crafts

Variations

~ cloudytype ~ 6 Comments
Cover design 1 in progress. Gold foil on maroon book cloth
Cover design 2. Ink on grey book cloth
Cover design 3. Silver foil on midnight blue book cloth
Jacket-slip typed on Smith-Corona Classic 12 6cpi
Pretty satisfied with the way this project has turned out. Now on to the next!

120 lino prints…

~ cloudytype ~ 6 Comments

being sewn into a first run of ten little books

This is tank-top guy feeling festive
This is Crow, missing her friend Tank-top guy
Sometimes when you miss someone, you just have to caw them up on the phone…
and work out how to spend time together, in a corvid safe way.

Printing without a press

~ cloudytype ~ 2 Comments

This is the first test this evening of a bookplate design. A lino cut of my Underwood 5, and text printed by hand using some type I bought off eBay a few years ago. I made the text block by clamping the letters and spaces together with duck tape. I’m using oil based block printing ink, and rubbing the back of the paper with a bone letter opener. The text block is simply stamped on by hand. I do love making things completely by hand. Don’t let the lack of a printing press stop you from making prints at home.

It’s the little things

~ cloudytype ~ 4 Comments
A new A7 notebook in dark green goatskin offcut. Work in progress on the finishing.
The design is based on pine forests. I wanted to create something to induce a feeling of calm. The spine of the book represents the trunk of a pine tree, with pine needles scattered at the base catching dappled light. The slivers of pared leather are fixed in place with a mix of water-based pva and starch glue

Simple Remington portable typewriter case handle: how-to

~ cloudytype ~ 6 Comments
Take one sorry case
Gather some materials: scrap leather pieces, leather hole punch, cutting tools, curved upholstery needle, thick waxed thread, and a pencil
This piece is 14mm x 260mm. Insert the cut piece and mark where you want the stitches to be.
I put the marks underneath so it would be easy to see. Make sure to protect the cutting edge of your hole punch with scrap leather.
Do the other end, and reinsert the leather to mark the other holes underneath
Like this
Your leather piece should now look like this
Thread your curvy needle and go in like so. This will hide your loose end. Do not tie a knot!
Go to your diagonal top corner, and take the needle through both layers. Be careful not to pull the loose end right through. Pinch the leather together with your other hand as you sew. This photo just shows me sewing and taking pictures 🙂
Come back in underneath through both layers..
And go over to the fourth hole. Pull tight.
And now come back to your first hole again through both layers.
Repeat your cross stitch several times until you feel like it’s enough.
To finish off, take the needle through only one layer…
And pass the needle through and behind your stitching between the layers of handle.
Trim thread leaving a little tail of about 15mm
Repeat process on the other end. One simple handle.

July sky

~ cloudytype ~ 3 Comments

I’ve had the same set of watercolours in a Windsor and Newton black enamel tin since I was a first year art student at Falmouth. Over the years the pans of colours have been renewed but it’s one of those little constants I return to that makes me feel secure. I started doing quick sketches in watercolour of lockdown skies in March. I didn’t think I would need to make another sketchbook to contain them all. Yesterday it was an even pale grey all day so I didn’t bother painting it. Today it looks more interesting so I may well do several. There are no rules other than to be guided by the wind.