The EmbroideressTuesday, June 21, 2005
Good Old Book
About all I accomplished today was getting an order out to Nordic Needle for my second book 100 Blackwork Charts. This book has been a jewel. It still sells 10 years after I first put it together.
When I first did the charts for it I didn't have a desktop computer that would run Windows and I needed Windows to use the early Hobbyware program I had bought. My laptop would barely squeeze Windows 3.1 on and have enough RAM left to chart one page. Then to print a master of that page so I could photocopy it for the books, I walked away and left it and my wee little printer all alone for 45 minutes.
I had no desktop publishing program other than WordPerfect at that time so the names and numbers of the charts had to be done in backstitch on the charting program. The cover was also done in Patternmaker. That's why the title is so funky, but now I can't change it.
Anyone who has a photocopied copy of this book has a very early version, and if you have a funky colored cover, you have one of the first dozen or so printed/copied.
When I was able to upgrade and print all the copies I sell, I started using our current paper which is a nice linen texture. I think this adds something to a needlework book because this is such a tactile art. And I was able to find paper that has a high percentage of recycled consumer rubbish content. I started putting plastic covers on all my booklets because I like the front cover of my booklets protected and I like the fact that by using a fairly heavy plastic, the books will stand straight on a shelf or in a rack.
So right on Nordic Needle and all my faithful customers. Keep that Good Old Book alive.
When I first did the charts for it I didn't have a desktop computer that would run Windows and I needed Windows to use the early Hobbyware program I had bought. My laptop would barely squeeze Windows 3.1 on and have enough RAM left to chart one page. Then to print a master of that page so I could photocopy it for the books, I walked away and left it and my wee little printer all alone for 45 minutes.
I had no desktop publishing program other than WordPerfect at that time so the names and numbers of the charts had to be done in backstitch on the charting program. The cover was also done in Patternmaker. That's why the title is so funky, but now I can't change it.
Anyone who has a photocopied copy of this book has a very early version, and if you have a funky colored cover, you have one of the first dozen or so printed/copied.
When I was able to upgrade and print all the copies I sell, I started using our current paper which is a nice linen texture. I think this adds something to a needlework book because this is such a tactile art. And I was able to find paper that has a high percentage of recycled consumer rubbish content. I started putting plastic covers on all my booklets because I like the front cover of my booklets protected and I like the fact that by using a fairly heavy plastic, the books will stand straight on a shelf or in a rack.
So right on Nordic Needle and all my faithful customers. Keep that Good Old Book alive.
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