The Maker
Elijah Cross spent 8 years apprenticing under master craftsmen — first with a saddler in Montana, then with bookbinders in Florence. In 2019, he combined both disciplines to create Timber & Thread, a workshop dedicated to creating leather journals that would outlast their owners.
"I wanted to make something people would hand down to their grandchildren," Elijah says. "Not a disposable notebook — an heirloom."
The Workshop
Our studio sits on 5 acres of Douglas fir forest outside Portland, Oregon. It's small by design — just three workbenches, natural light, and the smell of leather and beeswax. Every journal is made here, by hand, from start to finish.
We produce 20–30 journals per week. When they're gone, they're gone until the next batch. No mass production. No outsourcing. No shortcuts.
The Materials
Full-Grain Italian Leather: Sourced from a fourth-generation tannery in Tuscany. Vegetable-tanned, chrome-free, develops a rich patina with age.
120gsm Cotton Paper: Acid-free, fountain-pen friendly, archival quality. No bleeding, no feathering — guaranteed for 200+ years.
Waxed Irish Linen Thread: The same thread used in museum conservation. Rot-proof, fray-proof, near-indestructible. Saddle-stitched by hand with two needles.