How to make a junk journal, sewn by hand
Fold mixed papers into signatures of four to six sheets, pierce three holes along each fold, sew each one with a pamphlet stitch, and attach them to a cover cut from a cereal box or an old book.
A junk journal is a handful of folded paper bundles, called signatures, sewn into a cover. One signature makes a slim notebook; three or four make a book that stands on a shelf.
Start with one four-sheet signature and a scrap-card cover. Add a few sample keepsakes before making the remaining sections so you can judge the extra thickness.
Make a digital scrapbook
Add your photos and keepsakes in tbf scrapbook, then arrange them on the pages.
| Item | What it does | Household stand-in |
|---|---|---|
| Bone folder | Makes sharp, flat folds | The back of a metal spoon |
| Awl | Pierces holes through a folded stack | A suitable piercing needle with a secure handle and a protected support beneath |
| Bookbinding needle | Carries thread through the holes | Any needle with an eye the thread fits |
| Waxed linen thread | Holds the signature without fraying | Strong thread that fits the needle and hole without tearing the paper |
| Hole template | Gives every signature matching holes | A strip of scrap paper folded in half |
| Cover board | Protects the pages and holds the spine | A cereal box or an old hardback case |
| Craft knife and ruler | Cuts the cover and scores the spine | Scissors, with a pen pressed along a ruler to score |
| Bulldog clips | Hold the signature closed while you sew | Clothes pegs |
| Glue stick or PVA | Fixes papers and the spine strip | Either; PVA for card, glue stick for thin paper |
Size the pages and fold the signatures
Pick a finished page size first. A sheet of A4 folded in half gives an A5 page, 148 by 210 mm, which suits most found paper and fits a cereal box cover.
Try four to six thin sheets per signature, fewer for stiff stock. Fold a sample first; if the bundle resists closing or its inner sheets project too far, split it into smaller bundles.
Paper folds more cleanly along its grain. Bend a sheet gently both ways before folding; the direction that gives more easily should run along the spine.
- Nest sheets inside one another, largest outside, before folding.
- Crease each fold with a bone folder or the back of a spoon.
- Let wider sheets stick out at the fore-edge; trim later or keep as tabs.
Sew a three-hole pamphlet stitch
Make a hole template from a strip of paper as tall as the fold. Mark the centre and a point 25 mm in from each end, so every signature gets matching holes.
Place the opened fold on a piercing cradle or a thick pad of scrap card over a protected table. Hold fingers clear and pierce down into the support, never towards a hand.
- Cut thread about two and a half times the height of the fold.
- Start inside at the centre hole and go out, leaving a 5 cm tail.
- Come back in through the top hole.
- Run the thread inside past the centre and go out through the bottom hole.
- Come back in at the centre, on the far side of the long stitch from the tail.
- Tie the two ends round the long stitch with a square knot and trim.
Cut a cover from a cereal box or an old book
For a box cover, open the box flat and cut a piece twice the page width plus the spine, and 6 mm taller than the pages. The printed side goes inside or gets covered.
The spine is as wide as the signatures stacked and pressed. Measure it and add about 2 mm so the book closes without gaping.
For an old hardback, cut along both inside hinges to free the pages. Keep the case, and glue a strip of card into the spine to sew the signatures to.
Join several signatures to one spine
Mark one row of three holes on the spine for each signature, spaced evenly across its width. Sew each signature through its own row with the same pamphlet stitch.
With no needle to hand, run one elastic band per signature round the spine. Open each signature over a band so the band sits in its fold.
Steps
Gather and sort the paper
Make a trial from four folded sheets: eight leaves, or sixteen page faces. Add sample pockets and keepsakes, then check how much room the remaining signatures will need.
Fold and pierce
Fold each pile into a signature with the grain along the spine. Use the paper template to pierce three holes in every fold.
Make the cover
Measure the pressed stack for the spine width. Cut the cover, score both spine folds against a ruler and fold it round the stack to check.
Sew and press
Pierce matching cover rows and sew each signature through its row. Check the knot catches the long stitch and the journal closes before adding bulky items.
Questions
How many pages are in a junk journal signature?
Each folded sheet makes four pages, so four to six sheets give 16 to 24 pages. Use fewer when the papers are thick.
Do I have to sew a junk journal?
No. Elastic bands round the spine hold signatures well enough for a light journal, and they let you swap a signature out later.
What notebook can I use instead of making one?
A notebook with room for added bulk can work. Test a pocket or a few scraps first; if its spine becomes tight, use thinner copies or choose a roomier ring binding.