Title | What a Line Can Do |
Subtitle | An Excerpt from Flatland, A Romance of Many Dimensions |
Artist / Creator | Patricia Grass |
Press Name | Green Heron Book Arts |
Place of Publication | Forest Grove, OR |
Publication Date | 2012 |
Author of Text | An excerpt from Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions by Edwin A. Abbott |
Process / Technique | Text on back side of accordion printed on a Riccoh Color Copier |
Number of Images | 16 |
Image Process | Parabolic curves and designs constructed by sewing straight lines of threads connectingpoints on a line. |
Structure / Binding | Leporello Accordion |
Medium / Materials | Hand dyed thread (by the artist), mat board, Indian cover paper, ribbon |
Paper Stock | Somerset Book |
Number of Pages | 18 |
Dimensions (WxHxD) | 8.5 x 9 x 3 inches (4.75 x 4.75 inches closed) |
Edition Size | Edition of 6 |
Signed & Numbered | Yes |
What a Line Can Do by Patricia Grass
My favorite part of 10th grade geometry was making parabolic curves using straight lines drawn by connecting positions on the x and y axes. Then I discovered that you can make these curves with needle and colored thread—even more fascinating.
The short story Flatland, by Edwin A. Abbott, assigns the straight line to the female and sees lines as quite restricted in what they can do. But I know what straight lines can do. The illustrations in this book are all formed from straight lines; any curves are formed by the straight lines. The sewing moves from simple to complex but is always made from straight lines. The patterns of holes for each design were generated on a computer and sewn with hand dyed thread. The indigo blue illustration requires 14 yards of thread!
Artist Bio
Patricia Grass has taught bookbinding for 25 years and has authored a book, How To Make A Book Even If You Think You Can’t. She operates a book arts supply store, the Accidental Book Maker, and teaches from her studio in Forest Grove, Oregon.