An 8 hour day

 Barry has blogged about his poster book "It won't dismantle itself" and how it is a finalist in the Libris Awards here. Now that it has all come together I can share the bit I contributed. I posted a bit about the process here; but this part shows more of the outcomes I guess.

Together we talked our way through his book and what it offers; how to present posters; how to strengthen and reinforce the messages, how to sequence the posters and more.  I think it is a remarkably powerful book and the link between words, imagery, graffiti, posters, embossing and hinting all works brilliantly (imho).

We talked at length about how to bind it as well - and it felt to me that it was truly deserving of a quality stitching.  We made sure to re-inforce the lighter paper pages and Barry painstakingly cut the strips and held them down.

We decided I would do a single sheet binding.

I tried to work out how many holes would be needed so it looked meaningful; and was strong. Form AND function. I always say people start 'reading' an artists' book well before they turn the first page and I wanted them to feel that this book had something to say...

I spent about half a day piercing holes in the pages, using a template. On three of the pages, the template moved and the reinforcing pages had to be re-done. I called Barry down and he executed the remedial repairs with aplomb!

The next day I began the stitching.  Barry was there at the beginning...

The front cover - the first stitches made.

A tangle of threads and needles after making those first stitches.  I had to separate, unwind and untangle between each stitch with each pair of needles.

And he returned 8 hours later as I stitched the back cover on.

It was a massive tasks and here I am doing the final slip knot on the inside of the back cover.

My first turning of the pages, making sure the pages settle and lie flat.

And afterwards checking how the stitching lines up.

Anyhow it holds - yes it has function!

I left it there that day, and returned the next to finish off the final knot and snip the threads. I was so tired the day before I really didn't want to do that final irreversible step of snipping which can't be remedied, so I thought I would attempt that with fresh eyes and mind and hands.

And the leftover snipped threads still with their needles...

It was a big job that required lot of quiet and concentration, but which worked out well. I am really glad that I could honour Barry's work with some good stitching. And yee ha to him being a Finalist!!!