With the rustle and fold of the paper, the fabric and colourful designs, bookbinding and origami are excellent practices as we enter the third stage of our lives.

My own practice in these areas is not as a professional, but as someone who has been drawn to both from a young age. Transfixed by Robert Harbin’s TV show in the 1970’s, our home was full of children folding paper. As a young teacher in the late 80’s. I was taught to do simple bindings from a fellow teacher which I shared with the children I taught. In latter years, I have taken to more bookbinding as a way to re-connect with my body and enjoy the slowness of crafting. And since October, my home has been filled with u3a members taking steps along this path.

There are three distinct aims for the group:

• To introduce them to the art of bookbinding
• To connect with our body via our hands
• To spark creative endeavour that may have been lost or forgotten with the challenges of work and life

All about skill sharing

In line with the core values of u3a, each member brings their own experience into the group sessions. Whether that be their careers in planning, design or business, or their own creative endeavours such as printing, painting, or sewing. 

What the members say:

At the end of the first project I asked the group to give me feedback on what they enjoyed most. Here are a few comments:

"Our first session included some origami, and we then went on to produce our first notebook, replete with hard cover, spine, ribbon etc. What I can't get over is creating something which looks SO professional - I never thought I would have been able to produce something like this. Sam also organised a fascinating visit to a leading bookbinding shop in central London, and we spent hours looking at all the beautiful and varied paper they sold, plus all the equipment required for this craft. This newly created group is an excellent example of how effective and beneficial u3a is, and I have been delighted to be part of it." -  Marie-Louise

"I joined the u3a bookbinding group to learn how to make a book. Under Sam’s patient guidance and within our group’s collaborative camaraderie, I experienced calming rituals of folding, cutting, sewing and glueing that developed into joy and pride as my book began to take shape. I have learned that the technique, the time and focus are just one part of the whole. As I look at my finished book, even before a word is entered on its blank pages, I seeI see it has a soul - a book remembers the hands that made it." - Jacek 

It's great to teach our hands in our third age to bring beauty into the world. Beauty that we can then use to share our wisdom with others through writing, drawing or painting.