Leaf Journal

Using silk book cloth and Japanese Chiyogami paper, Joanne Kluba makes an elegant cloth bound leaf journal.

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Filed under: Scrapbooking, Materials and Supplies, Fabrics, Paper, How To, Crafts

Joanne Kluba has always been drawn to art, books and journals. Kluba graduated with a degree in Fine Arts and had a career as a graphic designer; she didn't want to close the book on her artistic skills so she found a way to bind her interests together. This outgoing and creative Missouri native took a Japanese bookmaking class. The results spoke volumes, as we’ll see in her cloth bound journal made with silk book cloth and Japanese Chiyogami paper.

Materials and Tools:
Mohawk Superfine text paper
Japanese Asahi silk book cloth: light green and dark green
Japanese Chiyogami paper
.082 weight binder’s board
stone with hole for closure
metal button

lightweight vellum paper
defoliated leaf
linen tape
linen thread
silicon release paper
PVA glue
paper for sketch
pencil
brush for applying glue
guillotine cutter
board shear
book press

backing press
sewing frame
bone folder
mull (strengthening fabric)
bookbinder's scissors
craft knife
needle
awl
ruler
pencil

Steps:

1. Sketch and design the book.

2. Cut paper for the text pages and group the folios into signatures.

3. Fold the signatures and nip in the press overnight.

4. Cut Japanese paper for the end leaves.

5. Glue end sheets with the Japanese paper. Nip in the press to secure gluing and compress under weights overnight. Trim top edge to match top edge of signatures.

6. Create templates for sewing stations. Stab holes for sewing stations in the end sheets and signatures of the text block using an awl.

7. Set up the sewing frame. Sew the signatures together with linen tape. Join the signatures together with a kettle stitch).

8. Glue the spine, and trim the book in the guillotine cutter.

9. Round and back the spine with the hammer and the backing press).

10. Glue on pre-made end bands. Cut and attach mull for strengthening the spine.

11. Create the hollow out of light text weight paper.

Fold the sheet into thirds, each third the width of the spine.
Glue the last panel to the first.
Mold to be rounded, the single thickness on the inside of the curve.
Cut the length to the length of the spine, end band to end band.
Glue the hollow to the spine, one on, and two off.
Slit the hollow down about 3/4 inch to glue under the book cloth at the spine.

12. Cut binder’s board for the cover. Cut a piece of card stock for the inset panel for the cover art. Cut a piece of light card stock for the stiffener for the spine. Cut twine for the top of the spine. Cut the book cloth.

13. Cut the window for the title panel in the card stock. Save the cut out piece for a panel for the press. Glue the title panel to the front panel of the book. Nip in the press.

14. Cut a spacer for the spine. Glue the cover boards to the fabric. Press the boards with a panel for pressing in the title panel. Leave flat under a weight overnight.

16. Case in the text block, nip in the press with brass-edged boards. Tie up the shoulder of the book to set overnight.

19. Cover the metal button with dark green book cloth.

20. Attach the covered button to the left front. Make a hole with an awl and trim the back side flat before sewing the button on with linen thread.

21. Make straps of dark green fabric to hold the stone circle. Create holes for the straps with a carpenter’s chisel. Pull the straps through. Cut a space from the binder’s board for the straps to lay in, and glue them down with PVA. Hammer the straps flat.