Leather backed personal journal is a dream possession for anybody who cares. It is sleek, elegant, classic, and lasts for generations. But again, leather journals are too expensive to buy, a major deterring factor one might say. Now, if I say that making your very own leather backed personal journal is not only easy, but, really cheap, would you believe me – probably not! So let me illustrate the method to you, and you will find out for yourself.
There are plenty of methods to create your own leather back journal, ranging from easy to complex and everything in between.
1.The easiest method is to treat leather like the brown paper covers that we used to cover our books with during our school days. Buy a sheet of book binding leather; this is better quality leather. However, if you want to cut costs, you can use the leather from your old tote or hand bag. Measure the dimensions of your journal (including the spine width). Add 1” to all sides and cut out the rectangle. Now simply cover your journal with the cut leather sheet, turn in the edges, and paste it on the inside with a duct tape or leather bonding glue. Now, your leather journal is ready!
2.The another method is, soften the glue at the spine of your journal by heating it with a hairdryer. Carefully peel off the journal cover, taking care that it stays in one piece. Lay the cover on top of your leather sheet and trace out the edges of the cover on to the leather. Cut out the leather along the tracings and paste on to the journal cover. Brush PVA glue on the spine of the journal and repast the leather bound cover over it. Leave it to dry.
3.Here goes how to make a center open lockable leather journal. Soften the spine of your journal as instructed earlier. Now, carefully peel off only the front cover of the journal going half way through the spine. Measure the dimensions of your journal (including the spine width). Add 2” to the width and trace it out on a leather sheet. Using a pair of shears cut out the leather. Then, fold the leather sheet in the center and mark the central line. Measure and mark the center of your journal on its back cover. Apply leather bond glue to the back cover and paste it on to the leather sheet aligning the central line. Now paste or sew a wooden button on one end of the leather cover and a core or leather strip on the other. On completion of this process, your center open leather journal is all set to go.
4.Remove the journal cover as explained earlier. Measure and cut the leather as demonstrated in method 2. Measuring from the top edge make 2 equidistant markings just ½” inside from the spine of your journal. Punch holes on these marking using a hacksaw or a sharp skewer. Place the cut leather sheet along the journal and trace out the punched holes on the leather. Using an awl, punch holes in the leather too. Align the holes of the leather and the journal. Cord the leather to the journal using satin ribbons or strips of leather. For a dramatic effect, you can use nuts and bolts to attach the leather cover to your journal.
These are just some of the ways in which you can transform your bland paperback journal into a classic, elegance personified leather journal. It is fun, economic, and a very good summer time or holiday project. The results are so remarkable that you can use these methods to create your own handmade leather gifts. However, be forewarned that these are just some examples of the several ways in which you can work with leather and create homemade leather back journals and books.
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