Getting ready for Junk Journal July

On Earth Day this past April, I made a junk journal in anticipation for Junk Journal July 2026—which is about to start in a few days. (It feels good to be ahead of the game this time!)

Junk Journal July 2026 prompts.

In the past, I followed the prompts from @MegJournals but I think she stepped away from hosting the JJJ Challenges a year or so ago. So for this summer’s Junk Journal Challenge, I decided to “ask the box” for various creative prompts to curate my own prompt list. 

For anyone that is new to the Junk Journal Challenge and wants to play along with me, I made the prompts practical and easily interpreted. For folks in the US, I intentionally chose the prompt, “patriotic,” for July 4—which should allow for numerous options for a journal page.

What is the Junk Journal Challenge?

Junk Journal July is a fun, creativity challenge that goes from July 1 through July 31. The junk journal encourages recycling and repurposing found materials and supplies [aka “junk”] such as junk mail, paper bags, envelopes, brochures, and other ephemera. 

My new junk journal for Junk Journal July 2026.

My junk journal is an 8” x 8” format with seven signatures (including the front and back covers) that is coptic bound. The pages/signatures are [mostly] from the recycle bin—old sales brochures, catalog pages, packaging paper, brown paper bags, envelopes from the mail… with a couple of sheets of pristine mixed media and watercolor papers.

Inside pages of my new junk journal.

Paper scraps, images, text, fabric bits, and other ephemera are then combined with a myriad of art supplies and drawing/painting utensils to interpret a daily prompt—or to just fill up a page in the journal for fun with no regard to the prompt. The Junk Journal Challenge is similar to the 100 Day Project in that it gets you in the habit of doing something creative on a regular basis.

There are No Rules!

There are no rules and there are no judges. You can use the prompts for inspiration or do your own thing. Sometimes my journal entry is one page, but it can also be a page spread (two pages). Sometimes I combine two prompts in a single entry. There are no rules, just play! You’re doing it right if you’re having fun.

Two pages from my Junk Journal January 2025.

The junk journal is also a vehicle for trying out different techniques or new art supplies with no expectations. Found something intriguing at the art supply store? Did you come across an interesting technique tutorial online? Bought a few new paints or markers on sale? This is your opportunity to give them a test drive.

A two-page spread from Junk Journal July 2025.

Prepping for a month of Junk Journaling

With the start of July in just a few short days, here are a few warm-up exercises that get me excited to start a new junk journal and into the journaling groove:

• research quotes or poems related to the prompts. This can provide a direction in which to respond to a prompt and a source for hand lettering. 

• gather paper scraps and ephemera and tuck them into envelopes or boxes for collage fodder. 

• fussy-cut images and/or words from calendars, junk mail, catalogs, etc. for collage fodder. 

• pull out your paints and brushes and paint backgrounds on the journal pages. An interesting/colorful page is more approachable than a daunting blank white page. 

• pull out those new art supplies you’ve been curious to try. 

• replenish the supply of glue sticks.

The junk journal work table.

My 7th junk journal

The junk journal for July 2026 will be my 7th junk journal. I’ve done both the Junk Journal Challenge in January and in July the past few years and they have all been fun. This Challenge helps me be accountable and devote time to my art practice.

It’s time to get messy and have some journaling fun again.

Pop-up bookmaking and Make Nine finish #5

I recently returned from a week-long studio intensive on Dimensional Books. It was a fabulous workshop with the funny and talented Beauvais Lyons, Chancellor’s Professor and Divisional Dean for Arts and Humanities at University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and hosted by Shakerag Workshops.

Remembering paste-up, mechanicals, and rubber cement

For me, the workshop was reminiscent of my early career working in design studios and commercial printing companies (all good memories) doing paste-up using an X-acto knife, Rapidograph pens, and rubber cement—although with the pop-ups, we used glue sticks. 

Professor Lyons showed workshop attendees an abundance of pop-up folds and cut-outs. It was a paper-lover’s dream!

Various pop-up examples.

The paper engineering aspect—using parallel and angled folds and cuts—was intriguing and provided myriad artistic and narrative possibilities for books, folios, and cards.

Beauvais Lyons showing a complex pop-up from a published book.

Examples, demonstrations, and inspiration galore

The workshop was jam-packed with pop-up exercises and dimensional book projects, including accordion and carousel book formats. In addition, Professor Lyons showed examples, videos, and slides of his work and work of other professional artists in the field of dimensional books. Workshop attendees did not lack for inspiration! The mess on the work table is proof of this.

Productivity and the mess on the work table.

Each day’s work was displayed in the common area for students in our class, as well as students in other studios, to see what we were learning and doing.

Daily discussions about work in progress.

There were demonstrations for many of the paper structures. This one is about the floating planes, a versatile and useful pop-up that accommodates different shapes and asymmetrical as well as symmetrical layouts.

Demonstration of the floating plane pop-up.

A carousel book example (top view).

As the week progressed, we spent more time in the studio after class time… trying to soak up as much information and accomplish as much as possible on our projects.

My table mate, Lauren, working on her carousel book.

At the end of the week, the work tables were filled with samples and projects.

Show and Tell of my projects at the end of the week.

My finished accordion book, Chill and Grill (below), is a mixed media piece with pop-ups, collage, and watercolor.

“Chill and Grill” accordion artist book (front cover).

“Chill and Grill” inside panels with pop-ups.

I also have a piece using the carousel format and a collection of pop-up folding examples and test pieces that I can use for reference.

Make Nine 2026 Bookmaking prompt

For this year’s Make Nine Challenge, I included a “Bookmaking” prompt… and I’m happy that the inclusion of this topic has been realized. This Dimensional Books workshop has opened the “book” (wink, wink) for so many paper, mixed media, and creative possibilities. I’m excited to continue the exploration.

Below is my 2026 Make Nine tracker as of mid-June…

Make Nine Tracker, June 2026.

… showing the Bookmaking prompt fulfilled.

Make Nine 2026, Bookmaking prompt.

Workshop Friends are the Best!

Here are fellow classmates, Becky and Lauren, who shared this wonderful experience with me. We’ve had several workshops together over the years and it’s always a fun time to reconnect with these multi-talented artists.

From left: Becky, Lauren, and me.
Dimensional Books workshop 2026

Repurposing is finding a better plan! Make Nine finish #4

Another UFO [unfinished object] has found a new purpose! And I’m using it to fulfill my UFO prompt for Make Nine 2026.

A repurposed UFO turned into a functional storage roll for double pointed knitting needles.

While straightening up my studio, I uncovered a partially finished placemat from a few years ago. It was going to be a store sample (showcasing a collection from Art Gallery Fabrics) but I never really loved the look of this patchwork—the pieces felt a bit too small and fussy for a placemat—and it wasn’t an enjoyable project for me to make. Because of my mitten knitting charity project, however, this UFO turned out to be perfect for something else. 

The unfinished placemat and additional fabric pieces
gathered to create a new holder for knitting needles.

Knitting mittens in the round has resulted in frequent use of double pointed knitting needles [dpns]. 

I often use double point needles [dps] for knitting mittens in the round.

The old leather pouch that kept them had reached the end of its life, cracking and shedding flakes every time I picked it up. I needed a better storage solution. 

New needle holder (left) and previous worn-out needle holder (right).

Repurposing a placemat UFO

Why not repurpose the unfinished placemat into a knitting needle holder??? One UFO would be brought to the finish line and I’d have new storage for my knitting needles. Win-win! 

Auditioning thread for the pocket stitching. 
Straight pins mark the position for the stitching.

The unfinished placemat was already quilted—which made the project so much quicker to complete! I combined it with other fabric bits that I found while organizing: an orphan quilt block with colorful Australian aboriginal fabrics [M&S Textiles USA], and a fabric sample from a past surface design workshop. Fabrics for the binding and the pocket’s lining were added to the mix.

Creating the pocket for the needle holder.

The placemat was trimmed, the pocket attached, and machine stitching created sections in the pocket for sets of dpns. The binding was attached on three sides. Because of the patchwork on the former placemat, it was easy to follow seam lines to create the pocket sections. I think this remake was meant to be!

This UFO was an easy repurposed project and now I have a reminder of two favorite fabric lines, and a workshop sample has found its way into a project. All good memories. 

A binding was attached on three sides.

Repurposing UFOs: finding a better plan

This needle roll is actually the second UFO I've repurposed this year. Earlier, I took a patchwork piece that was originally intended for a tote bag, cut it, and added additional fabrics to make a cat quilt for the animal center. In both cases, letting go of the original plan helped each project become something useful and more meaningful… as well as finished!

A new needle roll for my double point needles and two hand-knit pairs of mittens.

The placemat will never become what it was originally intended to be, but as a needle roll it will get far more use. Repurposing these unfinished projects has been a good reminder that finishing doesn't always mean following the original pattern or plan—it can mean finding an even better one. 

Make Nine 2026, 4th finish

This project is my fourth Make Nine finish—fulfilling the UFO prompt.

Make Nine 2026 “UFO” prompt.

Here is my Make Nine tracker as of the end of May.

Make Nine 2026 tracker, May 2026.

 

What cotton thread is best for mending a quilt binding? 3-ply vs 2-ply

Quilt binding lives a hard life. 

What thread weight is best for mending a quilt binding?

This quilt, Strike Zone, is a case in point. Strike Zone was finished in 2010 and is frequently used—on the couch, in the recliner, around the shoulders. It’s a large lap-size, raw-edge appliqué, flannel quilt with a cotton backing and binding, and a cotton batting. It has a nice drape, is soft, snuggly, and well-loved.

Stitches are broken and the binding has pulled away from the body of the quilt.

As with Strike Zone, the binding edge of a quilt is the part that gets tucked under, tugged, folded, wrapped around cold feet (yes, with slippers still on), and gripped during every use. Unlike interior quilt seams, the binding endures more tension and wear. So, when I was notified that Strike Zone’s binding needed a little TLC, the thread choice was especially important for mending the areas that were breaking away from the body of the quilt. 

Understanding thread weight and ply 

In my recent Intro to Free-motion Quilting class, my students and I talk about thread weight and ply. Understanding what these terms mean is valuable when choosing threads for certain quilt-making tasks. For the task of mending a quilt binding, I’m focusing on 50 wt thread. 

• Weight has to do with thread thickness. It’s calculated by determining the number of kilometers of [one ply of] a thread that is needed to equal 1 kilogram of weight. 50 kilometers, in this case of a 50 wt thread. 

In the thread weight numberingsystem, a higher number means a finer thread. In the range from 12 wt (quite thick/heavy) to 100 wt (very, very fine), 50 wt sits somewhere in the middle of the pack and is commonly used for piecing and quilting. 

Comparison of a 50 wt 2-ply cotton thread, a 50 wt 3-ply, and 40 wt 3-ply.

• Ply refers to how many strands are twisted together to create the finished thread.

Illustration of “ply.” From Harmony Yarns.

In other words: 

• 50 wt 2-ply = two fine strands twisted together 
• 50 wt 3-ply = three fine strands twisted together

Even though both are labeled “50 wt,” the 3-ply version is typically rounder, stronger, slightly thicker, and more substantial.

A 3-ply 50 wt cotton thread from WonderFil Threads. 

Lesson learned

When deciding between 50 wt 3-ply cotton thread and 50 wt 2-ply cotton thread for quilt binding, the answer was much clearer during the mend than it was at the time the binding was initially attached. The answer for mending a binding was a resounding 50 wt 3-ply! I wish I would have chosen a 3-ply thread initially over the 2-ply that was used. (It was probably a color-match reason originally for using the 2-ply.) But I’ve now learned this lesson. 

Strike Zone’s label also needed mending.

Why 3-ply is a winner for quilt bindings 

A 3-ply cotton thread has a rounder, denser, and stronger structure that tolerates use and wear much better. Its structure is less likely to pop or snap under tension. Over time, 3-ply generally survives use and care of the quilt’s binding longer. A weak or overly delicate thread can fail long before the repaired binding fabric wears out again. 

For longer-lasting bindings, and fewer repairs, stronger thread is usually the smarter choice. Especially for: 

• everyday quilts 
• children’s quilts 
• bed quilts 
• frequently washed quilts 
• donation or charity quilts 
• utility quilts 

The 3-ply thread will definitely outlast the 2-ply on this quilt.

When to consider a 2-ply thread?

Even though 3-ply is preferable for the quilts I make these days, there are situations where 2-ply might be advantageous for certain projects. 

Three cotton threads (from left): 50 wt 2-ply, 50 wt 3-ply, 40 wt 3-ply.

Vintage or Antique Quilts. Older quilts can have worn or fragile cotton fabrics that no longer tolerate firm stitching. A softer 2-ply cotton thread can be more gentle, flexible, and reduce the risk of damaging or tearing weakened vintage fabrics. 

For antique quilts and delicate vintage textiles, preserving the textile is often more important than maximum strength and durability. 

Invisible Hand Stitching. If you’re repairing a quilt with tiny hand stitches—such as a vintage or heirloom quilt—and want the stitches nearly invisible, 2-ply can blend more easily into the cotton fabrics. A 2-ply cotton thread creates flatter stitches and has less surface visibility. It’s a bit more subtle and can provide a softer hand—but to the detriment of thread strength. 

Not for garment sewing! On a side note, I will not use a 50 wt, 2-ply cotton thread when sewing garments. Another lesson learned from a real life experience. Use a thread with a poly content—either a cotton covered poly core or an all-poly thread. (It will prevent the back seam of your pants from splitting!)

Final Thoughts 

For most cotton quilt bindings and repairs, a 50 wt 3-ply cotton thread is the safer, long-term choice because quilt edges endure constant stress and abrasion.

Strike Zone, a flannel, ragged edge appliqué quilt.

The best binding repairs don’t just hold the quilt together—they preserve the character, flexibility, and life of the quilt itself.