Book Swap 2023 - Ariel Bissett

This colourful book was made by Ariel Bissett for the NSBAG book swap. The binding is a Coptic-style chain stitch sewing. The cover features some of Ariel's original marbled paper which is a multi-coloured waved nonpareil pattern. You can find Ariel on Instagram: @arielbissett

Book Swap 2023 - Emily Brown

Emily Brown created this lucky blank book for the NSBAG book swap. The front cover is dark green book cloth with a layered, oval inset featuring a pressed four-leaf clover. The binding is a criss cross binding (also known as the secret Belgian binding) and the first page is printed with Emily's hand-carved lino stamp.

Book Swap 2023 - Rhynn Winstead

Rhynn Winstead created this colourful book for the NSBAG book swap. The structure is a slim case binding in full cloth of natural Cialinen. The textblock is made with a series of painted watercolour papers featuring a variety of patterns and interesting folds. Rhynn was also the lucky winner of our door prize (which was a book about bookbinding) at our last meeting!

Book Swap 2023 - Tabatha Cass

This vibrant handbound book was made by Tabatha Cass for the NSBAG book swap. The binding is a chain stitch Coptic-style binding, sewn with yellow linen thread using a double-wrapped board attachment. The cover paper is a hand-printed, handmade paper. There are Fabriano paste-downs and recycled paper for the textblock. You can find Tabatha on Instagram: @tabycatkid.

Book Swap 2023 - Heather Loney

Heather Loney's handbound swap book features a series of her intricate paper cuts within the textblock. The paper cuts each represent a different local landmark and there is one paper cut per signature. The book is handbound using a repeating x pattern sewn through the spine of the case. The cover features a printed handmade paper and a book cloth spine. You can find Heather on Instagram: @hkeloney

Book Swap 2023 - Sally Crawford

Sally Crawford created this unique notebook for the NSBAG book swap. Sally's book is made from her own eco printed papers which have random botanical shapes and textures on each page. The papers are folded into this interesting wing book structure with an attached ribbon closure. You can find Sally on Facebook at SallyCrawford.Art.

Book Swap 2023 - Jamie Pratt

Jamie Pratt used a wide range of Japanese papers to create this lovely book for the NSBAG book swap. The cover is book board covered with Chiri Kyoseishi Blue paper with an inset of a blank kozo business card. The text pages are Tomoe River (heavy cream) with a variety of other Japanese papers throughout, including some Chiyogami and a number of Kingin tissues in various colours. The binding is a chain stitch Coptic-style binding, sewn with linen thread.

NSBAG Book Swap 2023

On November 29th at the Halifax public library, the book arts group held a book swap! Bookbinders ranged from master bookbinders, and workshop aficionados, to book newbies. We had 16 people present for the swap, with a total of 17 books (with one absent member who contributed a book). This was probably the most well-attended book group meeting of the last couple months, which is encouraging to note that everyone loves making a book for someone else!

All books were wrapped and numbered then everyone drew a number
to determine which book they would receive.
We got to see many examples of hand marbled paper from Rhonda's marbling workshop, all of beautiful colours and designs. Other books included some repurposed covers from thrift store finds, a folded book made of handmade paper, a book box with tiny ornaments, case binds, Coptic binds, Japanese binds, and an entire book filled with sheets of coloured watercolour paper.

All of the books, revealed!
Even given a number of restraints, the books turned out all different and beautiful, showing people's progression in binding, but also an array of interests and styles within the field. It was an opportunity to see different bound styles, and I personally am excited to try a repurposed binding, or having a pressed flower on a cover.
Thank you to all who participated and hopefully we will plan another swap soon! Happy binding.

Here you can find all the books featured individually:

- Marilynn Rudi
- Jamie Pratt
- Sally Crawford
- Ron Fritz
- Em Doucette
- Heather Loney
- Tabatha Cass
- Joe Landry
- Rhynn Winstead
- Larry Cowell
- Emily Brown
- Ariel Bissett
- Jeffrey Cowling
- Andrew Fraser
- Taryn Neufeld
- Rhonda Miller
- Stephanie Morley

---

Submitted by Taryn Neufeld

NSBAG Book Swap

The Nova Scotia Book Arts Group is hosting a handbound book swap!

• What is a handbound book swap?
  Make a book, bring it to the meeting, and swap it for a book made by someone else.
• Who can participate?
  Anyone who is, or wants to be, involved with NSBAG. All bookbinding skill levels are welcomed and encouraged to participate, but of course participation is entirely optional.
• When will the swap take place?
  We will swap the books at our meeting in November at the Halifax Central Library.
• What kind of book should you make?
  It should be a blank book with height and width dimensions somewhere in the 5" to 9" range (14cm to 24cm). You can utilize whatever bookbinding techniques you like and make something that you'd be proud to share! Please include a colophon or a note with your name and details about the binding techniques and the materials used.
• How will the swapping be done?
  The books will be swapped randomly and blindly with the other swap participants. Bring your book to the meeting in November. Everyone who brings a book will get a different book to take home. Please wrap your book in brown paper or put it in a bag before you come. The books will be numbered and then participants will draw numbers and take the corresponding package. Imagine the suspense!

Send us an email (novascotiabookarts@gmail.com) if you have any questions!

A Collection of Handmade Books

Rhonda Miller has accumulated a collection of over 80 handbound books and artists' books, made by nearly as many bookbinders and book artists around the world. For our March meeing, Rhonda brought most of this collection for the group to examine and discuss.

Her collection was acquired through a variety of book swaps over several years. Rhonda has participanted in many different types of swaps and she disucssed the different formats that she had participated in and how this had been a great way to build a varied collection for studying and teaching. The collection includes handbound books in a wide range of styles and structures utlizing many different materials and techniques, both familiar and unfamiliar, common and uncommon.

Blank books make up a substantial part of the collection, some of which can be seen here in the first two photographs. Most of these swaps occured between 2007 and 2012. Some of the swaps were documented on her bookbinding blog at the time, where there are also pictures of a few of the many books that she made and sent out to others.

Other swaps were more focused on content-driven books and artists' books, including numerous miniatures from an edition exchange, most of which can be seen here.

Later this year, the Nova Scotia Book Arts group is planning to host a blank book swap within the group. More details about how to participate will be shared soon.

Update: Check here for more details about our book swap.