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Making a Hand Made Journal with the Cricut Maker 4

 

DIY Embossed Leather-Bound Journal with Cricut Maker 4 

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.


If you’ve ever wondered what sets the Cricut Maker series above the rest and what that extra upfront investment really can get you then this is the project for you. Perfect for craft fairs or just as a nice, personalized gift, this is something everyone will love. 

This project uses the Cricut Maker 4’s debossing tip, knife blade, and sewing/folding techniques to create a fully custom handmade journal. It looks expensive. It feels expensive. But it’s surprisingly easy.

Let’s make something beautiful.

What You’ll Need

Tools

Materials

Finished Size Recommendation

A5 journals look the most storybook perfect,
so aim for:

Cover: 9” x 12.5”
Pages (once folded): 5.8” x 8.3”

But you can scale however you want.

STEP 1: Design Your Embossed Cover in Design Space

This is the fun part, designing the magic.

Ideas for embossing:

  • A Celtic knot

  • A botanical border

  • Stars + crescent moon

  •  Monogramed initials

Tips for embossing designs:

  • Keep lines thick and clear

  • Avoid tiny details

  • Center the art 

In Design Space:

  1. Import or create your design

  2. Select your artwork → Operation → Deboss

  3. Size it to fit on the front cover area

  4. Add a rectangle the size of your entire leather piece for placement

STEP 2: Deboss the Leather

Choose:

Place the leather pretty side up on the StrongGrip Mat, smooth with a brayer, tape edges if necessary.

Load your Maker 4 → press go.

You’ll see the design slowly press itself into the leather — it always looks faint at first, but once the journal is folded and burnished, it deepens beautifully.

STEP 3: Cut the Leather Cover

Now switch to the Knife Blade.

In your project, change your big rectangle shape to Cut → Knife Blade Material.

The Maker 4 will cut the full journal cover shape for you, including:

  • Straight edges

  • Rounded corners (if you want them)

  • A small slot for your closure strap (optional)

This is where the Maker 4 feels like cheating, it does the precision work for you.

STEP 4: Prepare the Paper Signatures

A journal is made of signatures, which are folded stacks of paper.

Here’s an easy setup:

  • Cut 20–40 sheets of paper to 8.5" x 11"

  • Fold each sheet in half

  • Group 4–5 folded sheets into one signature

  • Make 4–6 signatures total, depending on thickness

If you want Cricut to help:
Use the Scoring Wheel to score cardstock perfectly.

STEP 5: Punch Stitch Holes in Paper

You can do this two ways:

Option A — Manually with an awl

Punch 3 to 5 holes along the fold of each signature, starting from the inside and pushing outward.

Option B — Use Cricut Perforation Blade

Place your signatures under a perforation template cut by your Cricut, then follow the marks with an awl.

The goal: all holes line up for stitching.

STEP 6: Attach the Cover

Hidden Spine Insert (Most Professional + Cricut-Friendly)

This is the method most commercial refillable leather journals use.

How it works:

  • You create a separate spine piece from chipboard, kraft board, or thin vegetable-tanned leather.

  • You punch or Cricut-cut the holes/slits into that spine piece, not the outer leather.

  • You glue or sew the insert into the inside of the leather cover, so it’s invisible.

  • The signatures attach to the hidden spine only.

How to do it:

  1. Cut a strip of chipboard or thick kraft board (height = journal height; width = 1–2 inches).

  2. Use Cricut to cut your stitch holes or slits in a straight line.

  3. Glue the spine insert into the inside center of the leather using contact cement or fabric glue.

  4. Stitch your signatures to the spine insert using pamphlet or long-stitch style.

Zero holes in the leather. 100% secure binding.



STEP 7: Add the Closure Strap

This step is optional, but does tie the journal together nicely. 

Options:

  • Tie-on ribbon

  • Thin leather strap

  • Elastic cord

  • Brass button + loop

  • Magnetic snap

Glue, sew, or rivet it to the back cover.

STEP 8: Flatten, Shape & Finish

  • Burnish the debossed area with a spoon or bone folder. 



  • Add a light leather conditioner (optional)

  • Press the journal under books for a few hours for a clean finish

And just like that you’ve made a handcrafted, leather-bound journal that feels like something bought in a high-end boutique. 

If you liked this project, be sure to check out our Frosted Christmas Ornament project. Just in time for the holidays!

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