Skip to main content

Fabric books - part two


This week I want to show you a second fabric book that I made using the instructions from Alisa Golden's new book Making Handmade Books.  This is another traditional form, known as an ox-plow pamphlet structure.  The ox-plow book form uses both sides of the paper or fabric, so it will look best if the piece chosen is either double-sided or backed with a second piece of material.

I'm going to use this fabric book for a specific project, and next week I'll share the finished piece with you.  

Here's what you'll need:

Paper mock-up of book form
Pen
X-acto knife, scissors, or rotary cutter
Bone folder
Cutting mat
Clear ruler
Fabric (I used a piece of rusted fabric that I painted quite awhile ago)
Wood hardener
Sponge brush

1. Choose two pieces of fabric, both the same size, or one piece that is patterned on both sides (that's what I did).
2. Use wood hardener on them and allow them to dry.


3. Match the fabric pieces, and slit them halfway across the width.


 
4. Zig zag stitch the two slit edges (not to each other but to the matching fabric).
5. Zig zag stitch all the way around the outside edge. 


6. Fold into an ox-plow shape.  As you leaf through this book, you'll open the cover to reveal pages 1 and 2, then you'll lift page 2 straight up to read pages 3 and 4 vertically.  Page 4 opens the regular way to show pages 5 and 6.  In order to have the text or pictures oriented properly, it really helps to have your small paper mock-up handy!

Fabric books - part one
Fabric books - part two
Fabric books - part three



Copyright 2011 Cyndi Lavin. Not to be reprinted, resold, or redistributed for profit. May be printed out for personal use or distributed electronically provided that entire file, including this notice, remains intact.

Technorati Tags:,,,,,,

Comments

Cyndi L said…
Thank you! And how easy is that? :-)
Cyndi, you are a wicked wicked enabler, lol! Love the rusted fabric; I'm playing around with some of that at the moment. On a practical level, do you find the rusting does nasty things to your sewing machine needles?
Must try this little book - I sooooooo want my Golden book to arrive, I have at least another 2 weeks to wait!
Cherie said…
You made this look so easy!
Cyndi L said…
Oh please Caroline! I'm not going to take responsibility for your addictions... ;-) lol!

I had no problem with the rusted fabric and my sewing machine needles. I never even thought about it, to be honest! If anything, I have more trouble with the needles occasionally gunking up from the products I use to treat the fabric and make it stiff. But it just wipes right off of the needles with a soft cloth. It might be a good idea to dedicate a needle to treated fabrics just so it doesn't end up ruining "good" material. I change my needles fairly regularly, so I've never worried too much.
Cyndi L said…
Thanks Cherie! It *is* easy :-)