One Man's Trash...

One man's trash is another man's treasure - or so they say... This idea of up-cycling old books into new journals came to me about 2 years ago. (though I doubt I am the only person who thought of this) Pictured in this post are some that I have readied for the open house tomorrow.
To make these, I first need an old book with a great cover. I carefully take the cover off, keeping the insides for collage or recycle mix in my paper making. I often find a patterned paper and make new end plate pages for the book. I'll use one that goes with both the cover and the color thread I'm using.

Next, I measure my cover and do some quick math to figure out what size paper I'll need for my folio. Now, I suppose I could cut the paper quickly with a paper cutter. But that just never looks at great as a sheet torn, or one cut with a paper or fettling knife. So, yes, I measure and cut/tear by hand each piece of paper for the inside. Most of the books I have made have 6 - 8 signatures of 6 folios each.

The one or two needle Coptic stitch is perfect for these books! I love the look of the stitch, and the fact that these books will lay flat when open is a big plus.


I think these make great one of a kind journals. And it's a great way to give a new life to an old beloved book.