Lee Thomson

This is a good example of the path I take to get things done. It has curliques! I made the first cover for a coptic stitched book (the biggish red one with gold stitching) and I was Very Pleased with it. Then I worried about doing the stitching properly on the binding, so I decided I needed to practice. I made two smaller books, using index cards folded for folios (a single sheet of paper, folded once, four faces for printing/drawing) and stitched them together. They were cute, but they needed nice covers, so I made two much smaller covers and glued them on. Now I have two small (3″x4″) coptic stitched bound books with elegant covers and very sturdy pages. I put them on the For Sale page (and also at the bottom of this post) because I have more than enough sweet small notebooks, but if you might need one, or know someone who needs one, you know where to go.

It feels very much like the children’s book If you Give a Mouse a Cookie  where escalating requests take the reader all around the house for the next step that is obvious to the mouse but less so for the reader.

Friends have pointed out the January Flail looks a lot like January Fail, and they feel outrage on my behalf when I label my own work Fail. I am sympathetic, but not clear what else to call it? I mean, I am just trying new things, chasing wisps of ideas, and seeing what happens… If you have a suggestion I am delighted to take it under consideration.

The last thing I did last week was experiment with making and stitching holes in polyester felt. The results were educational but ugly.

I can see uses for it, but not right now.

Also you can buy the tiny books here:

Jan 23, 2018 Update: One sold, one left…

Coptic Stitch bound sketch/note book

Another tiny book! The pages are folded index cards, so they are sturdy and usable with all kinds of media. The covers are cardboard, and the front cover has an extra layer of stitched fabric with a rock and sun sigil stitched onto it. Pages are organized so that each spread is either both sides blank, or both sides lined – alternate notes with drawings! Or take pleasure in lining things up. Cost is for book and shipping.

$45.00