Sewing Cont'd
Red and Black is the colour scheme, use the colour of the thread as a design element.
The First step is threading the needle, the way I do it is to go through the eye then go back to the shorter end of the thread and push the needle through the middle of it. Then yank it, its pretty solid. The thread length depends on the size of the book, get enough to sew about half the book.
OK! Start from either end but make sure you go IN first from the outside. I find the easiest way to do this is to prick the holes from the outside then sew the whole section at once. You want to make holes close to the ribbon but not too close, give them room to breathe, maybe 1 or 2 mm. LEAVE SOME THREAD AT THE FIRST HOLE TO TIE IT OFF!
At this point, fold the first section back, give the thread a yank so it's firm and give it a rub on the fold with your bone folder. Now lift up your weight and put the second section on top. Set it up, with the new section open and the weight on top. Prick your holes in the new section using the lower section for reference and just head back the other way. You'll end up like this.
Heres a diagram for all you silly billies
After you've tied it off, go straight into the next section, sew along and you'll get to this.
Go under the previous section, going from the inside to the outside
Pull it through!
Then grab the needle and go back through the big loop you made
Make sure all the thread is pulled snug, not to tight though. Get it to about this stage and then give it a pull UPWARDS and do it quickly and firmly but don't yank it like a maniac. This is called a kettle stitch.
I like to do this twice (for the win). Repeat this technique until the end.
Note: The only place you need to do a double knot is at the start and finish of the paper block. As you sew it should just be: Go straight into the next section, sew along, do the kettle stitch then go straight into the next section, repeat. Try and keep the ribbons fairly firm and straight as you go and keep rubbing with your bonefolder.
