#hooksbooks

[kotaka-kun]

When @hooksbooks reached out to me about binding my omegaverse PotO fics and sending me a copy, I was so deeply moved by the thought of someone liking my fics enough to want to put in the time and energy to go through them, put them in a chronological order (that I myself didn't even intend for there to be, what with how many oneshots I wrote), and make it into a book...

And now to get to hold it in my hands? It feels so surreal, and in the best way.

I'm especially obsessed with the way they went along with my "it's not how most people do it, but that doesn't mean it's wrong" theme, and bound it with the spine on the top.

This was such a novel (pun intended) experience from top to bottom, and I'm so grateful 🩷🩷🩷

Thank you again @hooksbooks !!!

[little-cat-press]

it really is a gorgeous little book, and I love the netting. It ties in especially well with the fact that much of the story revolves around merman Virgil being tangled in a fishing net!

I'll add some typeset pictures in a bit

This is the first of two books I bound for @renegadeguild's Tiny Books Bang.

The story is (don't) take this the wrong way by @delimeful and was typeset by @little-cat-press for the Tiny Books Bang. It's a mermaid AU of Sanders Sides (Web Series), which I had never actually heard of before. But when I saw that it was a merperson AU, this idea popped into my head and I knew I had to try it, especially after I read the story and really enjoyed it.

The inspiration is medieval girdle books, which are books whose covering material (typically leather) extended past the book to a knot that was both used as a handle when reading the book and could be tucked into the girdle when the book was not in use, thus the name.

Where my book is much smaller (it's a sextodecimo, about 2.25" by 2.75") it isn't designed to tuck into a belt/girdle, but rather is attached to a bracelet and dangles from the wrist when not in use.

When I think of mermaids, some things that come to mind are fish, treasure, and tridents, and I wanted to incorporate all three in the design. The book is covered in blue bookcloth, and then covered again in crocheted netting that was meant to bring to mind fishnets. I crocheted the netting from cotton-poly sewing thread doubled up. I incorporated a trident into the filet crochet, which is repeated on both the front and back covers. I blocked it on a piece of blotting...board? paper? It's soft and thick and meant to absorb moisture and came with my book press that started life as a flower press.

I then sewed the netting to the bookcloth covering the boards with teeny tiny stitches. It probably took twice as long to crochet the netting as it did to the rest of the binding combined, but I really like how it turned out.

The bracelet I picked to attach the netting to is gold-colored to invoke the idea of sunken treasure. Rather than attaching the netting from one end to the other, I folded both ends to the middle and attached it like that so when you have the book open it lays more nicely.

The design of the endpapers looks like looped thread, and also reminds me of netting. I secured the bookmark to the bottom of the text block and let it hang from the top, which works better when the book is hanging from the wrist and doesn't get caught in the netting. I also sewed a little starfish charm to the end of the bookmark.

Technical details:

Sewn-on endpapers

Rounded but not backed

No headbands (I think I intended to, but forgot and then decided it didn't matter enough to try to pull the cover back off)

Things I liked about this bind:

I really like the girdle-book-on-a-bracelet design, it came out almost exactly how I had envisioned it.

Things I'd like to change/improve for next time:

I wasn't 100% pleased with how trimming went on these. It wasn't terrible, but I probably need to come up with a different solution than just a utility knife and a straight edge.

Crocheting the netting really did take so long. I'm not even done with the netting that's going on my copy yet, which is why all the pics are from the typesetter's copy. Probably would not want to do netting for anything larger than this one was.

Overall feels: Loved it! I enjoyed the story, the design came out pretty much exactly how I envisioned it, overall I'm well pleased.

[jennsheelen-blog]

Episode 27 - Happy Podiversary, Cheers!

EPISODE 27 – Happy Podiversary, Cheers!

Subcribe on YouTube! co-hosted with Dug the Dog & Chelsea Bean

FIND ME ON: Ravelry Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Google Hangouts - Virtual Knit Nite!

JOIN THE Jenn Sheelen Ravelry Group

PODCASTS REFERENCED: The Knitted Cupcake Podcast - Lacy (wouknitter) Hooks & Books Podcast - Sarah (HooksBooks) Knitting I Love Podcast - Barbara (knittingILove) Lucky Jenny Knits - Jenny (LuckyJennyKnits)   Paws4Stitches Podcast - Candy (paws4stitches)

SELFISH KNITTING: Finished Objects:

WIP’s Boxy by Joji Locatelli Sock Yarn Granny Stripe Blanket

BEVERAGE OF CHOICE: Bubbles!

WHAT I’M STYLIN’: “Lil Miss Chelsea Bean” Shawl

SHOWIN’ OFF: Goodie Bag by  Barbara (knittingILove) - Knitting I Love Podcast Stitch markers by Blue Wolves Shop  and Free Shipping Code for the Four Seasons Sock KAL FOURSEASONS good until May 4, 2017

Rhinebeck with Lucky Jenny & Paws4Stitches!!!

GIVEAWAYS!: Guilty Pleasures KAL Knit a project that YOU want to knit.  So much so that it almost makes you feel guilty to work on because you have other things you “should” be knitting.  This is a project for you.  Even if you are giving it as a gift, it’s a project that makes you feel good.  This KAL is all about YOU!

WIP’s count!

Multiple entries allowed

KAL runs March 1 - April 30, 2017

Item must be finished by end of KAL

Must be a member of the Jenn Sheelen Ravelry Group

Win a prize pack of a pattern, yarn, and other goodies!

The Four Seasons Sock KAL

Knit a pair of socks every season

Starts March 20, 2017, ends March 19, 2018

Multiple entries per season allowed!

Cast on, bind off must start & end with each season

Spring: March 20 - June 20, 2017

Summer: June 21 - September 21, 2017

Fall: September 22 - December 20, 2017

Winter: December 21 - March 19, 2018

Must be a member of the Jenn Sheelen Ravelry Group

A prize pack will be given at the end of each season.  Enter all four seasons and win a grand prize pack!

KNIT-READING: Knit-Read: Most Wanted by Lisa Scottoline Friction by Sandra Brown A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay Jackaby by William Ritter

Now Knit-Reading: Don’t You Cry by Mary Kubica

Knit-Watching: This is Us The OA Santa Clarita Diet Black Sails

WHAT’S UP WITH ALL THE THINGS?!:

Designed a new asymmetrical shawl… the “Lil Miss Chelsea Bean” Shawl

This shawl is named after our new addition to the family, a 4-year old English Bulldog dubbed Lil Miss Chelsea Bean.  We adopted her from a shelter after she was surrendered by her owner.  Chelsea was left with many health issues and was in very poor condition.  It is very likely that she was abused by her previous owner as well.  When we met her, it was love at first sight.  FrankSheelen and I were able to provide her with the surgeries she needed to drastically improve her quality of life.  Now that she feels so much better, her little personality is starting to shine.  Every day has been a new adventure with this little girl and you’ll find that this knit will be very much the same.  Each section will feel like it is bringing you on a new adventure, the colors turning this way and that.  It is so much fun to play with colors with this shawl!  Each color plays off the other, making the pattern shine… just like Lil Miss Chelsea Bean.

Designing mittens and matching hat!

Added a thread to promote your shop and share coupon codes!!