Hey y’all, its Chantal and today we have come to the end of our Handmade Journal using DIY Ink Techniques!
Part Three is all about creating signatures, personalizing it with embellishments, adding a puffed heart and giving it a title. This is where the journal becomes yours, a work from your heart and hands. This is where you can begin your story with what you choose to add – beads, charms, words or ribbon; options are endless.
Thank you for taking this art journey with me. Now, let’s get started on finishing…our Handmade Journal using DIY Ink Techniques.
Step 1:
To create the puffed heart (on cover)-
Using stamped fabric, cut the desired shape for the cover and then, pin in place on the cover. Using a zigzag stitch, begin to stitch around the shape. When you have stitched half way around, put a little Polyfil under the stitching and pin/hold in place. Zigzag stitch around the rest of the shape.
Step 2:
Create the signatures: This journal has 3 signatures of 4 pages each with the possibility of adding more.
Gather copy/resume paper and trim to fit inside with ¼ to ½ inch less around than the journal so as not to stick out from the cover. Using a bone folder, fold paper in half.
Step 3:
Using the corner rounder, round each corner of each page. Repeat steps 1-3 for desired number of signatures.
Step 4:
To secure the signatures in the journal, measure the length of journal, add 2-3 inches.
Step 5:
Cut elastic cording the length from step 5. Repeat for each signature.
Step 6:
Slip the cording around the journal. Knot close to the bottom of the journal. Repeat for each piece of cording.
Step 7:
Using adhesive, glue metal closures to the ends of the cording. Set aside to dry. Slip trimmed signatures under each cording.
Step 8:
To create the charms, thread desired beads, charms to wire/head pins. Slip wire through the loop on the metal closure. Using round nose pliers, wrap wire around the loop and secure just above the beads. Repeat for each metal closure.
Now it is time to create your own Handmade Journal using DIY Ink Techniques!
Success in finishing
- Complete all sewing on the cover before adding the signatures.
- To add the joy in the journey label, use Fabri-Tac adhesive.
- To create your own sentiment label, with alphabet stamps, stamp. sentiment on muslin or fabric of choice and adhere with Fabri-Tac.
- The elastic cording will fray once cut. If not adding beads, use a sealer such as Fray Check to stop the fraying.
- For the puffed heart, I added another ink color to stand out from the rest.
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Ann Butler Design Products used:
Ann Butler Crafters Ink by Clearsnap: Desert Sand, Aquamarine, Lilac, Tangelo, Sweet Pea
Ann Butler Background Basics Stamps: 4 or more from the set
Partner Products:
Other Products used:
**This list is for the completed journal with stitching and beading.
*In addition to the inks, these supplies are used for creating the cover.
- *Kraft – tex® paper fabric, white
- *Corner Rounder punch
- *Plastic sandwich bag
- *Bone Folder
- *Paper trimmer
- Muslin or canvas fabric
- Elastic cording
- White copy paper or resume paper
- Embroidery floss in coordinating colors
- Embroidery needle, scissors
- Heat tool
- Iron
- Leather closures, small (3)
- beads, charms
- Head pins (3)
- Wire cutters
- Round nose pliers
- Big shot
- Sizzix heart die
- Polyfil –small amount
- Joy in the Journey label
- Sewing machine
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Ink stamps and stamp fabric, one after another. Heat set with iron.
Pin pieces together, not pinned to the journal. This is for placement only.
Thread embroidery needle with floss, with fabric pinned, stitch along the fabrics with the running stitch.
Repeat with second color, being sure to stitch together some of the pieces.
Using a paper trimmer, cut the paper fabric to the desired size to create the journal cover.
With a corner rounder punch, (round), all 4 corners of the cover.
On a plastic sandwich bag, press the inks onto the bag, carefully layering the colors.
Place the inked plastic bag, ink side down on the cover and begin to scrunch and move the bag. Lift up and repeat on other areas of the cover. You will want some on the back too.
Heat set the inks with a heat tool. I went back and added more colors and covered more of the journal. Heat set again.
Fold journal in half and using a bone folder or a scorer, score the center to create the crease/spine of the journal.
Using drapery tape, cut desired size for needle holder.
Cut another piece of floral fabric slightly smaller than the stamped fabric. Pin all three layers together and machine stitch by going around the stamped layer and the floral layer.
Cut the inner layer of batting/felt slightly smaller than the drapery tape. Pin in place. Machine stitch down the center of all 4 layers.
Using muslin and the stamps from step 2, stamp more fabric to be used for buttons. Heat set.
Using a die and a die cutting machine or creating a template (see below for directions), cut a piece of fabric such as denim, canvas or linen for your tassel.
Place the fringe fabric on a paper pad. Using Aquamarine Crafter’s Ink and one Background Stamp of your choice, ink the stamp and randomly stamp the fabric. Heat set with an iron.
With Fabri-Tac, run a small line of adhesive at the top of the fringe on the back of the fabric.
Begin to roll the fringe, creating the tassel for our scissor fob, being sure to keep it straight along the top of fabric. Secure the end of fabric with a little more adhesive.
With the tassel in hand, add adhesive to the top; add adhesive to the inside of the large bead cap (generally used for leather) and push the tassel into the cap. Set aside to dry. You can add more ink at this time, if desired.
Gather wire, beads and pliers. Cut desired length wire. Thread the wire through the loop at the top of the bead cap and wire wrap the tail.
Thread beads in desired pattern. Thread the wire through the scissors or a split ring; bring wire over the and close with a loop and wire wrap the tail. Trim any excess wire
