the detail work that takes up so much time, but they would notice if it were not done. I appreciated being present for part of the process.

The completed Bible.

Worn corners before repair.

Fitting the back cover plate.

Filing the edge.

Clamping the strap and its plate into place.

The corners after repair.

Guild of BookWorkers Newsletter

The Guild of BookWorkers Newsletter arrived in my mail today. It's an interesting experience to imagine a bookbinding project, develop it at home, and then send it out into the world. Now here it is, behind glass and in print.  

"Life Along The Potomac" opens at Bethesda Library

Yesterday evening, Darryl drove us through D.C. rush-hour traffic to the Bethesda Library (7400 Arlington Road), to participate in the “Life Along the Potomac” opening. Members of the Potomac Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers have created a dozen beautiful bindings. The exhibit will be on display at the library through December, and go on view at the Maryland State Archives in Annapolis January 4, 2016. 

Seeing Sycamores

For 25 years, my husband and I have enjoyed walking along, or canoeing on, the Potomac river. I must have seen sycamore trees every time. Yet, until I chose Leaning Sycamores for my binding project, I never really noticed them. Delving into the book has helped me see sycamores in all their variety and beauty. Here's another tree from yesterday's walk. And Darryl, with the Catoctin Aqueduct in the background. The Park has placed markers that describe the restoration of the aqueduct. Businesses and individuals sponsored reclamation of fallen and damaged stones, which were then put back into their original locations. I found parallels to bookbinding and conservation, of course. Now, back to the Bible I am repairing.

Another unique camouflage pattern, with stark shadows cast by late-afternoon sunlight.

Darryl, with the Catoctin aqueduct in the background. My camera battery died so I could not photograph the restored aqueduct up close.

This is the underside of the tree.

Leaning Sycamores finished

I delivered the book to our exhibit coordinator today! I've been working on this concept since June, with the most intense focus during the past two weeks. It's finished and out of my hands now. I'm coming up for air at last. The opening reception for the exhibit is December 3, 6-8 PM at the Bethesda Library.

The paper has pine-needle inclusions. I bound in the book's original dust jacket.

All four scrolls, completed.

The Potomac River Water Trail maps are beautiful, and printed on high-quality paper--just right for the box.

I decoupaged a sycamore leaf, backed it with Moriki, and inset it into the spine of the box.

This photo I took of a sycamore reflected in water alludes to the author's "reflections" on the natural world.

I printed sycamore-bark photos and then overprinted them with the title. The font is Post Mediaeval, the same typeface used on the book's dust jacket (first photo above).

Leaning Sycamores, Chapters 7-9

I felt the author's intent was to make each chapter a meditation, with a transition to the next chapter. I tried to achieve the same effect with the various papers. Here is Scroll #3. As with the others, each 'scroll' is a three-section codex rolled to fit the curve of the bark when closed and fastened. Do I need to coin a new word? Scodex? Scrolodex?

Leaning Sycamores Chapters 4 , 5, & 6

I thought a two-tone thread would look nice--like those black-and-gold caterpillars we find this time of year--so I chose black linen thread and gold silk thread, which constantly twisted as I ineptly tried to join the two curved pieces of bark. The "S" shape means the piercings for the inner curves must be closer together than the holes for the outer curves, which makes it harder to keep track of the pairs. I intended the "leaning S" as a play on the book's title, but to be honest the "S" more accurately stands for Stubborn (I refused to quit).