A STITCH IN TIME

A STITCH IN TIME: A HISTORICAL JOURNEY OF SEWING BOOKS

WORKSHOP WITH BONNIE STAHLECKER

JUNE 9 AND 10

“What a wonderful workshop - and such splendid folks to spend two days with.” 

“Want to give everyone a big THANKS for their grounding influence in my life as we stitched our way thru history this weekend.”  “You all created a great environment for intense learning.  I'm exhausted but so proud of all that was accomplished.  Amazing to me that so many different skills and techniques were learned!”

These are a few of the comments from the participants at the “Stitch in Time” workshop with Indianapolis book artist Bonnie Stahlecker, an unqualified success and really energizing learning experience for a dozen CBAS members.  

  

From the moment we walked into the room and saw how carefully the room had been set up and everyone's workshop kit prepared, we knew this was going to be a great workshop experience.

During the course of two non-stop 9-5 days that went like lightning, participants learned the history of and made 7 historical book structures: a tacket binding (the most ancient binding form), an Ethiopian variation on Coptic stitching bound in beautiful red oak boards, herringbone stitching on goatskin supports, raised double cord binding with packed sewing, French sewing and catch stitch sewing - both on linen tapes, and a longstitch book.  For a group where it’s not uncommon to leave with one or more unfinished projects, the fact that all of us finished all 7 structures was extraordinary and a testament to how well organized and perfectly timed Bonnie’s workshop was.

The Art Academy’s Community Education room was an ideal, light-filled setting for the workshop, and everyone was thrilled to learn that the Art Academy has offered the room for regular meetings of the CBAS Study Group.

Thanks to Cecie Chewning for keeping track of reservations and for hosting a post-workshop pizza and salad dinner; Jo Diamantes for taking care of all the details including set-up and providing that essential ingredient - snacks!; Janice Kagermeier for hosting Bonnie during her stay; Bobbi Vallery for making arrangements for us to use the Community Education Room at the Art Academy; Bonnie Stahlecker for a perfectly organized, enjoyable and truly inspiring workshop; and most of all, an enthusiastic and eager-to-learn group of CBAS members for putting their all into learning an enormous amount of information in just two days.

And now it’s time to practice all those stitches we learned!