Today’s post hides a special treat for people who love making things from paper – and a new fold up pocket book which could also hide some special memories, even some secrets.
The fold up pocket book is a slightly more sophisticated form of the zigzag pocket book which you used to collect characters for your story. The inspiration for this book came from a website called The Travelling Bookbinder. The website is run by Rachel Hazell who lives in Edinburgh and the island of Iona. She makes beautiful books and shares her knowledge through courses, a book and her website. At the moment she is on Iona and is working with the children in the primary school there. She showed them how to make the fold up pocket book and then shared the instructions on her website.
The Travelling Bookbinder: how to make a fold up pocket book: https://www.thetravellingbookbinder.com/2020/04/make-a-fold-up-pocket-book/
You can make the book from any paper that you have in your house. I made one book from plain white paper and taped the ends with washi tape. I also had some thick drawing paper. I used this to make another book and sewed the open ends together. I have to say that the thicker paper and sewing does make a really lovely book.
What could you use the pocket book for? Well, you can make a collection of all kinds of writing. Rachel Hazell has several ideas, including a tiny postcard to yourself in the future. You use different papers and cards to go into each pocket. I found some very small cards with envelopes, a little book I had made with a chocolate wrapper cover [we’ll show you how to make those on another day] and some different papers. I cut some cards from a box that had had tea bags in it and another folded card from a seed packet. I wanted to remember sewing marigold seeds this spring.
And that is what I am going to use my pocket book for. I am going to write down things that I am doing now so that I can look back and remember what it was like at this time. Don’t rush this. You could write on different paper or card. You can fold your paper up small to fit in the pockets. Write down what you do each day; what the weather is like or what you eat. Maybe write down three things you miss, four things you like about being at home, the things that people say, the games you play … you will know. Write down the ordinary everyday things. They will seem extraordinary to you in five years time.
Writing Box 