How to Make a Decorative Journal
- 1). Select the paper you wish to use. Plain copy paper is fine, but rice, hand-pressed or thick art paper offers a more artistic look. If the journal is meant to be used as an art book, thicker paper is preferred. To decorate plain paper, tint with tea bags or use a pattern stamp lightly around the edges and corners.
- 2). Fold inside paper in half. Use the bone folder or ruler to get a crisp fold. Make sure all corners meet. Paper can be folded together at the same time, but stack no more than three to five sheets per fold.
- 3). Open the paper flat and make sure all the sheets are square. Secure with bulldog clips. Use a ruler to find the center of the crease and make a dot. Mark for holes halfway between top and middle and halfway between bottom edge and middle. Use an awl or thumbtack to poke holes into the paper crease where the marks were made.
- 4). Decide on the cover material you want to use for your decorative journal. Cloth can be sewn directly onto the pages and cut long enough to flip over to the front of the book. Other materials that can be used include heavy paper, burlap, cardboard, felt, discarded blue jeans or quilts. If using cloth, measure the width of the book, double the width, then add 2 or 3 inches so fabric can flip over to the front and be secured with a button or snap. Whether using fabric or paper material, the cover needs to be slightly taller and wider than the inside pages.
- 5). Thread a large eye needle with twine that is three times as long as the height of the book. For cloth material, set the pages along the inside edge of the cover. On the cloth, mark where the holes will need to be punched for sewing. Take the threaded needle and begin on the outside of the cover with the middle hole. Push the needle through the cloth and paper and pull until about 10 inches of string remains on the outside. Make sure not to pull the string all the way through. Bring the needle to the top hole and push it out. Then move down to the bottom hole and go back in. Return to the middle hole and push the needle out, but make sure the needle comes out on the opposite side of the string that runs down the back. Tie a secure knot around the string in the back. Leave the string hanging loose for now.
- 6). Close the journal and bring the flap around to the front. Determine where you will sew a button onto the front flap. After you sew on the button, wrap the remaining twine around the button two or three times. Allow an extra 3 or 4 inches. Tie a knot in the end. You can add beads or a charm to the string at this time. Cut off the excess string.
- 7). Embellish the journal cover with decorative stitches, buttons, beads or other items that will make it unique.
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