Saturday, May 2, 2009

Headbands

headband
Already some weeks ago (must be two months already) I bought the book "Headbands. How to work them" by Jane Greenfield and Jenny Hille. It's still too early to write a review of the book. I have not yet read much more than the first instruction for this headband with the beads on the edge, above. This was the very first headband I stitched and I must say I am rather pleased with the outcome. - It was much easier than I had anticipated, so it must be a good instruction. But of course the stitching has a lot of flaws. If you click on the image you'll get to my Flickr page and there I've added some tags, hinting at the most obvious mistakes.
The second try was already a slight improvement:
headband

Unfortunately the book block itself is rather crappy. My paper cutter continues to work extremely bad. I think I'll have to turn back to cutting the pages by hand: The cut is not perpendicular to the table, the knife, a replacement I only recently ordered, reached me dented.
And the worst thing about the book that has nothing to do with bad equipment: the edge coloring (swirly blue) is flaking off.

What do you usually do with books that turn out that bad? Take them apart? Keep them to yourself? I'd like to hear your opinions. I usually don't take them apart. This particular one will probably stay unfinished, tossed in some corner of my studio.
I made another book yesterday, another trial with a new technique, which is a complete color fail - I won't show it here. Take it apart? Maybe I will do that.

I'll close with showing you some more photos. These are from the mirror twin of the buttonhole I made recently. Now with the fancy paper outside:
Buttonhole - Inverted
Buttonhole - Inverted
Buttonhole - Inverted

Thanks for reading!

1 comment:

Billie said...

Your headbands look fantastic, don't be so hard on yourself.

If I have a sewing failure part way through a book I do take it apart. Other mistakes that are too far along the process to want to start from scratch, I improve what I can then make a note in the book what that book has taught me. Often you learn more from a book that goes wrong than one that goes well.

My theory on it is as long as you know what went wrong and make notes you will remember how not to make that mistake again.

Great button hole book too.

Billie :)