[EKStationers] Various doings and a possible project

[Heather Gray]

As some folks on the list know, mostly I've been working on the simple
bindings for Lyle's and my adapted blank girdle books (for sale), and I've
been looking at chemise bindings and taught a little class on that last
spring.  Then Lyle taught a couple of classes on coptic binding and limp
binding this fall and has since worked out how a limp binding with a
reinforced spine was done, so now I'm thinking of making some of those for
Birka.  Lyle's working on fleshing out the handouts for both and should be
done with them soon and have them ready to send out to whoever would like a
copy.

A few of us were talking about the possibility of making a presentation at
EK 12th Night. Lyle and Iheronimus will be working on at least a draft of
the charter this month, thanks to all the research and discussions we've
had, both on the list and in person.  Not sure if that will be done for 12th
Night or not, but in the meantime, we could do a simple project that we can
be sure will be done by then.  The limp bindings with the reinforced spine
look really cool, so I'd like to propose some of us make some to give to the
king and queen, for them to use and/or give as gifts to whomever they'd
like.  Limp bindings seem to have the advantage as gifts that they aren't
quite as intimidating to the receiver as the hard bindings -- it was
probably about a year before I could bring myself to start writing in one of
my own hard bindings, but the limp bound book I made in class this fall I
started using the next day, and have been bringing with me to meetings, etc.

In period the spine was usually reinforced with a piece of vellum, but
occasionally another piece of leather was used.  This gives us the
possibility of working in more than one color.  There is also some simple
decorative stitching on the spine -- looks like a chain-stitch on the
outside -- which is a nice detail that adds to the appearance.  There are a
couple of leather buttons attached to the spine as well, and there are a
couple of straps that wrap around the book and then the buttons, to close
it.

What do people think of the idea of making some of these for gifts?

Cheers,
Elwynne