Greater Cincinnati Calligraphers' Guild

Please join us for our next meeting, Saturday, January 16, 2016 from 9:30 to 10 a. m. (doors open at 9) at the Evendale Cultural Arts Center where Marguerite Katchen will help us make a Jacob’s Ladder, The Sandwich Method.

A Jacob’s ladder is a folk toy or book consisting of blocks of cardboard or wood held together by strings or ribbons. The Jacob’s Ladder folk toy, also known as ‘tumbling blocks,’ dates back to colonial America. When the ladder is held at one end, blocks appear to cascade down the strings or ribbons. However, this effect is a visual illusion which is the result of one block after another flipping over. Its name, Jacob’s Ladder, comes from the biblical “ladder to heaven”mentioned in Genesis 28:12. Because of the Biblical reference, Puritan children were allowed to use the Jacob’s Ladder as a Sunday toy.

The toy can be turned into a book by adding decorations or writing to the blocks.

There are many different directions for making this book, most of which are difficult to follow. Marguerite Katchen has created her own way, called “the sandwich method.” She finds it easy to make a Jacob’s Ladder book following the directions she has worked out. A copy of the directions will be given to each participant.

$3.00 will be required to cover the cost of provided materials (cut boards and ribbon). Participants should also bring:

• Ruler (at least 6″ long)
• Pencil
• Yes Paste or PVA or similar adhesive (Glue sticks will NOT work.)
• Small (3/8 to ½” wide) Flat Brush (or use finger) to apply paste
• Moist cloth to clean fingers or pre-moistened wipes
• Magazine with slick-printed pages (or other paper on which to do pasting.)

There will be enough cut boards (at least) for your first book; there will probably be enough for a second book. There will be enough ribbon for all the books.