Friday, January 1, 2016

Accordion Fold Journals

I've been working on various handmade journals..........one type being the accordion fold or what I think some refer to as meandering journals.

After watching Cathy Johnson's No Sew Journal video on youtube, I wanted to make my own.  (Thank you, Kate!!! :-))

Many people make these out of whole sheets of watercolor paper or even half sheets.  I have a ton of quarter sheets I used to make mine.  They make cute little journals with either 14 single pages or six 2-page spreads plus two single pages or one panoramic 2-page spread page.

A few I have glued together two folded quarter sheets giving me 28 single pages or twelve 2-page spreads plus four single pages or two panoramic 2-page spread pages.  (better understood or pictured if watching Kate's video).

Third picture shows the two book presses Terry made for me.

From top left to right; center left to right; bottom left to right:

Scrapbook paper, folded accordion paper, spritzer bottle, Elmers Glue All

Mat board cut just a smidgen larger than accordion folded paper, utility knife, pencil, dish for glue plus sponge applicator (or brush can be used)

T-square ruler, bone folder, scissors.


Left - mat board glued to scrapbook paper (3/4" border around mat board for folding over)

Center - paper cut at angles at corners leaving about a 1/8" paper where corners of mat board are (for tucking in when folding)

Right - Completed after glue brushed on and folded over.....working long edges first and then short edges (tip from another video viewed on youtube).

Placed covers in book press as they completely dried.  Mat board will warp slightly with wet glue so I put them in the book press to make sure they laid completely flat for gluing onto the accordion folded paper.


This shows the two book presses Terry made me plus the finished accordion fold journals closed and opened.


Close-up of finished journals.



In the upcoming days, I'll be sharing my experience making hand-sewn hard covered journal books.  :-)


1 comment:

lee kline said...

Stuff looks beautiful. The Villages are always looking for instruction of this type. Talk to Kathy in the Villages. Would you considered doing a workshop?