At the start of 2026, I decided I wanted to do something a little different with my crafting. For the past three years, I’ve kept a knitting journal, but this year, I wanted to expand that idea to include all my crafts. Not as a strict challenge. Not as a list of deadlines.
Just a gentle way to keep track of what I’m making and enjoy seeing my progress unfold over the year.
That simple idea led me to create a special journal cover for my crafting book.
The cover is sewn so my journal simply slots inside it, much like the book covers I’ve shared in my free online book/tablet cover. I love practical sewing projects like this... useful, personal, and creative all at once.
A Cover That Tells a Story
Instead of leaving the cover plain, I decided to decorate the front with small samples of the crafts I work on... a kind of stitched snapshot of my creative life. Each little piece has its own story.
A touch of applique
In the top right corner, you’ll find a few applique flowers and leaves. These were leftover pieces from my Snowrose block from February - too pretty to waste, and perfect for adding a soft, familiar detail.
Quilting
The entire cover is quilted over a layer of batting, but there’s also a tiny landscape. Look closely, and you’ll see it’s been quilted with free-motion stitching, adding texture and depth in a small space.
The quilting is much easier to see from the inside. I’ve stitched around each element, and to avoid disturbing the painted design on the back, I chose simple, flowing curved lines for the quilting. I have also added some extra quilting to the landscape.
Some knitting
My miniature knitted piece was made especially for the cover. Using lace-weight yarn and starting with just one stitch, I increased along the edges and decreased down the center to form a tiny triangular shawl. I'll use those yarn ends to sew it to the cover along the two straight edges. It’s a small sample that represents many hours of knitting joy.
A bit of crochet
The mini granny squares might look familiar - they’re leftovers from last year’s temperature blanket. I’ve added them to the top left corner and lower right, bringing a pop of color and a connection to a past project.
Cross Stitch
This year’s temperature project is cross stitch. I began on 18-ct Aida cloth in black, but quickly realized it was a bit too hard on my eyes! I switched to 14-ct instead, but not before stitching this small sample, which definitely needed to be added to my cover.
Embroidery - hand and machine
Embroidery is a craft I’ve always loved, but I have had little time to explore hand embroidery.... something I plan to change this year. I'm developing a stitch book, learning new stitches and variations of stitches along the way. On the cover, I’ve included a few stitched details as part of my growing stitch exploration.
This month, I learned about buttonhole stitch and whipped stitch so I've used these for the letters in "Crafts".
.... while the branch below is worked in stem stitch with lazy daisy leaves, and the stars are simple straight stitch.
For the numbers in "2026", I embroidered free-hand with the sewing machine.
Areas of Painting
If you are a regular reader of my blog, you’ll recognize some of the painted fabric samples I’ve been experimenting with. I tested Inktense paints recently (you can read about that here) and decided to use my test samples to create the background of this journal cover. I’ve also incorporated painted elements into the appliqué and quilted landscape.
... and it even extends on the back of the cover.
Spinning Threads
Spinning is something I do almost every day. It’s relaxing, rhythmic, and easy to pick up while watching TV or videos. It took me a while to know exactly where to incorporate some of my spinning, and then the idea of couching it around the edge came to mind. These strands will not only be a means of securing the pages closed but also carry the memory of quiet, creative moments.
What I love most is that this cover has become more than just something practical. It’s a piece of my creative story - a piece of my craft history. A visual reminder of what I’ve made, what I’m learning, and what I love.
I think I'll add a button to make the tie more secure and I have a pen clip somewhere that I'll dig out and add too.... I know that every time I pick this up, it will remind me of why I love making things in the first place. Crafting isn’t just about finishing projects - it’s about enjoying the process along the way.
