Homemade Notebooks

These sewn notebooks are a great little tool for all kinds of recording or drawing. I use them for bullet journaling and collect them in a Travelers Notebook style binder. The kids use them for their “data files”, photo albums and a quarantine journal. The possibilities are endless and they don’t require many tools or specific supplies.

I use 8 ¹⁄₂×11” printer paper folded in half. Eight sheets is a nice amount to work with because it is enough for a month and fits nicely but more or less would work also. For the cover I like to use a thicker sheet of paper or cardboard.

Fold sheets in half one or two at a time so they fold neatly. Using the side of your thumbnail or a bone fold makes a nice crease.

Once finished nest them inside your cover. Use a push pin or similar to poke five holes into the crease, evenly spaced. I start in the center and go out from there. I don’t measure, I just eye ball it.

Thread a needle with thick thread or floss about two times the height of the book.

Start in the middle either from the outside or the inside. Where you begin is where the tie will be at the end. Alternate holes sewing in and out. Once at the edge of the paper work your way back, going back through the middle hold and working to the other end of the paper, and then doubling back to the middle. I usually get lost at the end on my way back to center.

Ideally all the spaces should be covered in thread for an even look. Once back to the center tie off and trim any excess thread.

All done! Enjoy your new little notebook.

For dot journal pages and other specially printed paper I purchased PDFs from Printable Pineapple on Etsy. I also print Project Breakdown Pages from Get To Work Book.