New limited edition book

Between holiday orders, teaching and working in my studio, I'm still need to find the time to bind some copies of the new limited edition book by Edizioni Almenodue. There is still a lot to be done, but I can start posting some photos and information about The Fruit, Herbs and Vegetables of Italy by Giacomo Castelvetro, 1614.
The limited edition book of 80 copies, presents 25 beautiful illustrations by Rita Ravaioli and translation from Italian into English by Gillian Riley. Text in both languages are published. Printed in offset in Rome, Italy on Fedrigoni Old Mill paper, is typeset in Galliard by Matthew Carter that kindly donated the typeface for this edition, in trade of a few copies of the book.
The entire design and binding is by Edizioni Almenodue and we have been using hand-made 100% cotton Alphabet paper on the cover by Cave Paper in Minneapolis
and hand-made kozo paper end sheets. After working at Cave Paper for a few years, long ago, I know too well the good quality of their paper and the time spent on each sheet. I suggest to use it for any kind of binding.
The exposed binding on the spine is link stitch with white linen thread.
The format is 5 x 7 1/4", copies of the book are ready for sale, please inquire,
if interested.
Enclosed is a comment about the author of the book written by Giovanni Lusso.

Giacomo Castelvetro was born in Modena in 1546, a nephew of the famous
writer, Lodovico, who wrote an essay on Aristotle’s Poetics, his ideas were
controversial and pro-Reformation. After his uncle was condemned by the
Inquisition, Giacomo and his brother left Modena, hidden inside two
baskets on the back of a mule. He travelled in Switzerland, Germany,
England, where he stayed for a long time, Denmark and Sweden then. He
lived in Venice where he was arrested in 1611 by the Inquisition (his brother
had been burned at the stake two years earlier) but he was released thanks to
the English ambassador’s prompt and decisive intervention (to the discomfiture
of the inquisitors). He had to leave Venice and returned to England in
1612, where he died in 1616. Castelvetro’s professional life was with books.
He was a cosmopolitan intellectual who knew his way around the European
book trade: and is known to have been at the Frankfurt Book fair. He published
many Italian books, the works of Machiavelli, Guarini, Tasso, Marino,
and the political essays of Campanella. He was an experienced editor and
publisher, with a sound knowledge of printing, a skilled designer as can be
seen in the rapid, confident layouts of his manuscripts and neat lists, precisely
written in his Crescian calligraphy (Giovan Francesco Cresci had revolutionized
xvi century calligraphy). During his exile, when he was in his
seventies, Castelvetro wrote his masterpiece, The Fruit, Herbs and Vegetables
of Italy, destined to circulate in manuscript among his English friends and
protectors, an early manifesto of the Mediterranean Cuisine.

Carte Sparse ended last week

The exhibition Carte Sparse (Scattered Papers) at the Fabriano Boutique in Milan, Italy, ended last week. We had the opportunity to exhibit our limited edition books and calendar books in their beautiful space. There are more information and pictures about the show on my previous post in June, here below a few photos of our books in display. It was a great opportunity for Edizioni Almenodue!

Little paper bird

I have just found this amazing picture of hundreds of possibility of folding paper and sewing. It's by Little paper bird a blog by Sarah Mitchell from Uk.
The following is what she wrote about her inspiration with paper.

I like this picture. I think its because it reminds me why I like making books, all the possibilities...I have a few boxes like this, from different times, when different ideas were running around my head, and when ever I feel a bit stuck or uninspired it often helps to take them out and have a play.
As the pages unfold it starts to come back to me; how paper can be manipulated, folded, bent and sewn; and my fingers start to get itchy to have another go at cutting, folding, stitching.I suppose its like kind of like drawing for me, seeing what shapes I can make with the paper. These boxes are like my sketchbooks. And I suppose its quite systematic, I often take one shape and try all the different combinations of fitting it together. I think its quite funny that these messy boxes, with bits sticking out and thread trailing, are really my attempt to create order.

I find it all very inspiring and a pleasure for the eye.

Letterpress and bookbinding workshop No.2

A repeat of our two-day printing and bookbinding workshop will be held on November 10th and 11th. Taught in collaboration with Shelley of Albertine Press
at her studio in Somerville, MA, the first day will focus on designing and printing
in letterpress an edition of bookplates. The second day will be the bookbinding session, by sewing on tapes an eight signature blank book with hand-made paper cover, cotton tapes and linen thread. A unique feature of this structure is the decorative attachment of tapes onto the covers, to secure the text block.
Here below some pictures of Albertine studio and presses, and the sewing on tapes book, made during the previous class we taught in August. Please, contact
Angela or Shelley, if you need any further informations or would like to sign up
for the workshop. Thank you.

Craft, Inc. launch party

It is a pleasure to post the invitation for the launch party of the book, Craft, Inc. by Meg Mateo Ilasco. The book is great and I'm sure the event in San Francisco at Rare Device will be amazing. Too far for me to go, but I'm very sorry to miss it!
More about the book and the launch party at Designer's Library, Meg's blog.

New header

Thanks to Susy Pilgrim Waters for generously letting me use some of her paintings for the new blog header. The images are also a little preview of the self promotional calendar book 2008 I have been working on with Silvana Amato, with the use of Odile typeface by Sibylle Hagman. There is still lot of work to do, the printing and the binding, but hopefully I will be able to post some pictures of the completed book in the next month. Meanwhile, thank you Susy for the beautiful work!

Cotton ribbons arrive to Purl, Soho

I'm working on a large order of cotton ribbons for a beautiful fabric store in Soho, New York. All colors, in both weaves, will be available at Purl Patchwork, starting next week, or through their website. Owner of the store Joelle Hoverson wrote some books about patchwork, quilts and knitted gift, that look very interesting with beautiful photography! I love the following pictures I have found on their website and the storefront of the store. This is how they describe Purl:
We opened Purl in 2002 with the hope of creating a friendly yarn shop where people could gather and share each other's creativity. In 2006 we opened Purl Patchwork, our fabric shop, just a few doors away from Purl.
We believe natural fibers are wonderful to work with. Supple, vibrant, and timeless, our natural materials contribute to memorable experiences. We carefully select the finest fibers for our yarn collection, from cotton, bamboo, silk and linen to warm alpaca, merino, and cashmere. We choose fabrics of heirloom quality cotton and diverse patterns. Contemporary prints, historical reproductions, elegant imports, and a rainbow of solid colors make our ever-changing collection a pleasure to present.
I'm sure I will visit Purl as soon as I will go to New York!

Ubik in Valencia, Spain

It is a pleasure to know that some of our hand-bound books have arrived to Spain! They are now to be sold at Ubik bookstore, that just recently opened in Valencia. Their website still need to be completed, but I think the photography throughout the site is just beautiful. I wish all the best to the people at Ubik!

Craft, Inc.

I have been reading a new book by Meg Mateo Ilasco, published by Chronicle Books, with the title Craft, Inc, turn your creative hobby into a business. Beyond the great design, with the use of Dalliance typeface, one of my favorite, perfect format and round corners, I've find it very inspiring. An interesting book even for an established business that just need to hear how other designers and artist have made their way into selling their work. Meg Ilasco had interviewed some of my favorite artists as Lotta Jansdotter, Jill Bliss, Port2Port and Variegated, among others, and incorporated their comments and advise throughout the book, along with great suggestions on how to manage a new business based on your creativity and style.
It is also very well written and a pleasure to read!