How to Make a Journal Book With a Hole Attached to a Leather String to Close

A handcrafted journal makes a treasured gift.

A journal can be a great place to store your thoughts, your drawings or your poetry. Unlike store-bought journals, you can always buy a journal in the store, making your own journal gives the book a more personal feeling. Customize a homemade journal to suit your own tastes, or those of your recipient if the item is being crafted as a gift. Add a tie closure to that journal help keep the pages of your journal secured, and to hold loose paperwork in if you are in the habit of stuffing other items into the journal.

Things You'll Need

• 13 sheets plain paper or plain composition book
• Strip of scrap cardboard
• Awl
• Piece of leather large enough to cover journal
• Scissors
• Sturdy cotton thread
• Leather needle
• Wax
• Paper clips
• Rubber cement
• Leather strip or cord

Instructions

1. Decide whether you will want to start your journal completely from scratch, or if you plan to start add a bound leather cover to a bound composition book. You can save time and enjoy perfectly ruled pages with a composition book. However, a completely handcrafted journal will be more special.

2. Start with 13 sheets of blank paper for a scratch-made journal. You can use plain white copy or printer paper or similarly-sized specialty paper. Fold each sheet in half and tear or cut along the center fold. Now fold again at the center.

3. Stack the 26 pieces of paper. Use the scrap cardboard to create a template for where you will drill holes in the paper. Place the cardboard over the stacked paper, and use the awl to drill holes in the paper. Wax the leather needle and string and sew the pages together.

4. Soak the leather piece in warm water so that it will be easy to work with. Remove from water and lightly towel dry. Place the leather on work surface with the rough side facing up. Place your pages or composition book on the leather to determine where to cut. You will need to leave enough room so that the leather can overlap your pages. If you would like your journal to have a flap closure, similar to an envelope, you will also need to mark off enough space to allow for this. The leather cover should extend at least 1/2-inch beyond the edges of the pages.

5. Trim the leather to size. Place your handcrafted journal pages inside the leather and drill through the leather and pages at 2-inch intervals. Thread waxed string through the holes and knot on the outside of the book. Make two small holes at the edge of the front and back cover and insert strips of cord to make a tie closure.

6. Place your composition book inside the leather cover. Fold over a flap of about 3 to 4 inches that will hold the front cover in place. Use a paperclip to secure it. Cut a leather strip about 3 to 4 inches in width that will hold the back cover in place. Attach it to the larger piece of leather by gluing at the top and bottom ends. Sew along the top and bottom edges to secure the folded front flap and the glued in back flap. On the front cover overlap piece, cut two small slits and insert the leather cord, knotting it to hold it in place. With the composition book inside the cover, wrap the the cord around the book and loop it through wrapped cord or tie to opposite end to hold it in place.

References

• The Doll Street Dreamers: The Back Alley: How To Make a Journal: Jo Appleton
• Craftstylish: How To Make a Rugged Leather Journal Cover