With rare exceptions, I do all of my sketching these days in a Pocket Size Moleskine (outdated planner) notebook rebound with my own paper. I have created quite a few of these journal sketchbooks and have honed my binding technique along the way. There has been lot of interest in how I do this project/moleskine hack, and so I have written up the instructions for “Moleskine Reloaded”.

Get Them Here

The bookblock is sewn together with a form of Coptic binding, which opens flat and complements the Moleskine very well. This binding method can also be used to produce books with exposed spines, as the stitching is plenty durable and quite attractive. I hope that these instructions are useful, and perhaps inspire some ideas for related projects.

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…or, How to Rebind a Moleskine Notebook :
                           Make a Custom DIY Sketchbook!

Table of Contents

I.	Introduction	VI.	Punching
II.	Stuff	VII.	Sewing
III.	Decisions	VIII.	Ripping
IV.	Cutting	IX.	Gluing
V.	Folding	X.	Finishing

I. Introduction

The size and durability of the Moleskine Pocket notebook is perfect for my sketching needs, but the paper is not ideal. Although both “sketchbook” and “watercolor” versions are available, neither is well-suited to my particular requirements. And so, I have developed a process for replacing the paper (aka Moleskine Reloaded) while retaining all the other wonderful attributes of the Moleskine.

These instructions describe exactly how I do this process, but one can of course vary the project extensively to suit other notebook sizes, papers, or covers. The pages themselves are sewn together with a Coptic style binding. If you have never sewn a book before, don’t be scared off by this proposition. It is not as hard as it looks, really, and it’s a lot of fun. (more…)

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For the past three years I have been keeping my sketchbook journals in pocket-sized Moleskine Daily Planners that I rebind with 90lb hot press watercolor paper. After having tried seemingly every other option I hit upon this formula as being just right for me.

I completed three volumes last year, and am well into my fourth volume for 2006. I am rushing to fill it up so that I can start a fresh book on the first of the year. I also will be needing to bind the next book soon. It’s a ritual of sorts that I have come to look forward too, and having done it so many times it now comes easily.

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