If you've ever wanted to make a journal that feels like a little explosion of paper joy — pages fanning out from greeting-card size all the way up to 12×12, pockets layered on pockets, things flipping and tucking and peeking out everywhere — this is that journal. The first half of the video is a slow, close-up flip-through of a fully embellished version so you can see exactly what you're working toward. The second half walks through constructing your own from scratch, including the three-hole pamphlet stitch binding with gold beads on the spine.
What we cover
This tutorial covers building a staggered, layered junk journal — roughly 10 folded pages graduating from smallest to largest — with all the pre-binding prep work: adding lace with a sewing machine, extending pockets, rounding corners, inking edges, and a double pamphlet stitch binding with beads. The flip-through at the start shows the fully dressed version with interactive elements, so you have a clear picture of where the construction leads.
What you'll learn
How to plan and cut a staggered page layout from smallest to largest, including:
- Starting from a 12×12 sheet and working down through A4, calendar pages, scrapbook paper, and card stock
- Deciding whether to align pages at the bottom edge or stagger heights for visual rhythm
- Trimming and folding pages to get an even-looking step between each layer without needing precise measurements
How to add lace to a page using a sewing machine — drawing a pencil guide line on the page first so ruffled lace stays straight as you sew, then trimming the excess cleanly with snipping shears.
How to extend a shallow pocket with scrap paper — gluing a leftover strip to the top edge of a folded page to make a deeper pocket, then sewing or gluing the sides shut. A simple fix when a page folds too short to hold anything securely.
How to make a removable notepad insert that can be slipped out, used up, and replaced with a fresh one — a pocket-sized detail that makes the journal genuinely functional over time.
Do all sewing, inking, and structural prep before binding — rounding corners, inking edges, sewing lace, gluing pockets. Once the signatures are bound, none of this is practical to do.
How to make a binding template from a scrap of paper — folded to match the exact height of your smallest page, with three hole positions marked close to the edges for a secure hold on a shallow cover.
How to sew a three-hole pamphlet stitch with beads on the spine, including:
- Threading gold beads onto waxed binding thread before pulling through the outer holes
- Switching to a beading needle when bead openings are too small for a standard needle
- Tying off with a square knot and leaving long tail threads for adding charms or heart embellishments below
How to do a double pamphlet stitch binding — a second three-hole stitch placed higher up the spine, giving you two bead-decorated binding points and a more secure hold across the full height of the pages.
How to reinforce a binding hole near a single-sheet edge — adding a small folded tuck-spot piece from the inside so the thread has something to grip rather than pulling through a single layer of paper.
Why waxed binding thread is worth using here — it's noticeably stronger than embroidery floss for a journal where the binding carries a lot of loose, staggered pages. The wax also means it pulls through cleanly without snagging.
How to create a pocket on the cover from a folded card — and the one thing to remember: glue only three sides, not four, or you've sealed it shut instead of making a pocket.
Tips & gotchas
Draw a pencil line on the page before you sew lace down, especially ruffled or gathered lace — it naturally wants to curl and drift, and having a visual guide makes a big difference. The line disappears under the stitch.
When loading beads onto your binding thread, leave a little slack — roughly one bead's worth of space. If you pack the beads in too tightly, the binding sits loose instead of holding firm.
When your upper binding hole lands near the edge of a single sheet rather than a folded spine, reinforce it from the inside before you stitch. Natasa adds a small folded tuck-spot piece glued down there — it creates an anchor so the thread doesn't rip through under tension. Bonus: it becomes a usable tuck spot on the page.
Always pull your binding thread upward when tightening — straight up, not sideways. Pulling sideways puts shearing pressure on the paper right at the hole and can tear through, especially near an edge.
If your beads have a small opening, switch to a beading needle for that part of the process, then swap back to your regular needle for the rest of the stitch. It's a small interruption and much less frustrating than forcing a large needle eye through tiny beads.
Do all your sewing and edge-inking before you bind. It sounds obvious but it's easy to get excited and jump to binding too early — once those pages are stitched together, getting a sewing machine foot around them is nearly impossible.
When gluing a cover piece down and leaving a pocket, apply glue to only three sides. Natasa glued all four on her second journal in the video and had to laugh it off — a good reminder to think about it before the glue is wet.
Pockets, tuck spots, removable notepads, extended pages, a double binding with beads on the spine: none of it is complicated on its own, and most of it happens before you ever pick up the binding thread. Once the journal is in your hands, unbound and ready to embellish, the possibilities really do open up.
