If you've ever wanted to get the most out of a single folding technique, this is the video where it clicks. Day 2 of Natasa's seven-project Tri-Fold series tackles the dos-a-dos journal — a back-to-back binding structure where two signatures share the same outer covers, each with its own spine. The whole thing comes together from a sheet of 12×12 scrapbook paper, a handful of mixed pages, and a three-hole pamphlet stitch in dark brown embroidery floss.
What we cover
This tutorial shows how to fold and score a single sheet of scrapbook paper into the dos-a-dos cover structure, build two signatures from mixed materials including map pages, vellum, and book pages, and bind each signature independently using a three-hole pamphlet stitch. The video finishes with a flip-through of a lightly embellished version so you can see what the finished journal looks like in use.
What you'll learn
How to create the dos-a-dos cover from a 12×12 sheet — scoring at 4-inch intervals to divide the paper into three equal panels, then folding them in opposing directions to create the classic Z-fold that gives you two separate spine edges facing outward.
Why double-sided scrapbook paper is worth choosing here — with both outer covers on display at the same time, whatever is face-down on the cover position you didn't choose will still be visible to anyone who picks the journal up.
How to build two matching signatures with mixed page types, including:
- Map pages and vellum torn in half and folded
- Book pages and patterned paper staggered in between plain copy paper for visual variety
- A folded flip-out element that extends beyond the signature edge
- Machine-sewn pockets created by sewing across folded pages before binding
How the middle page of a signature needs special handling — rather than folding it all the way to the cover edge, Natasa folds it just short of the crease, because the surrounding pages naturally push the innermost sheet outward once everything is bound together.
How to trim and finish signature edges for a junk-journal look, including using a serrated ruler to tear rather than cut certain pages, and zigzag scissors on edges that would otherwise look too clean and straight.
How to execute a three-hole pamphlet stitch on two opposing spines — binding signature one into one spine, then rotating the cover and binding signature two into the spine on the opposite end, so the two journals sit back to back. Because the two spines face outward in opposite directions, there's no need to worry about hole alignment between them.
How to cut tag-shaped shoulders into the cover using a template to slope the top corners — and why you need to plan your stitch placement before you bind if you want this option, since the top hole of the pamphlet stitch sits close to the edge.
Finishing touches from what's already in your stash — cork pieces, punched circles, book plates, and stamped packaging paper used as embellishments without adding significant bulk or time.
Tips & gotchas
If you're planning to cut tag-shaped shoulders into the cover — those sloped corners that make it look like an oversized label — sort out your binding placement before you stitch. The top hole in a three-hole pamphlet stitch can end up uncomfortably close to where the shoulder cut would land. Dropping the top hole down even slightly gives you enough room to cut without losing the stitch. Natasa ran into exactly this problem during filming and had to switch to a smaller template; it still looks good, but the larger slope she originally wanted wasn't possible.
When you're folding the innermost page of a signature, don't bring the fold all the way to the cover edge. Every page around it pushes that middle sheet outward, so if you fold it flush to the edge, it will end up visibly protruding once the signature is bound. Fold it just short of the crease instead — it sits cleanly once everything is nested together.
For the cover, double-sided scrapbook paper is genuinely the better choice here, not just a nice-to-have. Because the dos-a-dos structure means both outer surfaces are always showing, a single-sided sheet will leave a plain back exposed no matter which way the journal is turned.
When arranging pages into your signatures, stagger the heavier patterned papers and book pages in between the plain sheets rather than grouping them. It distributes the visual weight more evenly and means you're less likely to open the journal to a run of identical plain pages.
If you're machine sewing pockets into pages before binding, think about which pages you're sewing before you stitch. Natasa nearly sewed across a page she later wanted to cut into a tag shape — catching it just in time. Sewing and then cutting removes the stitching, so plan the page shapes first.
Once you've made a slim version like this one, it's natural to start wondering what happens if you thicken each signature, or mix the cover materials, or use entirely different page styles on each side of the journal. Each side can tell its own story while they share the same covers — which is a quiet kind of magic for something that comes from one sheet of paper, eight pages per signature, and about twenty minutes of work.
