Handmade Journal/Sketch Book

I learned how to make a journal, today, and I thought I'd share with Instructables.

I found a tutorial, online. Here is the link, in case I don't explain it well enough.

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/146155950380359635/

Sorry for any blurry pictures.

What you will definitely need:

*Paper
*Something for a cover (a book, some cardboard, anything)
*Needle and thread (thick thread, embroidery string, waxed string, wire)
*Ruler
*Something to cut (Exacto knife/box cutter and scissors)

What you might need:

*Patterned paper (or fabric) to cover binding
*Hot glue
* Modge Podge (or some other glue)

I had an old uninteresting book with a cool cover, so I decided to use that as the cover for my sketch book.
I chose paper that was grey and tan, and some translucent sheets (like the kind used on an overhead projector) so that I can write with expo marker on it.

Choose paper that will be good for what you want to use the journal for. If you want to use it as a sketch book, you can buy a cheap sketch book and use the paper from it, and you can even use the cardboard backing as your cover by cutting it in half.

My paper wasn't exactly right for the book cover, so I had to cut it down to size. If you have to do this, make sure to fold your paper in half, first, or it won't work.

Fold each piece of paper in half and run your fingernail along the crease.

Group the pages in fours, each inside of the next, and stack them up. Try to keep the order the same. It helps with keeping the final project looking neat. In the tutorial video I watched, she called the groups "signatures," so I'll call them that, too.

Make a mark 1 inch from both edges of the book cover, then an inch from each of the first marks, until you get to the center. It's okay to have a big space between the marks from either side in the middle, as long as you mark the first 3-4 inches.

Stack up your signatures and mark the whole stack the same way.

Poke holes through the book covers. I didn't have an awl, so I just used the needle that I will be using to bind the whole journal with.

For the pages, do the same thing, right on the fold all the way through all 4 sheets.

Pull the needle through the first signature, then around and through the cover.
Pull the needle through the loop you just made, then back through the hole in the signature.
Push the needle through the next whole in the signature and continue until you get to the end.

Finish the last knot, then, instead of going back into the signature, go up through the next signature.
Go down through the next hole, then continue like before.
Do this for every new signature, until you get to the the last one before the cover.

My camera died at this point. Sorry!

When you get there, skip the last signature and go into the cover from the top, first, and loop the string around like before.
Go through the first hole in the signature, then back through the second. Loop it around, then go through the cover. Loop it around. Continue until you finish, and fasten it at the end.

I decided to strengthen the binding with some hot glue because I knew I'd cover it up.

I finished the journal with a little poster I had lying around.

Cut the paper big enough to fold over on both sides and to fit top to bottom. Make sure it is the right length and width to fit over the binding and as far across the book cover on both sides. Do not glue the page to the binding, only to the front of the book cover and the back cover.

You now have a beautiful, handmade journal or sketch book!