A Journal with Colored Paper, Colored Thread

I finished teaching my last class of the semester, and what did I do to relax? I immediately made yet another journal I don't need. But a few new details. Basically, it is the Multiple Signature with Rounded Spine (pages 155-158) from Making Handmade Books: 100+ Bindings, Structures & Forms with a couple of twists: the covering material is cut from a worn corduroy shirt, the pages are made from colored pastel paper, and each section is bound with a coordinating colored thread. Note: Since it is so thick, you can use the corduroy as is without backing it with mulberry paper, but you will need to put glue on the boards in this case, not on the cloth. I incorporated some of the shirt's tags into the cover (both by sewing and by using Aleene's Original Tacky Glue). You could use the buttons and/or buttonholes.

One piece of Canson Mi-Teintes paper (approximately 19" x 25," or 483 mm x 635 mm) can be cut into six sheets (grain short). Use two folded sheets per signature for three signatures of each color. 

The sewing pattern is normal for a multiple-signature binding on tapes (I'm out of linen tapes so I used ribbon); all you do is tie off and attach a new color of thread on the outside of the book block when desired. Start sewing with three lengths of thread; when you get to the end, do a kettle stitch, then attach the next color (another three lengths) on the outside, near the spine, before you sew into the fourth signature. I used the Variation with bookcloth supports (page 158)—in this case just the cloth.

The benefit is that you are working with a shorter thread and it is less likely to get tangled. The stitching is either intentionally obvious or invisible, depending upon the colors you choose.

I can't let go of this journal; I gave it sentimental meaning by accident. The endpapers were given to me decades ago by the wearer of the shirt.