I started making books because I’ve always written and drawn in them. As I made more books, they evolved, and the ways I made them proliferated.
I love these simple books because the making and the filling can inform one another. The size, paper, thread, and materials will change depending upon what I want to put inside — conversely, how I make the book can change what happens on the pages.
I have made thousands of books over the years and experimented with both tried-and-true and exploratory processes. Of all the binding types, I return most often to French Link (and Single Quire Notebooks) for quick projects and everyday notebooks.
Here are some details to help you make your own rainbow of simple sketchbooks, large or small, thick or thin!
Materials:
- Strathmore Drawing Paper 18 x 24 gives the following proportions when halved and halved and halved and…
- thread
- needle
- awl or thumbtack
- scissors
- glue
- textiles
Materials video here! In this video, I share materials, bookbinding books, and some of the old journals I’ve made:)
6 x 9 in. Journal
Projects: Yearnals, Dream Journal, 100 Day Project
Video: Dream Journal
In Our Shop: None currently available
The Yearnals are temporarily taking the place of my large leather tomes that are usually my catch-alls. I am enjoying these and haven’t time atm to make a new tome, so the Yearnal may stay a while.
The Dream Journals started as a gift to Walter. These large lightweight books are perfect for the night table and scribbling in the dark!
I made two books for my 100 Days of Self Portraits project. Though many drawings were much bigger, this was a nice place for catching notes, ideas, drawings, and photographs. I used a Canon Selphy Printer for the prints. I am so happy to be printing photographs again and adding them to my journals!
4 x 5 in. Journal
Projects: 100 Days of Flea Market Finds, Smudge, Notebooks for Classes, Folktale Week
Video: Peg and Awl Anselm Bookbinding Kit,
How-to Video here!In Our Shop: 6” Anselm Bookbinding Kit
I loved these for my years of non-dominant-hand visual journaling project as well as other 100 Day Projects, including 100 Days of Flea Market Finds!
4.5 x 3 in. Journal
Projects: Night Journal, Pocket Journal. Things I Love
In Our Shop: 4” Anselm Bookbinding Kit
Perfect in-the-pocket notebooks — especially for Night Walks and hikes!
Other Sizes
Project: Algae Doodles 2 1/4 x 1 1/2 in. Journal
A really tiny one for the fun of it, and there are smaller ones, of course:
I made this one to fill with drawings made from algae
Project: The Anger Journal 4 1/4 x 3 1/2
I am the product of a thousand angry families. After getting angry at one boy or another, I decided to make an Anger Journal so I could write about my explosions. 7 years later, i don’t think anger is all bad. Balance is needed in all things. Anyway, I didn’t make it very far in this journal, but I DID add last week’s soccer ball explosion to it after a long time away.
The Anger Journals
9 x 12 in. Journal
Projects: The Magic of Elsewhere
Always working small, I decided to challenge myself to work larger here. I filled a bunch of pages but abandoned the scale and made small drawings again, tucked inside.
Whatever journal you decide to make or buy, use it. They needn’t be as messy or grungy as mine, but a used journal is a good journal.
As Lucy Farmer put it:
“One of your bookmaking kits sparked my love for homemade books. Studying your blog and Instagram gave me the permission I needed to not keep them precious and not use, but to use them so they become precious!”
If you’ve made it this far — thank you! I hope to sort through more journals and projects this way. I have Tinned Journals and Tomes. The Black Spot Books (an origin story), Peg and Awl (where we are now), and lots else. Would love to hear from you and what you’d be interested in seeing when it comes to this sort of mess I make:)
Your tutorials for book making are superb. I recently made some small ones to take on my trip overseas. They were perfect. Thank you!
I absolutely love all your video tutorials and your writings. I’ve just made my second small journal for a friend and am so excited to make more! Thank you !