The process behind Katad, a leather journal sleeve collection.

1. KATAD, BEHIND
THE SCENES
J A N A C R U Z | T E C H Z

2. IT ALL STARTED WITH
A JOURNAL.
At the start of each year, I buy a new
planner. This year's planner format was
different; it was simpler and had more blank
pages for me to fill. It gave me room to be
more creative.

3. THE POWER
OF INSTAGRAM
I began to follow journalling enthusiasts
on Instagram to teach me different ways
to layout my spreads and fill my blank
pages.
I also grew fond of Instagram shops that
sold journalling materials like stickers,
stamps, and journal covers. I wanted to
take beautiful photos of my journal
spreads as well.

4. ENTER, TECH PASSION
PROJECT
After learning about basic leather
crafting in Tech class, I realized that I
could make the journal sleeves I only
dreamt of ordering from international
Instagram shops.
This was the birth of my Tech passion
project.
02

5. THE
GAME PLAN
1
Buy materials from local
leather shops
2
Conceptualize three different
patterns
3
Make pattern/stencil
4
Execute
With the time constraints of the
4th quarter and my limited
knowledge in leather, I
committed to making three
covers only.

6. #1
BUY LEATHER
I found a well-reviewed leather store
named Leather World online and
paid a visit. Each square foot of my
preferred leather cost 90 pesos
while a kilogram of scraps cost 250
pesos.
I bought a total of 11 square feet of
leather and 1/4 kilo of scraps.
Leather World is located in 295 E
dela Paz St, Sto Nino, Marikina. You
can reach them at 0905 788 1501.

7. #2
DESIGN PATTERNS
Since my personal journal is A5-sized, I
decided to make A5-sized journal
sleeves.
Once again, I turned to Instagram shops
to guide me. Here are some of the
photos I used as inspiration in making
my patterns.
I wanted my sleeves to be functional
and have pockets that can fit stickers,
photos and other materials.

8. #3
MAKE PATTERNS
Making the patterns were my least favorite part of the process. I
was always worried that I wouldn't cut the folder in straight lines
and end up messing up my entire project. I couldn't understand
how the craftsmen on Youtube used only thin bond paper for
their patterns.

9. #3
MAKING PATTERNS
I told my friend Joachim about this struggle and he suggested I
take advantage of Pisay's laser cutter. I could create my pattern
on Inkscape then have it printed on the laser cutter and voila - my
own journal sleeve stencil! It was a brilliant idea that saved me
so much time and effort. It also assured me that the lines I would
trace on my leather were going to be straight.

10. #4
EXECUTE
Now, it's time for the hardest part: the
execution.
First, I chose the best spot to place my
pattern. It's normal for some parts of
the leather to be wrinkled or stained so I
made sure to choose the best, cleanest
parts.
I arranged my pattern in the most space-
saving way and traced it using a
ballpen. Pencils do not make evident
marks.

11. #4
EXECUTE
After tracing, I started to cut. I found
that using a sharp cutter and a metal
ruler works best to ensure straight,
clean cuts.
I used my scrap MDF as a cutting board.

12. #4
EXECUTE
Then, I assembled the pieces together.
(The following steps will feature my
third, dark yellow cover.)
I glued the pieces using Aleene's
Original Tacky Glue. It takes a few
minutes for this type of glue to dry. I
used clips to keep the pieces in place.

13. #4
EXECUTE
After, I punctured holes for my stitches
using a fork and a mallet. Finding a
good place to hammer was difficult
because the act of hammering is
extremely loud. I also got bruises on my
knuckles for the times I'd miss the fork
and hit my hand instead. Next time, I'll
wear gloves to protect my hands.

14. #4
EXECUTE
For stitching, I used the saddle stitch to
line the pockets and combine all the
pieces together. Stitching through
leather is a challenge because of the
thickness and hardness of the material.
It takes more force compared to sewing
on cloth. It is important to get the
tension right on both sides to produce
appealing stitches.

15. FINAL
PRODUCTS
Making these journal sleeves was
more challenging than I imagined. I
now have a newfound appreciation
for leather crafting and leather
products.
This definitely isn't the end of my
leather crafting and I'm looking
forward to making more products in
the future :)