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You can sew embellishments onto your paper journal pages.
You can use any page in a book like fabric (to sew on, for example) by using iron-on interfacing on the back side of the page.
Yes, just iron it on, the same as you would iron interfacing onto fabric. It won’t always stick 100%, but it will work well enough that you can sew through it.
(If you try to embroider or sew beads onto regular pages in a book, the thread tends to pull right through the paper, if the thread is tugged.)
You can do the same thing with your journal cover. A strong crewel embroidery needle will usually sew through cardboard… but you’ll probably need a thimble to push the needle through.
You can then embroider with embroidery floss, yarn, thin ribbon, etc. You can add buttons, beads, and so on, too.
At left, you can see one of my journal covers that I’ve embellished with sewn-on buttons. (Click on the image to see it larger.) The biggest button is part of the journal closure. When it’s not in use, a string of hemp (secured to the back cover) is wrapped around the button on the front cover to hold the journal closed.
After you’ve finished your sewing (or other embellishment), you can glue a page or fabric over the ironed-on interfacing, so your stitches are concealed. If I’m doing a lot of this in a book, I’ll buy a second copy of the same book, so the “backing” page is what it would have been, if I hadn’t covered the original with interfacing.
You’ll find iron-on interfacing at any fabric shop. It’s usually kept in a bin or on shelving next to where they cut fabric yardage for you.
You can also iron on Stitch Witchery or another fusible adhesive, and that gives you the option of sticking something wonderful on the other side… interfacing isn’t all that interesting.
For example, you could fuse an actual piece of fabric to the paper page.
Then again, after I sew beads onto the page, I like to cover the interfacing side with more paper… maybe a collage.
You can sew onto your journal pages, or turn them into fabric. It’s easy!
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Why don’t you make a video to instruct us? I know it’s easy but it’ll be much easier when watching through video.
Thanks for asking, Tamar! It’s on my to-do list for 2016. First up: Merging the ArtistsJournals.com site with Aisling.net (here), and making sure all the illustrations are clear and — in some cases — much larger.
I think that’s a great idea! However, until now, so few people visited this website, it wasn’t a high priority for me.
That’s changing, now. I’m planning to create videos in the near future.
Thanks!
A video would help. I tend to be a visual learner.