Bobbin Lace Bookmark: A Modern Take on an Old-World Craft by Cori Large

It’s finally here! One of my 2019 Goals was to self-publish my book Bobbin Lace Bookmark: A Modern Take on an Old-World Craft on Amazon/KDP. I’m so proud of myself for working hard and completing this goal. It has allowed me to achieve a life-long dream of becoming a published author. It is available in both paperback and eBook form. I will be filming a few accompanying How-To videos for this book shortly, and this post will be updated with those links shortly.

In this book, I take you through a brief history of bobbin lace, how to create the paper template you’ll be using, how to measure the crochet thread, set up the wooden bobbins, set up the lace pillow, and take you step-by-step through the pattern so by the end you will have made a lace bookmark.

There are over 70 pictures to help the novice get started and check themselves throughout the pattern. At the end of the book, I provide a list of organizations, websites, and YouTube channels the user can consult for further help.

Amazon Link

Planner addicts know the feeling all to well of being called to try a different planner set up style. Unfortunately, this can get quite expensive if you buy new stuff over and over.

When I got this feeling back in May, I consulted my stash of notebooks, inserts, washi tape, and stickers to see if I could DIY something instead of rushing out to buy something new.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abJ8j2i16XE%5B/embedyt%5D

 

 

When I discovered regular flex binders came with bigger rings, I had an idea for a DIY mini flex.

I’ve been using Mini Flex binders since I first discovered them. I wished the rings were a bit bigger. You can only fit so much in one of these. I purchased a 5-subject flex binder, that had rings 2 inches wide. DOUBLE that of a regular Mead OrganizHer Shopping Companion (aka the Mini Flex).

While the bigger rings does make the whole notebook a little more awkward, I’m finding myself using it more because I have so much paper in it. If I want to make a new list, or brainstorm an article, or writing blogging notes, I’m not worried about running out of paper!

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eVRaI2SVOU%5B/embedyt%5D

I know it sounds counter-intuitive, but it works for me.

To make your own mini flex, if you don’t want to buy one off Amazon, or if you want bigger rings:

1. Measure and draw lines on a regular size flex binder to mark 6 inches wide (include the ring mechanism) and 9 inches long.
2. Using scissors, cut the back and front cover plastic and the fabric spine along the marked lines.
3. When it comes it to ring mechanism, this is where it gets tricky. I used my poultry scissors to cut through this thicker plastic. Pruning shears may work as well. Just be VERY CAREFUL when trying to cut through this part.
4. If you have a corner rounder punch, you can round the corners off.
5. And voila! You not have a mini flex, in whatever color you wish, and in whatever ring size you prefer!

In the last few weeks of waiting for my Chic Sparrow Maverick traveler’s notebook to be returned to me as a birthday present, I got a little impatient and made two fauxdori’s. Neither is in the narrow size, like my Maverick. One is bigger and one is smaller.

1^st Fauxdori: Teal Planner Binder w/ Autumn Leaves

Some of you may recall my elation about finally finding a teal planner in this post. You may also recall I covered it with gold-reflective autumn leaf stickers. Side note: I LOVE THESE STICKERS!!!

My husband punched holes in the spine and I threaded elastic through the holes. It can hold four notebooks (4 elastics). The binder itself came set up with a secretarial pocket in the front, 3 card slots and 1 ID pocket on the secretarial pocket, an elastic pen loop, and the back cover has a long pocket (where the spiral planner slide into) and a notepad pocket where I could put one of those long refrigerator list pads.

It holds Piccadilly notebooks and Punch Studio notebooks (8.5” x 5.5”) with ease! Right now I just keep my Collections notebook and my Blogging notebook in there. (Husband is borrowing my Wide.)

The stickers are coming off due to my putting it in my purse. If they come off, oh well!

2^nd Fauxdori: Fabric Dori

ETSY has a lot of Fabric Dori sellers, and some of their fabrics are beautiful. So one Sunday evening, I decided I was going to make my own Fabric Dori. I have a storage tub full of fabric, all I needed was interfacing and elastic. Off to Joann’s I went! I probably spent 10 minutes studying the interfacing cart, trying to figure out what interfacing to use. (If you don’t know what interfacing is, please see the link below.) I got 790 Interfacing, which is a Crafting and Home Décor style. I tried asking someone as the cutting counter, and she was not helpful at all. (Snooty unhelpful.) To choose my interfacing, I felt the stiffness of all the different styles and chose the one I thought was the stiffest.

The TN I was attempting to make was the equivalent of a B6, or roughly 5” x 7”. I has easy access to notebooks this size and want to see what a TN in this size was like. Foxy Fix has this size, but I wasn’t ready to spend $50 on a leather I wasn’t sure I was going to like.

The fabric I used for the outside was an olive drab crushed velvet and the inside was a soft flannel (I think I said felt in the video!) owl print. I sewed the two fabrics together to make a sack of sorts, cut the interfacing down, slid it into the sack I made, and sewed it up. My husband added the grommets for me. I threaded the elastics through and added a spine elastic to close.

The notebooks I have in here are my Gardening notebook, that I initially cut down thinking I’d put it in one of the Narrow (NOPE!), a blank pink one, and a black one with gold hearts that is my Book Notes notebook. This dori has 4 elastics as well, but the first two notebooks are banded together and attached with the first two elastics, and the third book is held in by the third and fourth elastics. I added a piece of gold cardstock thinking I’d put some sticky notes on there or attached a pen loop.

My sizing was a little off. The notebooks do stick out a little bit, but I’m okay with that, and the edging of the back cover is messy. This dori stays at home so I don’t really care what it looks like. It is serving its purpose for me.

YouTube video link: https://youtu.be/noIpgLA8_Lg

What is interfacing? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interfacing

© Cori Large 15 May 2016