fabric book
the 100 day project is about creating pages for a small book
instructions for joining the pages and making the book were posted on Ann Wood’s blog on Feb. 23rd
slot and tab construction – a surprise – but completely appropriate
I’ve made several fabric books but never using slot and tab – it is great to learn something new
Making Handmade Books by Alica Golden is a wonderful guide
I sorted through bags of scraps and cut another 18 “pages” 7″x5.5″ from cotton and linen
Ann’s excellent instructions show how to join two pages and create either a slot or a tab
because the pages interlock they don’t line up in numerical order
they need to be numbered to maintain some sense of order
then I realized it would be easy to stitch sets of two pages together and still decorate with scraps
and – it would be wonderful at the end of the 100 days if the construction work was almost finished
the slot pages are finished with buttonhole stitch to create a strong opening – stitching with linen thrums
lower right is the start of the tab pages
while “scrap diving” I found a few cut squares and even several old hexies so that is the next 5 day page
whew! – 88 more days to go
and the postman came – so did the snow
www.onesmallstitch.Wordpress.com 
Maybe the art therapist would suggest a lesser “pattern” but once a person “views” or grasps the simple technique – they will decide “that’s for the babies, I’m gonna make this sweater with these lovely cables” “as I know it’s going to look gorgeous on me”….
And I’ve known beginner knitters, myself included who got into cables within a few little plain knit baby jackets!
As I said someplace else, I don’t think I could manage a challenge or one with 100days and even 15 minutes a day. I get carried away real easy. Plus today I spent more than 15 minutes nutting out a pattern for flips/flaps and a basic page layout with some craft paper. The book I’m going to fill isn’t a regular size….
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Catherine – sorry but I had 12 years of working as a psychiatric nurse/therapist. The majority of people seeking therapy are suffering some form of emotional or physical trauma. Therapy is different to workshops or art/craft teachings (and I’ve done that too). People are looking for relief, not technical skills and professional therapists should be offering healing and support.
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Apologies
I do understand art therapy
I’ve used indirectly myself when I’ve needed it. A few years ago I was angry about aspects of my childhood and I painted, Oops slashed paint on paper.
Then I created small collages which reflected on the misadventures of the medical profession, an not known doctor who wrote up my report after some surgery and inserted that I also had xyz…6 months later after numerous medical appointments some other doctor realized it was a “mistake”. No one of my art and other friends liked those collages…some I still have.
Lately it’s been me going deeper into my book making….which is about our current virus crisis and my general anxiety about being home alone and the what if scenario.
Again apologies
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Catherine – no need to apologize. I hope your book making is fun and gives you some stress relief.
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That project seems to have perked you up wonderfully Jean! Learning something new is the best bit of a project for me. I hope the bears approve and are enjoying supervising you.
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Sue – when I started the project the construction details hadn’t been defined and I thought it might be more of the same scrappy stitching but the slot and tab is what makes it interesting. I’m sticking to the 15 minutes per day which is difficult and learning something about how I think/design/work. The bears want to know why I’m not knitting sweaters!
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I do hope you will share your learning on how you think/design/work. I read a newsletter from Kate Davies in which she railed against medics and therapists who recommend knitting to those with mental health struggles ‘because it is calming’! Of course it is sometimes but there is so much more to any creative activity. It really got me thinking about my own creative process. Once it is all clearer I will try to write it as a post but I am also interested in other people’s experience. Give the bears a hug from me to help them stay warm!
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Sue – in advocating any form of creative therapy it doesn’t mean medical persons are denigrating the creative/artistic side of the practice. The simple act of making can be the most artistic act – Kate should know that. That is from the psychiatric nurse in me!
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I knew you had been a Nurse but not that you specialised in Psychiatry. I agree that doing something creative is excellent for mental health – it is the ‘knitting is calming and meditative’ which I think gets it wrong. A simple pattern may be but a complex one or one I am adapting can have me in a rage or sitting with my tongue poking out as I concentrate!
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Sue – but a professional medic or therapist would not recommend a complex pattern. As individuals we make our own choices and if they are stressful so be it.
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I know – it’s my own faulkt for liking a challenge!
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Sue – I too thrive on a challenge – am always looking for a new one, it’s what keeps me making. But for some people just getting through the day is a challenge.
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True!
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Sue – sad that some people spend their whole lives struggling.
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