Michaela B, known as The Old Pink House on TikTok, has been inspiring viewers to start leathercrafting with her beautifully crafted Trifold Leather Journal Covers. Download her FREE pattern and follow along to create a timeless piece of your own!

Download FREE Journal Pattern

Download FREE Zipper Pocket Insert Pattern

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Products:

Required items for Journal:

Instructions:

Journal Cover

Step 1: Use the template to cut the leather pieces needed.

Step 2: Punch the holes where the eyelets will go based on the template. Make sure the template is square and doesn’t move by placing a heavy object on the template and leather, or by clipping the template to the leather. You should be making a total of 9 holes. 

Step 3: Place the eyelets in the holes. The front of the eyelet should go on the finished side of the leather. Use the eyelet setter to hammer the eyelets in.

• Pro-Tip! Eyelets come in many colors and are another fun way to customize the journal.

Step 4: Add the back pocket by gluing the edges then saddle stitching the three sides of the pocket where indicated. You can get creative here and add additional pockets, change the size of the pockets, etc.

Step 5: Add the elastic cords that hold the notebooks, there are many colors to choose from to customize the leather journal further. You’ll need two 19” long pieces of elastic for this part.

Step 6: Insert the journals or notebooks you plan to use by sliding the center of the journal through the elastic cord. 

Step 7: After inserting the journals, you’ll be able to see how thick your journal cover is and gauge how long you’ll need the outer last elastic cord to be (the one that wraps around the journal to keep it shut). Cut the cord at the length that works for you, make a knot near the end of the cord by tying the ends together. Then insert the cord through the back eyelet from the inside of the journal cover. The knot should be on the inside, and the looped part should pull through to the outside of the cover. 

Step 8 (OPTIONAL): Burnish the edges if you choose. It is not required for this project, but provides a nice clean look to the edge. 

Step 9 (OPTIONAL): Customize further with leather stamping, patches, stickers, charms, leather paint, additional pockets, a pen loop holder, carving details, or whatever you can think of! 

Zipper Pocket Insert

Step 1: Use the template to cut out the leather pieces. Make sure to cut the center hole in the larger piece.

Step 2: Glue then saddle stitch the zipper into place. Take note of whether you want your zipper to start at the top or bottom of your insert. Also make sure to glue the zipper in so that the finished part of the leather and the zipper are both facing up.

Step 3: Fold the side with the zipper so that the nice side of the leather is facing out and the middle of the zipper is flush at the end of the fold. Glue and hold in place until dry.

Step 4: Glue the second pocket portion where indicated. 

Step 5: Saddle stitch around the pockets and the perimeter of the journal insert

Step 6: Insert in your leather journal cover around another notebook.

The Old Pink House

Michaela, also known as the Old Pink House on TikTok, has a passion for making handmade leather journals and sharing how to make them along the way. Leathercrafting runs deep in her family, as she inherited her mother's tools. Michaela enjoys making other projects as well including purses and dying leather for future projects.

TikTok: @theoldpinkhouse