Tag Archive for: leather

The last book in the OLLI course Leather Journals is finally finished. It’s mine (instructor) and I know it’s the last one to be completed. I used the leather cover to demonstrate the longstitch sewing of the spine and hadn’t intended to actually complete a journal. I cut the leather from a blue suede jacket (shoes would have been too small) and the beautiful buttonholes were too interesting to ignore. I don’t know what I will use this one for; I usually use a journal for some kind of theme. The journal hasn’t told me what it wants to be yet.

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Workshops by Michele Olsen

Students in the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) classes have finished their books and every single one is wonderful. This is the first sewn structure for almost all of the ten students and they showed extraordinary patience with the needles, 36 inches of waxed linen thread, and tiny little beads that were added to the spine. They all helped each other and laughter was constant. I knew I had an engaged class with I couldn’t get their attention—always a good thing as far as I’m concerned. The covers were goatskin, the endpapers were handmade papers from Nepal, the text papers were Stonehenge printmaking paper. Good Job!

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This week I am teaching a book arts class for Osher Life Long Learning Institute (OLLI). The first day we will construct this book: leather covers, pages of printmaking paper, sewn longstitch spine. Day two we will explore ways to “get things” on the page. The class is this Tuesday and Thursday, 3pm-6pm. I can hardly wait, I have as much fun as the students. You can register for many inspiring, informative, and entertaining classes here.

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