Handmade Watercolor Sketchbook

Hello, how are you? Last year in October, I decided to make the watercolor paper pad I have sitting on my shelf untouched into a sketchbook for my watercolor portrait, but in a uncoditional instances I did not paint on it not one, because the weather or my mood is not into it again.

I was planning to paint it after I posted this blog, but it did not happen. It is 2026, and the sketchbook is still untouch so I told myself this is the right time to post this, and yeah, as I am sitting right now making this blog about this handmade sketchbook. I hope you enjoy it :D

Materials I Used:

Watercolor Paper 300 gsm
Cutter
Bone Folder
Metal Ruler
Cutting Mat
Pencil
Awl
Needle
Thread
Bee Wax
Clips
Glue

Ribbon
Mull
Thin Paper
Headbands
Cardstock Paper 200 gsm
Brush
Chipboard
Faux Leather
Garter
Plastic Cover
Heavy Books

Craft Time!

Cutting and Folding The Watercolor Paper:

First, I remove the watercolor from the pad, and then I separate the paper from the chipboard because I will be using it too.

I first mark the middle part of the paper using a pencil and a ruler.

After that, I cut it in half using a cutter and a metal ruler. Make sure to use a cutting mat for this part, as we don't want to ruin our desk.

This is what it looks like when the watercolor is cut.

Then I grab two sheets of watercolor paper and fold them carefully.

To evenly fold it more, I use a bone folder. And done!

Before I poke a hole in it, I pressed it first using two thick boards and clipped it using heavy duty clip for about an hour. Now I have 10 signatures.

Punching Holes Time:

To punch a hole inside, I made a measurement reference where I am going to puch hole, then I poked a hole use awl repeat the process for the other signature.

This is what it looks like.

Time to Sew the Signatures:

I first condition the thread I am going to use by running it on the beeswax a couple of times, this way, I can avoid the thread being tangled in the process of sewing. Then I put in the needle and knot it at the end.

I grab the first signature and then poke through the first hole to the next until the last hole. And then I sew the needle back the first whole and then I tie a knot to lock the thread.

After that, I added a signature on top and then saw it in, but this time I sewed the needle under the thread of the first signature do the process until the last hole.

After that, I added the third signature sewn in the needle. At this time, I am going to loop the needle under the second signature, just do the process until the last hole again. After that, the signatures that are left go through the same process as the third.

Glue Time:

I clip back the textblock using chipboard and a spring clip clamp, making sure that they are secure enough before gluing.

Then I apply the first layer of glue.

While the glue was still drying, I added the ribbon. And let the first layer of glue dry.

To add the mull, I added the second layer of glue.

And then I cut and press it onto the glue.

Then I glue some thin paper just to secure the mull.

For the headband, I add glue to both the top and the bottom of the signature.

This is what it looks like.

After that, I cut thick cardstock to the same size as the textblock.

Then I added glue to each edge of the paper.

And then I apply it, I run a bone folder through the glued part just to make sure it sticks together.

Hard Cover Making:

I cut the chipboard I set aside earlier into the size of the chipboard.

And then for the cover, I place both chipboard and the spine in the middle, which is just a paper, and then I cut it 1 inches thickeness for the border. And then I glue them together.

After that, I glued the top and bottom parts.

Before I glue the side, I cut the side of it like a V shape and then glue it.

Now I have the cover done.

Adding the Garter:

I mark the place that I am going to cut with a border of 1 cm, and then I cut just a few layers and remove the part of it, and then I slit open only the top part of it, and I do the same thing at the top.

Then I push the garter into the open slit I made.

Then I added glue to the border I made earlier to secure the garter.

Glue the Endpapers:

Before I glue the endpaper, I added a plastic protector on the other side of the paper just to avoid gluing it to the other side. And then I added the glue, spread it using this thin squeegee.