If you've ever made an altered book of pockets — or watched the tutorial for one — and wondered what it actually looks like fully embellished and in use, this flip through is for you. I'm going through the book I made in my original Altered Book of Pockets tutorial: 42 pockets, plus everything I added at the embellishing stage — the belly bands, stitching, decoupaged napkins, washi tape, handmade tags, little booklets, envelopes, and all the other things I packed into its pages. The idea behind this book is that it lives on your desk as a journaling companion — something you're always pulling from and popping things into — and I wanted to show what that actually looks like when it's finished and full.
What we cover
This is a flip through of a completed altered book of pockets, showing how the embellishing stage transforms a structured book into something alive and personal. I walk through every spread, naming the materials and techniques as I go — decoupaged napkins, washi tape stickers, hand stitching with embroidery floss, machine zigzag stitching, texture paste through doilies, laminated bookmarks, mini notepads, wraparound envelopes, and the belly band that holds it all together. I also link out to the original tutorial and a few related videos where I show specific techniques in full.
What you'll learn
How to make a belly band from ribbon and stickers — I glued small sticker clusters onto black cardstock, attached those to a piece of brown ribbon, wrapped it tight around the book, glued it down on the inside, and covered the join with a piece of coordinating scrapbook paper. The key is pulling the ribbon really tight before gluing so there's no loose give.
How to use washi tape with backing to cut uneven, wiggly edges — straight-cut washi tape always reads as a straight-cut edge. If you cut a wiggly line through washi tape that still has its backing on, you get something that looks much more organic and intentional. It's genuinely difficult to do this cleanly with sticky washi tape that has no backing — the backing makes all the difference.
How to cover the writing on the reverse of magazine and book images — images cut from magazines and books almost always have text on the back. I back them onto cardstock (tea-dyed cardstock is a favourite) before using them, which hides the writing and gives the piece a sturdier feel. It also means you can stitch around them without the paper buckling.
How to use decoupage napkins on journal pages, including:
- Decoupaging directly onto scrapbook paper or handmade-look paper so the napkin image blends in as if it was always part of the page
- Adding a wash of brown watercolour over the surrounding area to soften the contrast between the napkin and the background
- Using napkins as a source of repeated motifs throughout the book — the birds appear on several spreads and create a sense of cohesion without feeling repetitive
How to build a scrappy mini notepad — stack a few small pieces of paper, add a piece of scrapbook paper as a cover, and sew straight through the whole thing. It takes minutes and the result tucks neatly into a pocket. Simple to make, and it looks far more considered than it is.
How to use texture paste through a plastic doily or tablecloth — pressed through a doily (or a piece of plastic tablecloth, which I used here), texture paste picks up the pattern and creates a raised, textural surface on cardstock or thick scrapbook paper. The result looks like an actual doily but is far more durable and fully integrated with the page.
How to rescue imperfect zigzag stitching with a straight stitch — my sewing machine was skipping stitches during the zigzag border work, and with enough of them together it was really obvious. I went back in with a straight stitch along the same line, and while it didn't erase the skip stitches entirely, it broke up the pattern enough that the overall look became something I genuinely love. Worth knowing if your machine ever has a similar moment.
How to use copyright-original images from books and magazines responsibly — you can cut an image from a book or magazine and use it directly in your work. What you can't do is scan it and reproduce it repeatedly. Using the original is fine; making copies of it isn't.
Tips & gotchas
Back magazine and book images onto cardstock before using them. The writing on the reverse will show through if you don't, and it's nearly impossible to hide once the piece is glued down.
When cutting washi tape into a wiggly or uneven edge, do it while the backing is still on. Sticky washi tape without backing wants to curl and stick to everything the moment you try to manipulate it with scissors.
If you're adding an envelope pocket and want to tie a small bow or piece of string around it as a decorative finish — remember to do it before the envelope is fully glued down. I forgot on one of mine and had to leave it as-is. It still works, but the bow would have made it.
Pull your ribbon tight before gluing down the belly band. A loose belly band just looks a little sad, and once it's glued and the scrapbook paper is on top, there's no going back without pulling the whole thing apart.
On the zigzag stitching: if your machine is skipping, don't immediately rip it out and start again. A few skip stitches here and there read as texture. If it's a lot of them together and it's very obvious, go back in with a straight stitch on the same line. You'll be surprised how well it integrates.
Images cut from books and magazines can be used as originals — that's fine. What's not fine is scanning them and reproducing them over and over. Use the original, and you're good.
What becomes possible
The altered book of pockets format is open-ended enough that it can hold almost anything, and the embellishing stage is where your specific collection of materials gets to become a specific, personal object. I've linked the original step-by-step tutorial, the wraparound envelope tutorial, and the DIY postcards video below — those are the three techniques that came up most in this book, and watching them alongside this flip through will give you everything you need to make your own version.
