They're a bit brittle, probably from dyeing. And I cut card backing to reinforce the covers. My fingers are a bit tired, so I'll wait on stitching a day or so.
But now I know how to do the Coptic binding, I can complete some other artist books I had done covers for, like the fabric ones shown with the wool books. They're 8"×7", big by comparison.
The stitching is the Japanese sashiko technique. I lined it with a Chinese brocade. I haven't decided what kind of paper for the pages, maybe drawing quality.
And there are a couple of woven paper covers, mounted on card already. These were my own photographs, fed through a straight shredder.
You might want to try this, it's great fun. You could use binding other than Coptic though, if you wanted to create a spine and end covers.
You can create your own journal, or book for knitting and project notes. Or a field notebook for drawing and writing up interesting sightings from outdoors. I've made books to record gardening planting in the past, to remind myself where I'd planted perennials so as not to spade them up by mistake the following year.
I think self care includes making beautiful items for your own use. Because you're worth it!
