{"id":3351,"date":"2018-10-12T11:20:29","date_gmt":"2018-10-12T15:20:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ruthbleakley.com\/blog\/?p=3351"},"modified":"2018-10-12T11:48:53","modified_gmt":"2018-10-12T15:48:53","slug":"washi-tape-journals-with-ladder-back-coptic-stitch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ruthbleakley.com\/blog\/2018\/10\/washi-tape-journals-with-ladder-back-coptic-stitch\/","title":{"rendered":"Washi Tape Journals with Ladder Back Coptic Stitch"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"ComoThey’re back! In 2015 I had the privilege of having my handmade journals included in Charlotte River’s book Little Book of Book Making: Timeless Techniques and Fresh Ideas for Beautiful Handmade Books.<\/a>
\nDoubly cool was that one of my journals was featured prominently on the cover of the Spanish-language edition called C\u00c3\u00b3mo hacer tus propios libros: Nuevas ideas y t\u00c3\u00a9cnicas tradicionales para la creaci\u00c3\u00b3n artesanal de libros.<\/a>\u00c2\u00a0Yep, that’s me on the cover! I made that red and purple striped Washi tape book in 2012 or so using tape that my Japanese friend Yuri mailed to me<\/a> in exchange for one of my journals! Also, if you’re wondering how I got featured in this book, I am not exactly sure! Charlotte contacted me directly via email, saying she’d seen my work online. Keep in mind I’ve been blogging intermittently since 2007…so keep blogging & Pinning!<\/p>\n

\"Purple<\/p>\n

\"MakingThe funny thing was, even though this book was on the cover, and sold on Etsy (to someone in Sweden!) I didn’t make another journal with that unique ladder back stitching afterward, not for years! Last month I had a few text blocks where I accidentally made the wrong number of holes, and I was wondering what to do with them when it occurred to me that I could try my hand at those Coptic\/Ladder Back journals again!\"WashiThe learning process was a little steep but through trial and error I remembered the correct way, and took notes this time. Basically, it’s a single-needle coptic stitch combined with a buttonhole stitch. You can find instructions for both in Keith Smith’s book Non Adhesive Bindings Vol. 1<\/a>\u00c2\u00a0. If you are serious about wanting to improve your bookbinding and you don’t have this book you MUST get it, I would consider it required reading! It’s thick, almost like a Bible, and packed with great stitches like Caterpillar, Single Needle Coptic, Longstitch (all those leather travel journals that you’ve been admiring on Pinterest) and buttonhole stitch. Very text-heavy but it has some great diagrams, especially of stitch patterns, which anyone trying to make a tutorial knows are really hard to draw!<\/p>\n

\"Making\"Making\"Making<\/p>\n

\"laceSo onto the books: As some of you might know, I have a bit of a Washi Tape obsession<\/a>. “Washi” means “paper” in Japanese, so it’s basically decorative masking tape. When I had the chance to go to Japan<\/a> in 2016, my passion was only inflamed by the sight of hundreds of rolls of MT (the brand of Japanese masking tape that’s the best – you can find MT tape on Amazon<\/a> and Etsy<\/a> fairly easily – just try to find the real version and not a knockoff). My only regret is that I didn’t buy more…MORE! But I digress. Now I have to figure out ways to use the masking tape before it gets really old and doesn’t stick anymore! I often use it as plastic-free packaging for my stationery business. (see my blog post “Using Washi Tape instead of Packing Tape<\/a>“)<\/p>\n

One popular way to use washi tape is to make a collage by putting several of your favorites together (check out this adorable blog post “Washi Tape your Pencils and Notebooks<\/a>” by blogger Lia Griffith). That’s what I did on these journals, laying my favorite combinations of tape side by side into geometric patterns. After taping, I sealed with several coats of artist-grade Liquitex acrylic varnish<\/a>. It’s expensive but worth it because it doesn’t get sticky in humidity the way that Mod Podge does, but if you live in a dry place (meaning…NOT Florida haha) then Mod Podge<\/a> would probably also work fine. After sealing the covers I allowed them to dry completely, added sewing holes and stitched them together!<\/p>\n

\"Butterfly\"Butterfly<\/p>\n

These washi tape journals are available for sale, they make a great gift for the planner-obsessed writer in your life (most people who do daily or weekly planners like to decorate them with washi tape). You can see what I have available in my etsy shop here – but these are one of a kind and I usually don’t remake the patterns, so if you like one, grab it while you can:<\/p>\n

Washi Tape Journals For Sale<\/a><\/h3>\n

Scroll on for lots more photos of these handmade journals:<\/p>\n

\"Red<\/p>\n

\"Red<\/p>\n

\"Red<\/p>\n

\"Washi<\/p>\n

\"Red<\/p>\n

\"Red<\/p>\n

\"Blue<\/p>\n

\"Blue<\/p>\n

\"Blue<\/p>\n

\"Blue<\/p>\n

\"Purple<\/p>\n

\"Purple<\/p>\n

\"Washi<\/p>\n

\"Red<\/p>\n

\"Washi<\/p>\n

Thanks for reading my post! If you love looking at handmade journals, check out my Pinterest board Handmade\u00c2\u00a0Books + Journals<\/a>\u00c2\u00a0(which as of this writing has 10,282 followers! I love Pinterest, so please feel free to pin any of my photos!) and don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter:
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