🧵 Common Stitch Types for Art Journals and the Best Fabrics to Use

If you’ve ever wanted to bring more texture, story, and soul into your art journal, fabric and hand stitching can be a beautiful way to do it. Whether you’re creating a fabric journal from scratch or adding stitched elements to your mixed media pages, understanding a few basic stitch types and fabric choices can open up a whole new world of creative expression.

✨ Why Add Stitching to Your Art Journal?

Stitching adds dimension, texture, and a deeply personal touch to any journal page. It slows you down (in the best way), encourages mindful making, and allows you to literally "draw with thread." Each stitch becomes a mark of time, thought, and story.

🧵 Common Hand Stitch Types for Art Journals

You don’t need to know hundreds of techniques — just a few versatile stitches can get you started and go a long way.

1. Running Stitch

A simple up-and-down stitch that creates a dashed line. It’s great for outlines, borders, and attaching fabric to paper.

2. Backstitch

Stronger than the running stitch and perfect for writing with thread, outlining shapes, or stitching on heavier fabric.

3. Straight Stitch

One of the most versatile stitches — can be scattered for texture, grouped in patterns, or used as filler.

4. French Knots

Beautiful little dots that add texture and dimension. Ideal for creating tiny florals, decorative details, or visual accents.

5. Blanket Stitch

A classic edge stitch that works wonderfully to secure fabric around the edges of a journal page or patch.

6. Chain Stitch

Looks like a little chain and is perfect for borders, vines, or whimsical lines.

🧵 Best Fabrics to Use in Art Journals

Choosing the right fabric makes a big difference when you’re combining textiles and paper.

🌿 Muslin or Calico

Affordable, easy to stitch through, and perfect for dyeing or painting. A great base fabric for journaling.

🌾 Linen

Has a beautiful texture and natural look. Slightly more open weave, so great for hand stitching.

👕 Upcycled Cotton

Old shirts, pillowcases, or baby clothes — cotton is soft, easy to sew, and adds a personal touch to your journal.

🧣 Silk or Organza

For transparent, ethereal layers. Use with care — they can be delicate, but they add stunning effects.

🧼 Tea-Stained or Dyed Fabrics

Pre-treat your fabrics with natural dyes, inks, or tea for a vintage, earthy feel that adds instant depth to your pages.

🧵 Tips for Stitching in Art Journals

Use embroidery thread or perle cotton for bold stitches and visible lines.
Pre-punch holes if stitching directly on paper to avoid tears.
Layer fabric over watercolor or collage for mixed media magic.
Work on loose pages before binding if you're planning a thick stitched design.

✂️ Stitch Your Story

Every stitch tells a story — of memory, mood, or meaning. As you play with thread and fabric in your journal, remember: there are no rules. Whether you're slow stitching as meditation or using it to hold scraps and secrets together, your fabric journal becomes a living, tactile archive of your creative journey.

What stitch will you try first?