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Wednesday, November 13, 2013

A New Twist on Coptic Stitch

A record crowd of 19 Study Group members met in a sun-filled 5th floor room in the Art Academy on Saturday, November 9, to learn single sheet Coptic binding. Everyone was happy to see our presenter for the day, Jo Diamantes. Past Study Group Coordinator, Jo managed to wrangle a few hours from a busy work schedule to lead a great session.
Our teacher Jo
This variation on traditional Coptic binding, because it uses single sheets rather than folded signatures, is most effective with thick pages such as a few of the wonderful examples Jo brought.
Jo's example that uses painted foam core

Another model, a favorite with everyone, features collage on book board. The spine stitching features the prototypical chain stitch that makes the Coptic stitch instantly recognizable. And like other Coptic books, this version opens completely flat, a feature beloved by hand bookbinders.
Collage on book board
After untangling a few very long threads and studying the instructions, everyone soon caught on to the stitching pattern and completed a book using great vintage postcards Jo provided. As always, Study Group members are a cooperative bunch, ready to lend a hand whenever needed.
Helping hands
A special welcome to enthusiastic new Study Group members Anjali and Dora. We hope to see both of you often in the future. And many thanks to Jo for a huge amount of preparation, very comprehensive directions and an overall successful meeting. What a great way to wrap up a fun and productive year for Study Group!

Now...be sure to follow this CBAS blog for Study Group's 2014 offerings.
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Thanks to Study Group Coordinator Janice for the info and photos for this post as well as shepherding us through a wonderful series of meetings for 2013. You're the best!

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