Wayzgoose, historically, was “an entertainment given by a master printer to his workmen each year on or about St Bartholomew’s Day (24 August). It marked the traditional end of summer and the start of the season of working by candlelight. Later, the word came to refer to an annual outing and dinner for the staff of a printing works or the printers on a newspaper” (Wikipedia; Wayzgoose).
In Ontario, Canada – we hold a Wayzgoose in April. The last Saturday of April, every year for the last 40 years! It’s held that the Grimsby Public Art Gallery and printers from all over Ontario, and some from else where, come to share their work — and the bookbinders come too!
You can find out more information about it here: http://www.grimsby.ca/Art-Gallery/Wayzgoose/
I’ve gone the past two years just to look around and visit the CBBAG table that my local chapter would set up. This year, I went along with them to help set up and man the table!
I also designed some promotional pamphlets for our local chapter to hand out, giving information about the chapter and our upcoming courses:
Our members also sell things they made on the table; this year they asked if I would provide something. Originally the goal was to provide some of my miniature book key chains but I had none made, nor the time to make them. So I made some small leather notebooks instead!
Here is an overview of the little notebooks I made:
First I sliced all the paper, and folded it into signatures. Each book got 5 sections, with four papers each. That made for 8 pages a section.
After that I punched holes into the section and into the leather.
And after that it was time to sew the signatures to the leather; to complete the books, I added a braid. Here are the completed books!
You can see each one close up here:
I only sold one, but that’s okay! While I wasn’t at the table when it sold I was told that a little boy bought it. He was so excited to have it, and his mother was asking him if he was sure that was what he wanted — he’d only get one thing, but he was certain! When asked if he wanted a bag with it, he shook his head and clutched the back tightly to his chest! I wish I had been there to see it but it makes me happy to hear about!
It was a long day but a fun one! Always wonderful to meet more people in the profession and in related ones. I even got to try my hand at letterpress and made this wonderful little poster:
Until next time,
Arielle's Bindery 