How to Create Your Own Sketchbook

In July 2024 I challenged myself to a year long project of sketching something I see in nature every day. I wanted to take more notice of what is around me while out driving and walking my dogs, and I wanted to cultivate a better art practice by making a daily habit of drawing.

Now, spoiler: I have absolutely not sketched everyday. I was very consistent at first, but as the days grew shorter and work started to steal every daylight hour from me, I chose to listen to my energy and motivation limits, which meant playing catch up most weekends. If I miss a day or two here and there I will make a note of what I saw so I can come back to it. Ideally, I would just be able to take the few minutes to draw or paint in my book each day, but I am trying to give myself grace as I bet busy with other art projects or I feel tired, and I want you to know that even when you’re trying to develop a new habit or you want to improve your art practice, it’s okay to be less than perfect. 

Anyhow, you’re probably wondering “why do you need to make your own sketchbook, why not just use one of the several you already own, Bevin!” And you’re not wrong in thinking that! I personally decided that I wanted to draw in a 30ish page sketchbook each month so that I could actually complete the sketchbook; I felt it would help me stay motivated to watch my shelf fill up with filled up books! And it really has. Of course, there are 30 page sketchbooks out there to buy, but I am a creative after all, so I determined to make them myself. 

My books are simple. Anyone could make these, truly: I just got back from visiting my nieces and nephews where they each did, in fact, make one. 

Now it helps that my mom is in the knowhow of book making, and she was generous enough to send me the essential supplies to get started.

I thought I would share my process on how to quickly make a personalized sketchbook–it’s certainly nothing groundbreaking, but it could be helpful to get you started!

 

For my covers I use a cotton canvas and I rip them down to size (they are not square…it doesn’t bother me for this project, but ripping might not be the best technique if that matters to you). I use 9”x12” mixed media paper, so I ‘cut’ my fabric to 10”x13”. Also, if you like the look of canvas but not the price, thrift stores are always a great place to check and home improvement stores carry canvas drop cloths for much cheaper than a fabric store. 

If you’re after the same look as my covers: once it was ‘cut’ I wetted the parts of the fabric I would apply my watercolour paints to and let the water absorb for a few minutes before applying the paint and then I let the magic happen. 

 

While the cover is drying I fold my pages in half. I use 9 sheets of paper, which equates to 36 pages in my book. This gives me some leeway in my formatting, as some days I end up taking up a full two page spread. After I fold the pages, I use my bone folder to press down on the folds and make it less bulky. It’s not necessary, but it does allow the pages to sit better within one another. If you don’t have a bone folder you could obviously use anything else to flatten the folds a little further.

 

After the folds are neatly pressed I rest each folded sheet inside the preceding folded sheet; another way to do this is to ‘open’ up each page lightly and stack them like a regular stack of paper. You know how books work, so you get it.

 

Next up, I open up my stack of pages and I position it onto my now dry cover so that there is about a ½” overhang of the fabric on all sides. I secure the pages and the fabric together with some book clips, but paper clips and binder clips work great, and honestly, I have skipped this step before and it’s been fine, albeit a little trickier. 

I then measure and mark where my binding holes will be. For this size of book, I only use three holes: 1 in the middle and one on each end, about 1” in from the top and bottom of the page. Once marked, I use my scratch awl to poke the holes. I should say, I use my squishy laptop case as a pin pad so I can push the awl all the way through the paper and fabric without damaging my table. A mouse pad would work great, or packing foam, or even a folded towel, I imagine. 

 

To stitch my book together I do the three hole pamphlet stitch with a rather large needle and some waxed string:

• Measure and cut your string at a length of about twice the height of your book.

• Pull your needle and thread AWAY from you through the middle hole, being sure to leave a tail (you’ll need it for later).

• Bring your needle back TOWARD you through either the top or bottom hole.

• Pull your needle AWAY from you through the remaining hole.

• Bring your needle back TOWARD you through the middle hole.

• Make sure the tail you left initially and the tail you have with your needle are on opposite sides of the thread running up and down the middle of your paper.

• Pull the threads nice and tight and then tie the two tails together in a regular double knot.

 

And there you have it! A simple, personalized sketchbook. It’s fun and easy, and a great gift for yourself or someone else. And it doesn’t have to be just art paper! You can make lovely journals with lined paper, or printer paper, or vintage book pages, or absolutely anything; book making is a fun feather in your cap and you'll start to see bookish possibilities everywhere!

 

Happy creating!