A Simple Sewn Journal Tutorial

a tutorial for lazy bookbinders

Link to my journals on Etsy, currently on sale for $15!!

I get bored easily. I like to paint fast, read quickly and if I’m going to bother making a journal, I don’t have the patience to spend weeks let alone hours on it. So as a holiday gift to all of you book-loving people out there, I’m sharing a short tutorial on how to make an easy journal from upcycled materials in less than 15-minutes.

Here’s what you’ll need:

-cardboard the size of a piece of paper

-sturdy paper (like from a cereal box)

-printer paper (or you can use fancy paper if you’d like to class it up)

-a bone folder or hotel room card

-a bookbinding needle (or a needle with a big eye)

-a tool you can stab your book with (a.k.a. something sharp and pokey)

- a glue stick (or glue)

-bookbinding thread or dental floss (yes, I’m serious)

-a binder clip or blue tape

-scissors

-a ruler if you’re into precision

-wrapping paper or other paper or art you like for the cover

-styrofoam or something you can jab your sharp tool into without damaging your table underneath

If you happen to follow my tutorial and make one of these bad boys, please reach out and let me know! Better yet, share a photo in the comments below! And tell us what you will fill you journal with!

Have a question? I have an answer, just ask!