Completion - all stitched up!

In many ways, it is so hard to think that all of the work that has been happening around these wee books has finished and this couple of small piles is all I kind of have to show for it!

In the edition of 21 (such a nice number), I have 16 that will go to the people who shared their silences with me. Then there will be 5 extra. Across the back here are the 16 and to the bottom left are the5.

Half way through stitching the stash, the late afternoon sunlight appeared.

After stitching came the trimming. I had known from the beginning that by using quite a number of folios which would need to be nestled within each other in order to do the simple pamphlet stitch, that I would need to trim the centre folios quite a bit. And that proved to be the case.

You can see how much the internal folios protruded in this before and after shot.

I had to fold the covers back on each book, line up the ruler along the first page and then slowly slice through the remaining layers. Several slices per book!

The widest slices in the centre of the book were about 5mm (0.5cm) wide. This has rather an impact on where I had placed the type on the page and I was glad I had left extra room in anticipation. Although I have thoughts for the next one!

Before trimming, you can see how much white space there is on that left hand page along the foredge. After trimming, the words sit far more comfortably on the page. Although as I said, I have thoughts about the next one!

Inside my rubbish bin was a lovely layering of strips.

After stitching and trimming it was time to sign, and edition. From 1 - 21.

And now to send them out into the world to the wonderful folk who shared their silences...

Just how I will handle the other five remains open - please get in touch if you might be interested!