I don't want to take sponsorships on this channel, they feel like the antithesis of what I've got going on, so if you're able and would like to help out, *consider becoming a member!* (www.youtube.com/@Barnso/join) Obviously, it's absolutely no worries if not, just being here watching the videos is already more than I could ask for! Thanks so much for all the support :)
Its kind of fun to think about how many DIY youtubers there is but nobody does real DIY without using expensive sponser tools and years of experience. this is real DIY someone without tools and skills making something creative. You got a brilliant mind and story telling (it feels like a story than an instruction). Realized it sounded a lot like a backhanded compliment, of course you got some skills but it's your way of solving small problems that's really amazing.
Thanks so much! I really want to get across that equipment isn't everything. I think just giving things a go is so important, and more often than not you'll surprise yourself with how well you do!
great job on the notebook and the video was good fun. making functional tools for personal use is so satisfying. no hunting around and compromising on what is available. and as you make more, you get better and learn more so you can have something that is truly built-to-purpose. i collect my notebooks, cut the binding thread and then bind several of them together into a larger book that i give a cover. they are grouped by year. so i stop the last notebook at the end of the year and start a new one the next year. - you can use a coin and cut around it to make a rounded corner. clamp two identical coins a bit back from where you cut it and then you can sand the corner smooth pretty easily. i actually use washers with a bit of leather glued to one side so they don't mar the cover when i clamp them. - as a fellow sausage finger haver, you might try a latch hook instead of a crochet hook or just use a longer piece of floss and trim it afterward. you can also twist the ends of the floss before you try to tie it. - i also wax my floss which helps it glide through the holes in the paper easier, but it also helps keep the strands of floss together when tying the final knot. it will also help reduce friction wear on the floss as it rubs around against objects in your pocket.
I’m 100% down for the Video style :) Normal bloke doing RU-vid and showing you do not need to be the 100% professional polished RU-vidr to make a great video :)
I had a somewhat bad day today and I was glad to be offered to watch the process of how you make a notebook. I really enjoyed it, so thank you. I am now considering making one and it is a good thought to end the day.
The xacto knife needle hack was pretty clever but an awl would be so much easier 😅 also, using waxed thread (or running your embroidery floss through a stick of beeswax or something) will help with the strength of the notebook and the security of the knot. Plus it will be easier to work with since the threads are held together by the wax
I loved the way you documented your mistakes. I feel it adds a lot of depth to the content of this video. I've watched my fair amount of DIY pocket journals because I have book binding as a hobby for 10 years now and I think the mistakes are actually where you learn the most. I especially likeyour technique to make the edges even !
Enjoyed watching you figure out your way. Same here with my first sheets formed into a bound calendar. Surprising how much I love that thing! Your self made book gives you the freedom of journaling your way - that's one perspective. Another is: your way of journaling called that book into your life. I'm curious about more stuff you calling into life.
At 5:06 there's a great piece of advice. ive been using for almost a year a micro pin vice with a needle as a makeshift awl (the best ones since you can make holes all the same size), but the idea of using my exacto knife handle never crossed my mind. I dont use that exacto knife, the blades shake a little and its not a pleasing experience to cut with it, but now that it serves as an awl it has a new purpose. thank you for sharing this tip 🙏🏻
If I go to someones house and I see a cutting mat... I know they're a creative and I'm immediately asking "what do you make?!" Great little notebook, TFS!
Definitely agree that making/bookbinding notebooks/journals/sketchbooks is worth the process! I've also been gravitating towards pocket notebooks more and more lately for that relaxed, less-rule-following writing and drawing. I also suggest for your next notebook investing in a small beeswax block from a craft store (to rub on the thread and it can help with the sewing/tying process), and an awl from a hardware or craft store (have found using that to be easier than the needle itself, but the needle also works for creating smaller holes and using the exacto knife holder was really clever). ^^
When punching the holes, you can use clips or binder clips to hold them in place while punching and sewing. Also, that biting move is something I’d do hahahaha
I really really really appreciate how calm you walk through everything and talk about the steps and little things you enjoyed about the progress. These days you see more people cramming DIY projects into 10 second shorts. It's really nice to see some people like you taking their time and making a long chill video. Thx!
This actually gave me motivation to start journaling and make a journal per month that I can then start racking and saving somewhere else. Guess I'll use it for poetry and draws, instead of a daily journal or something along those lines, but yeah. Thank you!
@@Barnso just finished my first one. The trick to use some sand paper to smooth the edges of the paper was insane. Got a pretty good finish. And just the process of making them (as I’m not really a crafty-handman or smth) was so relaxing that even if it’s not a professional finish or smth, makes for the imperfections. Also had a great time talking with my grandfather while doing so. Gotta thank RU-vid for suggesting me this video. Had a lot of fun, can’t wait to start writing and drawing! 🥰
Lovely vlog! Das Bookbinding is the patron saint of book binding - there's a lot of content you may find useful for your next project (e.g., single signature pamphlets and how to finish an edge with a knife). Never seen the tip of clamping the ruler to the book to get a consistent edge, though - that was mind blowing. Happy journalling!
Couple things that make the threading process easier (I make my own pocket books, too) is 1. Using an awl to make the holes; and 2. waxing the thread. The awl makes the hole a little bit bigger for ease of threading, and it's sturdy enough to go through multiple sheets of paper in one dot. The wax also makes threading easier. It's an extra step that makes it worth it, and the wax will keep for waxing thread for a lifetime of making pocketbooks. Was nice to see someone else that also sands the edges for that clean feel.
Thanks so much! I really want to encourage people to give making things a go, and I think a big part of the process is being okay with making mistakes and learning from them! Glad you enjoyed the video :)
13:08 put a small drop of super-glue (or if the thread is partly polymer you could use a lighter to melt it a bit) on it to prevent it from opening up ever again. 😉 14:14 after clamping you could use a band saw to make very precise cuts and get this exactly straight. You even could use it to make a wave or so, if you want your notebook a bit more „interesting“ (I’m personally more the straight line guy, because it’s easier to organize stuff that way 🙂). 16:35 round corners would be very easy to manufacture this way 🙂
If you don't have an exacto-holder but got some cork (from a bottle or just a square or smth), push the needle in about 2cm with the sharp end, take it out and plop the dull end into your new hole, it's not as good as the exacto-holder but still far more comfertable than a plain needle!
Just want to add, I picked up a rotating stapler from KMart today. Made a booklet and use the stapler instead of thread. Also made a Field Notes sized one, also now stapled. Thanks.
Man, I've watched two of your videos and liked them both. I even shared them with a couple of groups. You've got yourself a new subscriber. Love the channel, love the videos, love the projects, and the thoughts behind them. I miss the old school diy RU-vid, and you, sir, bring that feeling back. Looking forward to any new content. Definitely gonna follow this template and try my hand at making a notebook myself.
Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed them, I'm in the weeds editing my next video, but hopefully shouldn't be too long before it's done :) You should definitely give it a go, it's very rewarding!
I love this format of maker vid. Also, I used to bind books and it never even occurred to me to sand the pages to make them even. It makes me want to make more, just so I can see how it turns out.
I saw your latest video (the third one) and genuinely enjoyed it so much and was surprised to see that there was so little to your channel. On mobile there’s only two tabs with three videos. Your style of editing and shooting video feels so professional. I will happily wait for what comes next because you have revitalized my love for crafts and small hack projects. Thank you so much!
Thanks so much! Currently editing up the next one, so hopefully shouldn't be too long before that comes out. Thanks again for the kind words, they mean a lot!
I'm really loving your "DIY" kind of videos, they are really comfy and the story telling its amazing. hope you get the results that you deserve cuz your work its amazing. keep it up !!
Love the idea of a pocket journal! I could never really get into journaling, so maybe having it always on me and keeping it less structured might make the process easier for me. Thanks!
I loved your vids, especially for the serenity they have. I have made 2 little notebooks this way and i have collected many more journals like these but i always find it difficult to fiil them. I can't make me write stuf on them and when i do i always use my phone since i have it always. Makes me think that a phone case with a journal would be a nice project.
I totally understand this! For a while I didn't want to write in my handmade one because it was "too nice", but I try to remember that I made it with the intention to use it, and that life is short so I may as well use the nice things if I've got them! So now I will just use them for whatever, even just to doodle in when I'm bored 😊
This is so hilarious and inspiring AHAHAHHAHA I actually relate to you having such a chaotic but meditative experience, making your own notebooks with simple equipment... LOVE IT!!
Embroidery needles are what you're looking for. There's a few different types of those too, but the eye is never much wider than the shaft. Also with the type of embroidery floss you're using with the six threads, it can be used with all six or you can separate the threads to use individually or anything in between. Depends on the thickness you want in the end result!
Thanks so much, that's really kind! Just so you're not disappointed, this channel will be about being making things by hand, not taking things too seriously, and having a go at things even if I don't really know what I'm doing. I do think there'll be a bit more journaling/book binding stuff in the future, but it's not going to be the sole focus of the channel
It figures that I'd find this video the day after I make my own first notebook. 🤦♂ I ummed and ahhed about the size for ages, between A6 and A7, until I gave up and copied the Field Notes size - which turns out to be the same as a passport only taller. I used standard printer paper, with a scrap of leather as the cover. Great video!
The whole "I've a specific notebook for a specific purpose and I can write anything else in it" is an issue I thought nobody else had. Cleary I should try and make one... or just but a couple and remove the purpose and just - write! Keep up the videos, they're great.
I absolutely felt the same way! Almost every bit of media I see about notebooks are about SYSTEMS on how to use them, so I thought I was going insane haha Turns out it's literally just paper and you can put whatever you want on it! Thanks so much for the comment :)
I'd love to do a hardcover at some point too for exactly that reason as well! The thing I love about the one I made is you can knock one out in an afternoon and don't really need any special tools or anything, whereas I imagine a hard cover would be a bit more involved. Would be awesome though!
You could make a design that, rather than being a book, is more like a card holder of sorts, essentially the idea would be that you can refill the pages and take out old ones to keep somewhere, I think that would be better personally rather than making a new book every time you run out of pages (because there’s very few pages) but it seems like that’s the part you enjoy
You should check out @I_wrote_it_down they've developed a system very similar to that which is very cool! Like you say, I really enjoy the process of making these so it doesn't bother me too much :)
i personally will not be making my own diary, but i do decorate mine with pretty covers (mostly using tapes and things i found and things i write), and yes, the pretty is subjective
Thanks so much :) That's quite funny, but I can relate to enjoying making something even if you don't use the end product, making stuff is fun on its own!
Wow. To be honest - your video left me speechless… My friend, you did SUCH a good job! I am truly amazed with how it turned out. I mean… you have made AN AWESOME notebooks for sure! And recorded video so nicely, with great angles and sound, spent so much time by cutting all the paper and so on! Bravo! I have also made my own notebook. Or rather pocket size notebook system (you may call it however you want, you can check out my video), but the philosophy behind it is completely different- as cheap and easy to assemble as possible. Also I have recorded the whole thing just with my Iphone and haven’t done any fancy editing. And after watching how much effort you have put into this video, I feel like a little child in front of you! Truly enjoyed watching this, you have got yourself a new subscriber! 100% sure you will grow your channel amazingly if you just keep posting such satisfying videos! Will definitely recommend your channel to my friends and waiting for another video, keep it up! 👍🏾
Thank you so much for your comment, you are far too kind! I've really enjoyed the process of filming and getting all the angles, but it definitely slows down the process of making. I just checked out your channel, I really love what you've created! Seems like a really great system for keeping notes, especially because you can just swap pages in and out as you fill it up! Very clever! Also, do not be down on yourself about your videos, they are very clear and get the point across very well which is the most important part! I've made videos for other channels in the past, so I've had some practice at editing, I'm sure if you keep making videos you'll pick up some tricks along the way!
i dont really know if this algorithm listen to me or knows what is going on with my life. But it can be a bit funny to say that but a video of a guy making a book somehow as so dense and made me really stop to think about what i'll do. Good video !!! Keep going
have the outside of the book be a bit longer 3-4 times the thickness of a pencil from top to bottom and fold it into inself and have the top and bottom fold a but to have a butof a hook and put the pencil inside the inner part of the binder at the end and just tild it to remove the prencil when you open it. best top give an estra bend at the end to make ot stronger if you want but it should be on and you can hold a pensil stelthly inside on both sides and remove it easily and it wont fall out.
don't worry: this comment won't be instructional at all either 😂 omg a cereal box you're so right! book-smithing? that's a cool name 🤯 time for a cut nail meme: your next 4 journal tasks this has been quite nice to watch so far but it also would have been nice to listen to the needle bit was quite cool I've been seeing a bunch of videos about people feeling trapped by journaling there's something in the knot guess I gotta get a needle huh it's exciting seeing you push the needle through the middle of the book! really sinking your teeth into it huh? skip ahead? frayed knot idk why but I thought you would use a tiny bit of sandpaper to clear the edge oh wait you said that as I typed it haha how did you make the book corner look like cheese? 😂 the first 30 seconds didn't really draw me in but this was a fantastic video and I'm glad I stayed! I'm really looking forward to what this channel looks like at 10 videos! also: there was another comment on this video that makes me feel like I need to mention it - this video reminded me to take a breath and that was quite nice so thank you! ✨
@@Barnso not to get to presumptuous or toxic with this but I have a few ideas haha I forget why I was unhappy with the intro but it might have been a combination of: - first video on the channel so it felt like a bit of a risk already - normal level volume for the whole video - nice but it seems like every other video (especially music videos) make me decrease the volume but I hear them for at least 5 seconds as I turn down the volume rather than sort of losing the first 5 - low light - which was great for the rest of the video and helped me focus on your voice and what you were doing but took a bit of time to get used to - basically I think it kept me in the video but made it hard to get into - some sort of word trigger to click away like "the end" - the video is mostly slicing and measuring and stuff but the beginning is more like look at this cool thing I have rather than this cool thing I made - but if this is the problem I think you're all set because just copying 5 three second shots of interesting things you do later like threading the needle through the book, slicing the corners off, sanding, etc would have definitely gotten my attention - although maybe it would be a bit jarring idk - maybe even just showing the pieces of the orange one and being like watch me take it from this to this and show the finished version for a few seconds - it looked like you didn't have any tools and were simply doing a top down flip through at a weird angle - which is kinda crazy because you have so many cool shots from different angles later - the thumbnail showed the blue book and the orange book along with a much bigger desk so I might have been like where the heck is everything? - I might have a very short attention span and have needed to see the 2 sentences of the description in the opposite order - as extra reinforcement as to what was happening anyways great video! now that I think about it... I should probably share it huh 😂
That's the beauty of making your own, you can use whatever you like for it! I think for my next one I might print a very light dot grid onto the paper :)
It varies! Ideas, to do lists, what I'm up to, how I'm feeling, random doodles etc I used to be a lot more rigid with it, but now I just use them however I feel like in the moment :)
No shame in using your mouth! In fact, I find it easier to tie thread and thread a needle by wetting it with some spit. Makes the individual threads stick together 😅 great vid
