Old Ways

For the past few months I have been studying traditional bookbinding methods with Jim Croft, a former instructor at Penland, and local Idaho resident. With Jim, the focus is not just on the making of the book, but also on the making of the tools and all materials from scratch. He harvests his own flax to make paper and thread and makes all of his tools from found bones and scrap metal. I recently made a paring knife for leather from scratch with him (which could explain the interest in making leather books lately). He guided me in shaping the metal using a hand grinder and sand paper to fit my hand perfectly and it has been so wonderful to work with new tools that fit the contour of my palm. 

In the summer Jim leads various intensive bookbinding workshops at his place in Santa, Idaho. This year the first workshop begins on June 10th. Click here for a link to his website or contact me for further info. If you are even remotely near northern Idaho or willing to travel this summer I really suggest you wander up to Santa and join the workshops! The website goes into much more detail about the skills offered through the workshop, but who gets a chance to harvest flax for paper, split logs for wooden boards often..? I will unfortunately be missing the big July workshop, but hope to stop by during the wooden board and clasp intensive (June 10th-20th, 2009). Yes, that's right...you get to make your own metal clasps for book closures from scratch! Oh, and he will be in Portland, OR for a short workshop later on this month...(Jim is pictured here with Rachael, another MFA student here)