Cutting, folding,assembling,sticking........

 I feel like I've spent the last few months doing nothing but folding paper. Before Christmas I noticed a workshop advertised for making a Chinese Sewing Book but it was too far away to travel to. I really wanted to try making this type of book however and then I realised I possessed a book by book artist Cheryl Moote with the instructions in so, I set to, and have been trying out  half a dozen or so different box designs since then. They are time consuming things to make and I am still playing with the format of the whole book but whilst I was in paper creasing  mode I added a folding books session to my workshop schedule and it's coming up this  Friday. I've ditched plans to do blizzard books because I've realised just how many books can be made with the knowledge of a couple of simple folding techniques. We'll be concentrating on the diversity of lotus folds and map folds. I shall be keen to see what paper everyone brings along and what book ideas they have. To get some folding practice started I've been cutting squares of old books, atlases, wallpaper and wallpaper lining paper. This means they can get right into it and save precious time cutting their own papers later. I hope to get time to explore circular folded books too. When you start to look around there are lots of papers sold in circles such as cake liners, waxed jam pot discs, doilies and they come in all sorts of paper from thin tissue to glassine. One simple idea can be pushed in all directions and the different types of paper plus the scale of the book can produce some intriguing results. I keep thinking of more and more ideas for sample books so there's been plenty of cutting, folding and sticking around here.  I've found that I really enjoy making things as small as I can and really see potential in making them with the transparent papers.  I remember how inventive the group were when we did accordion folds so I'm looking forward to it. I shall share the results!