Free UK delivery. I ship worldwide, except to the EU.

Country

  • +44 (0)7748 759371
  • Log in
  • Cart (0)
  • Checkout
  • Home
  • About 
    • The Maker
    • Natural Materials
    • Delivery & Returns
    • Info & Care
    • Size Guide
  • Shop 
    • Ready to Ship
    • Bookbinding for Beginners
    • Artist's Sketchbooks
    • Wedding Guest Books
    • Memory Books
    • Leather Journals
    • Sustainable Stationery
    • Mini Journals
    • Bestsellers
  • Bespoke
  • Reviews
  • Delivery
  • Learn
  • News
  • Press
  • Contact
  • Country

  • Home
  • About 
    • The Maker
    • Natural Materials
    • Delivery & Returns
    • Info & Care
    • Size Guide
  • Shop 
    • Ready to Ship
    • Bookbinding for Beginners
    • Artist's Sketchbooks
    • Wedding Guest Books
    • Memory Books
    • Leather Journals
    • Sustainable Stationery
    • Mini Journals
    • Bestsellers
  • Bespoke
  • Reviews
  • Delivery
  • Learn
  • News
  • Press
  • Contact
  • Country

News

Handmade Cotton Rag Sketchbooks: lay-flat, folded & Japanese

April 28, 2020

Cotton Rag Sketchbook for pencil and watercolour, Bound by Hand

Artists Sketchbooks handmade with 100% cotton rag paper

I love cotton rag paper - also known as khadi paper. Have you tried it yet? It's so tactile, a real pleasure to handle and so pleasing to look at. It seems to invite us to create work on its pages - somehow, it has a presence that says 'welcome, let's play'. No blank page terror, here! 

Dry and wet media

Also, it makes artwork look amazing! Colours remain vibrant and true, whether you're using ink, watercolour, or gouache, oil or acrylic wet media. Because the paper is internally and surface sized, there's no stretching, buckling or warping when you apply wet media, even multiple layers.

The natural tooth and texture of handmade cotton rag paper also showcases dry media brilliantly - artists love using charcoal, in particular. I've used Graphitint pencils with water (shown in the image up top), and am so impressed with the results. Collage and embroidery stitching are even possible, too. Imagine creating a stitch journal! 

Unique, ethical and eco-friendly

And there's the fact that no two pages are alike. That's because cotton rag paper is handmade in a mould, which gives it attractive deckle edges and natural variation in texture from sheet to sheet.

And the icing on the cake, for me, is that it's environmentally sustainable - it's made from recycled textile manufacturing waste (t-shirt offcuts) that would otherwise end up in landfill. But that's not all - it's also fairtrade so you know the people who made it are fairly treated and given a decent wage. Win, win, win!

I'm a bookbinder and although I make a variety of sketchbook styles with various different papers, cotton rag remains my favourite. Scroll down for inspiration from artists, advice and my tips for what NOT to do with cotton rag paper. 

How Artists use Cotton Rag Sketchbooks

From watercolour to ink and pencil, collage to stitching, cotton rag paper is great for every artist's medium. I use mine for gouache, ink, pencil, embroidering stitching and collage. My artist customers also use their cotton rag sketchbooks for acrylic and oil, calligraphy, collage and mixed media.

  • Textile artist Samantha Boot uses ink, charcoal and mixed media in her Wabi Sabi Sketchbook (see image below).
  • Botanical artist Anne McKenzie uses her Wabi Sabi Sketchbook as a colour mixing journal.
  • Lara D is exploring eco-friendly oil and acrylic mediums in her cotton rag sketchbook.

Customised Cotton Rag Wabi Sabi Sketchbook with pockets, image copyright textile artist © Samantha Boot, 2024

Textile artist Samantha Boot used her Wabi Sabi Cotton Rag Sketchbook with ink and used the optional pockets for storing WIPs, inspiration and found objects like feathers. This image is by kind permission and copyright © Samantha Boot, 2024.

Different types of Cotton Rag Sketchbook

Cotton Rag paper is strong yet flexible, partly because it doesn't have a grain direction, so it can be folded any which way you like. If you're looking to make your own sketchbooks, I really encourage you to try using handmade paper for anything and everything! If you're into making your own books, you might like my Bookbinding for Beginners digital downloads - they tell you what you need and where to find supplies. 

And if you'd like to buy a cotton rag sketchbook, I've got lots of options for you. Read on for those, plus some thoughts about possible drawbacks to cotton rag paper, and a word of warning!

Japanese 'Stab Stitch' Cotton Rag Sketchbooks

Cotton Rag Stab Stitch Sketchbooks with Japanese Dictionary of Colour Combinations

A4 large cotton rag Japanese Sketchbooks stitched in the traditional 'Hemp Leaf' pattern.

2 Japanese Stab Stitch Sketchbooks bound in cottonr ag paper, A6 size, in Turquoise and Light Blue linen thread, the 4-hole and Noble patterns

A6 small Japanese Stab Stitch books in the Noble and Simple (4-hole) styles. Order your Japanese cotton rag books here in a choice of 4 styles and 4 sizes

Lay-flat exposed spine Cotton Rag Sketchbooks

Bookbinder ties linen ribbon of Wabi Sabi Sketchbook; the exposed spine binding style faces the camera

 Sustainable materials, handmade style: exposed spine, lay-flat Wabi Sabi Cotton Rag Sketchbook in 'Chunky' size.

Cotton Rag Sketchbook with linen ribbon, medium shown on open page of large.

Wabi Sabi Cotton Rag Sketchbooks are held closed with an unbleached woven linen ribbon. Like cotton rag paper, linen is an eco-friendly material.

If you'd like to archive your Cotton Rag Sketchbook once it's full, you can now add a cover when you buy your book. Covers are available for both the original linen ribbon Wabi Sabi style and the newer, luxurious Velvet ribbon versions at A6 small and A5 medium size.

Velvet Ribbon Cotton Rag Art Sketchbook with cover
Forest Green Velvet Ribbon Cotton Rag Sketchbook, A5 medium with cover.

 

New: Cotton Rag Sketchbook Gift Sets

I've removed the guess work - you can now buy your favourite artist (hello, is that you?) gift sets of my bestselling cotton rag sketchbooks. They save you 10% compared to buying the books individually.

Cotton Rag Sketchbook Starter Gift Set: small Wabi Sabi and A6 Japanese Stab Stitch book
Starter Cotton Rag Sketchbook Set with a small Wabi Sabi & Japanese book. 

Complete Cotton Rag Sketchbook Set: 3 handmade art journals including Concertina, Japanese and Wabi Sabi

The Complete Cotton Rag Sketchbook Set with 3 art journals: a Japanese, Concertina and Wabi Sabi, each in a different size but all bound with handmade cotton rag paper. 

Concertina books: cartridge pages & cotton rag covers

Concertina books - also known as Accordion or Leporello folded books - are stitched at their centre page, each 'arm' extends outwards, but folds in and tucks into the covers for travel or storage. Their heavyweight cartridge pages are suitable for all dry mediums, ink and light watercolour. The cotton rag covers can be decorated or left plain for a minimal feel.

Open pages of concertina sketchbook with centre page stitched in olive linen thread

A6 Concertina Sketchbook, Olive.

Concertina Sketchbooks are available in A6 and A5 size stitched in Olive linen thread as standard, but you can now choose from over 30 colours by selecting the 'Bespoke' option. That's what Belinda did when she ordered two Concertina books to display her wedding photographs:

Concertina / Accordion Artists' Sketchbook with cotton rag covers and orange and yellow stitching an

Belinda chose Orange and Yellow for her Concertina photo album books.

Are there drawbacks to using handmade cotton rag paper?

Nibs

I think the only shortcoming is that fine-nibbed fountain pens struggle with the fibres and tend to pick them up, but medium and wide-nibbed pens are fine. I actually do use my calligraphy nibs and am happy with the results. 

Resist methods

I prefer not to use masking tape with cotton rag paper, although I've seen other artists use it and be perfectly happy with the results. I definitely wouldn't recommend using masking fluid! Wax is an ideal way to achieve resist on cotton rag paper, however.

Have you tried cotton rag paper yet?

What's your favourite medium for creating artwork on cotton rag paper? Have you tried anything unusual? Leave a comment below, I'd love to learn more about your practice! I'm almost always thinking of new ways I can put the cotton rag paper to use, so please join my newsletter community to be the first to know when exciting new options are released.

I hope this blog post has inspired you to try making or using a handmade cotton rag sketchbook, whether you prefer wet or dry media, collage, photos, embroidery, mixed media - or all of the above!

Scroll down for an overview of my cotton rag sketchbooks, or browse and buy from the full handmade Artists Sketchbook collection; you'll find vegan cork, leather and paperback options.

Susan Green

contact form | info@boundbyhand.co.uk | +44 (0)7748 759371

Buy Cotton Rag Sketchbooks



Tweet Share Pin It Email

Leave a comment

Comments will be approved before showing up.


Also in News

Gothic Art Journal inspired by Victorian Mourning Stationery
Gothic Sketchbook inspired by Victorian Mourning Stationery

May 21, 2025 2 Comments

This Cotton Rag Sketchbook was inspired by mourning stationery I saw at a Victorian Gothic event at the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum in Bournemouth...

Continue Reading

Mini Journal handmade in leather: orange and yellow miniature notebook
10 x Mini Journal Prompts for Mindfulness and Creativity

April 24, 2025

Discover 10 Ways to Use a Mini Journal in your daily life. Practice mindfulness and engage with your creativity with these ideas from artists, poets, writers, business coaches and psychologists.

Continue Reading

Meet the Maker: Bookbinder Susan Green
Meet the maker: 10 things you (probably) didn't know about me.

March 03, 2025 4 Comments

Do you ever wonder who the person behind the scenes *really* is? If you'd like to know more about the person that makes your books, read on for a more candid introduction.

Continue Reading

Information
  • Delivery & Returns
  • Bespoke T&Cs
  • Size Guide
  • Info & Care
  • Customer Reviews
  • Contact
  • Search
  • Privacy Policy
Join my newsletter community

Lifetime 10% off Ready to Ship & priority access to new releases.

About

Bound by Hand is the home of finely crafted books handmade in the UK by artisan bookbinder Susan Green. My books are made for everyone, everywhere and have been featured in Country Homes & Interiors, Country Living, ELLE and the Sunday Telegraph, amongst others. Working from my Dorset studio, I ship worldwide with express delivery options. Click here to contact me.


Country

© 2025 BOUND. All rights reserved. Ecommerce Software by Shopify

American Express Apple Pay Diners Club Discover Google Pay Klarna Maestro Mastercard PayPal Shop Pay Union Pay Visa