https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/embroidered-diana-camera-notebook-tutorial • Posted by Beth W.
Little notebooks are so handy for jotting down ideas, notes and sketches. This one has a sweet little embroidery on the front in homage to the Diana F camera. If you don't feel like doing the embroidery, you can decorate your notebook with paint, decorative punches, use decorative paper or just leave it plain. Stow this little notebook in your camera bag or pocket and you'll never need to worry about forgetting that great idea.
Little notebooks are so handy for jotting down ideas, notes and sketches. This one has a sweet little embroidery on the front in homage to the Diana F camera. If you don't feel like doing the embroidery, you can decorate your notebook with paint, decorative punches, use decorative paper or just leave it plain. Stow this little notebook in your camera bag or pocket and you'll never need to worry about forgetting that great idea.
Print the Diana Camera Embroidery Design Template .pdf file with Page Scaling set to "None" and cut out along pink border. Use the template as a guide (or a ruler and pencil) to mark the size of the pages. With an exacto knife, cut 1 cover, 1 end page and 6 to 8 inside pages sized 6.75 x 4.5 inches. These will fold in half to make the notebook.
Stack up the pages with the template on top. Tape the pages together using removable tape.
Place the stack of paper on the self healing cutting mat and using the awl, poke the holes for the spine through all layers. If desired, round the page corners using a punch.
Set aside the inside pages. Using the awl, poke the camera design in the front cover following the dots on the template. Cut a length of thread about 24 inches and thread the needle. Do not make a knot. From the back side, poke the needle through the card stock in one of the holes made with the awl. Leave a 1 inch tail of thread on the back side. Connect all the dots using a backstitch and the template as a reference for the lines to stitch. Be gentle, if you pull too tight you might crease the card stock or even worse tear it. When you get to the end of your thread, run the tail under the stitches on the back side of the card. You might need to use multiple threads to complete the design.
Glue the end paper to the back side of the embroidered cover. Place under a stack of books and let sit for a few hours. This will help ensure your paper dries flat.
When dry, use a bone folder and ruler to score the center of the cover and the inside pages. Stack up the pages with the holes of the spine aligned.
Cut a length of thread about 24 inches and thread the needle. Don't make a knot yet. Starting from the inside, insert the needle through the hole that is second from the top. Leave a tail about 5 inches long. Insert the needle from the outside into the top hole, then back into the second from the top. Follow the stitching guide to complete the stitching on the spine. The stitches are made in a kind of figure 8 shape.
When all stitches are made and both thread ends are back in the middle, make a square knot with the thread ends and trim.
To make the notebook nice and flat, press it under heavy books overnight.