Books from books... or give an unloved book a new role in life!

Last Friday I delivered the first of four one day book making workshops for the local authority lifelong learning department.Classes in the south of the county which had been structured to run for a couple of hours every week had not had enough take up so I was delighted when the all day workshops in the north of the county filled up to capacity and even more pleased when it became apparent that the majority of people had booked on every one of them. This meant I could start with basic stitching and structures and actually see the increase in their knowledge as I make each month slightly (lots...)  more complicated. We concentrated on 5 or 6 ways to make a single section book and with so many people - there were 14 - we had to go at the pace of the majority, so I postponed a couple of the ideas I had planned whilst everyone made their first books using wallpaper samples I'd brought with me for covers. They all kindly said I could put photographs of their work on the blog and then I forgot to take any! I will show the fruits of their labours next time as they made some lovely things. The books above are my samples I made on the day in my demonstrations.

 One of the ideas I wanted to show was that we don't always have to start from scratch to make a book, especially if you want to produce a single section hard bound plain notebook or sketchbook. So, I took along lots of small books, all unloved and free from Books for Free. I know I've mentioned this charity before and not everyone has access to a site but if you do, they are a great place to find A6 sized books to give a new life to. Prior to the workshop I'd been visiting them every time I went into town, often with my husband in tow so that I could have his quota of free books too. There are some wonderful old cover illustrations and titles out there that would make fabulous new notebooks.

 I picked the green book to make first for the workshop. Luckily the spine was still intact and tight so I was able to remove the text block and use the whole cover before inserting new pages in a single section with a five hole pamphlet stitch and with new end papers to cover the old ones. This is now my new notebook for all the odd jottings that come to me during the day. I must have something to write notes in or else I would be lost! I shall also keep the old text block for collage etc so that nothing is wasted. On another visit I found the 'Britain Needs Books' copy with a tatty spine falling off but I loved the cover and the whole message of it so a bookcloth spine was the answer.

I am so pleased with both of these and think they would make a great idea for gifts. I know some of my friends would find having a tatty cover a turn off but others would love the re-using of something, especially if it had a quirky, interesting cover. I think I shall be making many more of these and giving old books a new life. In the meantime I have to prepare for the next workshop. This time I'll remember to take photos!