Stitched leaves often employ a fan style stitch where most of the thread goes from points on the rim of the leaf into a single hole where it joins the stem. This can easily be converted to a loop stitch using the same holes but having much less thread on the back of the card.
Lacing and Tacketing for bookbinding
Tacketing is a type of stitching that was used on the covers of medieval ledgers and books. It was a decorative way of securing the spine during the bookbinding process. It can be done with bookbinders thread or leather strips. In the latter case it resembles lacing. Blog reader Beth Morton told us how she was introduced to craft of tacketing by demonstrator Chela Metzger, at the The Austin Book Arts February Meetup.
Beth told us: “This type of stitching is often referred to as a lost art and some scholars are attempting to recreate the stitching patterns”. Beth has sent us a picture taken at the meeting (shown above-right), a larger version, plus more pictures, can be seen at the Austin Book Arts website…