Bookmaking and Tea Blending Workshop for Moms Weekend

On Sat. April 6, University Libraries is hosting a unique workshop for Moms Weekend titled, “Bookmaking and Tea Blending” in Alden Library’s Friends of the Libraries room 319. A relaxing fun-filled family event organized especially with Moms in mind; participants will have an opportunity to create hand-made books and/or have a hand in mixing herbs to create a soothing blend of tea.

“The bookmaking portion of the day will run noon to 3 p.m., and the tea blending will be from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.,” said Jen Harvey, the Libraries event coordinator. The bookmaking is free—however, there is a cost of $10 per person for the tea blending portion of the day.

“We invited Maureen Burns from Herbal Sage Tea Company to come in and help people understand the different properties of herbal tea.  And [then participants will] make their own custom-tea…to take home with them at the end of the process,” said Harvey.

At the bookmaking workshop, coordinators Harvey and Michele Jennings, art librarian, will provide the materials necessary for bookmaking, such as: decorative end papers, thread, awls, needles and various scrap booking materials—in addition to some guided instructions.

“I will be demonstrating a few simple binding styles—primarily pamphlet stitch, but we might, if we feel adventurous, get into Coptic binding,” explained Jennings.

This method of book binding enables the spine of the book to open and lay completely flat. This technique also offers a tight flexible hold.

“Coptic binding is a very old style of binding that dates back to the early Christian period. A lot of medieval manuscripts are bound using this series of inter-linking chains and knots… It looks complicated, but once you get into the pattern of it; it is like knitting and [the technique soon] becomes automatic.”

Both Harvey and Jennings hope that everyone attending the event walks away having enjoyed a different kind of experience in the Library—and maybe even learn a thing or two about bookmaking and tea blending.

For more information, contact Jen Harvey at 740-593-2906 or harveyj1@ohio.edu.