Faux Leather Journals: Strap Series 1

So this summer i decided to try out the long stitch directly onto the faux leather that would become the wrap around cover. The journals on this series would consist on different sizes so first i went thru and cut down the paper. All the paper was then stained (as always) using diluted coffee and a couple drops of black acrylic. My hometown where i spent this summer is one lovely town somewhere in the South Californian desert so its 100 degree weather during the summer are perfect for drying out pages!

 Once the pages are nicely dry and toasty, i went on to fold and make a guide piece to pierce the pages using a needle tool where the stitch would go...

 Up next was staining the interior part of the faux leather. The leather i chose to make this series had a pretty light color to its back side so i went on to stain it using a mixture of diluted black and brown acrylic. Set the pieces out on the sun to dry in no time! Seriously, the lovely summer heat is one lovely happy thing!

 double checking on the page sizes to the faux leather cover...

 Continued on to pierce the pages...

 Started marking the cloth with a marker to know where to pierce...

 Next, stained some cotton thread...

 This time round i decided to wax the thread a bit...It proved to work better than unwaxed thread...less tangling!

 Long Stitch Binding Tutorial Video < you can see the tutorial i followed this time here!

 This stitch had a chain variation at the ends...and it wasn't difficult at all!

 Checking out the folding parts...

 Found some small buckles i had stashed somewhere along with a dark brown vinyl belt i cut up to make some straps...

and just like that i continued on to make a couple more of different sizes and styles! Final images coming up!