If you've got a stack of tea-dyed A4 sheets and some scrapbook paper you've been meaning to use, this tutorial is exactly the kind of quick, satisfying project that makes a craft afternoon feel worthwhile. Day 6 of the Tri-Fold series produces a tall, narrow three-signature journal — the kind of thing that sits beautifully on a desk, open and ready, without taking up much room at all.
What we cover
This tutorial shows how to build a three-tier junk journal using the tri-fold technique: a tall spine panel from a 12×12 double-sided scrapbook sheet, three pamphlet-stitched signatures from tea-dyed A4 paper, and a decorative front pocket with a shirt-fold detail, button embellishments, and a 3D butterfly. There's also a walkthrough of how to calculate total page count — useful if you're planning a journal for daily use across a set number of days.
What you'll learn
How to fold and score a tri-fold spine panel from 12×12 scrapbook paper — including how to decide the direction of the fold so the journal opens the way you want it to.
Why a tall journal works differently from a standard-height one, and how to adjust your page-cutting decisions to keep the finished journal closing cleanly without bulk.
How to build three separate signatures from tea-dyed A4 paper, each sized slightly shorter than its spine section so there's natural breathing room between them when bound.
How to calculate total page count before you start, including:
- How each folded sheet gives you four sides
- How to scale up to a target number — for instance, a page-a-day journal across a full year
How to bind each signature using three-hole pamphlet stitch, including the exact hole order (out through the middle, in through the top, out through the bottom, back in through the middle) for anyone coming to this stitch for the first time.
Why signatures should be bound with gaps between them — not packed tightly together — so pages turn without resistance.
How to make a shirt-fold pocket from paper offcuts, including:
- Finding the centre and cutting a small notch
- Folding down the collar flaps to create the shirt shape
- Adding ink, button embellishments, and drawn buttonholes for detail
How to attach a pocket cleanly with glue, keeping the pocket opening usable rather than accidentally sealed shut.
How to add a tag insert with a brad closure into the finished pocket, and why sometimes that detail alone means a separate journal closure isn't needed.
Closure options if you do want to add one, including:
- A slit-and-brad method with ribbon wrapped around
- Why a well-cut set of pages often means no closure is needed at all
Why inking edges before binding is easier than after — a small sequencing habit that makes a real difference to the finished look.
Tips & gotchas
Cut your signature pages shorter than the spine panel — not flush with it. This is the thing that most affects whether the journal closes easily. If the pages are too long, the cover won't fold over without resistance. A little shorter than you think you need is always better than a little longer.
Leave deliberate gaps between where your three signatures sit. When you're marking and cutting, aim slightly short of each increment so the signatures don't crowd each other. Pages that are pinched together don't turn comfortably, and the whole joy of this format is how freely it opens.
When gluing the pocket edges, use the thinnest possible line of glue. It's easy to over-apply here, and even a small amount of squeeze-out will narrow the pocket opening. A tiny bead around the outer three edges — barely touching the inside — is enough.
Once the journal is fully assembled, put it under a stack of heavy books overnight. The pages will want to spring open a little at first, especially with tea-dyed paper which has taken on moisture during the dyeing process. Overnight under weight sorts it out completely.
Ink your edges before you bind — not after. Once the signatures are sewn into the spine, getting into all the edges evenly is awkward. At the pre-binding stage, it takes about thirty seconds per signature and looks considerably better.
Once the journal is sitting flat and the pages have good clearance from the spine panel, you may find you simply don't need a closure. The journal rests flat on a desk on its own, and a closure would just get in the way. Worth checking before you add one out of habit.
Three separate signatures sitting inside a single tri-fold cover means three distinct sections — which translates naturally to a to-do journal, a three-month planner, a project tracker broken into phases, or simply a journal where morning, afternoon, and evening each get their own space. The front cover real estate is generous too: pockets, tags, additional mini journals, closures if you want them. The prototype shown at the end of the video — with a tag-shaped cover, an interior pocket, and a full-height mini journal — is a good indication of where one more session of tinkering can take it. Day 7, the series finale, is next.
