LAURA STURROCK'S MINIATURE BOOKS

At the festival I am going to make books. My aim is to encourage visitors to make little books to take away. There is no charge for the activity. It is suitable for everyone (including adults) from about age 5.

There is a choice of three tiny books which are made by folding paper and take 5 to 10 minutes. I find quite young children can manage these with guidance. Some of them get quite involved and end up making all three sizes. It would be difficult to write in the tiniest (3/4 inch or about 20 mm square) but the larger books are useable and I will bring coloured pens for visitors to write and draw in them.

I am also making some relatively large books that are 4 inches (approx 100 mm) square. To make these, visitors choose pre-cut coloured pages and a cover. Some of the pages fold out or have pockets to add interest to the finished book. One of the children who made these books called them “magic pages”. To make these books three holes are made in the spine and the booklet sewn together. Selecting the pages, making the holes and sewing takes about 5 to 10 minutes. These larger books can certainly be used for drawing and writing.  They could be used in the words and literature part of the festival.

I will probably also bring a display of other books I have made to show visitors what else they could make. To go with this I will have a few books about making books to look at.