Beautiful Fabric Bookmarks ~ A Tutorial

A warm welcome to you, dear friends and happy Monday...

How would you like to join me for a lovely sewing session on this crisp August afternoon?

Let us sort through our favourite fabric scraps and look through our lovely lace and ribbon offcuts in preparation for today's delightful tutorial...  Oh, and don't forget the buttons, for buttons are a must in any crafty project, wouldn't you agree...?

Today I am sharing a new favourite make of mine...beautiful fabric bookmarks!  

I saw a sweet idea for sewn bookmarks whilst perusing Pinterest the other day and decided to make my own, adding a few personal touches, of course...{{Smiles}}

 

I do hope you'll be inspired to make a couple for yourself or someone special...
I must say, I am quite addicted to sewing these lovelies!  

  ~

Let us begin by selecting our desired fabric...perhaps you'd like to make a matching set of bookmarks in which case you could coordinate the fabrics...
Or simply make a couple different ones to put away for gifts...they're bound to come in handy sometime...{{smiles}}

 

Once you've chosen your fabric, decide which lace you would like to use...I found that broader lace created quite a charming effect...  

Now select a matching ribbon...something intricate and pretty is always a good idea!  {{smiles}}

You could choose a button at this stage too or leave it for later on...don't lose it in amongst all your bits and pieces...

Now you can bring out your oh-so-handy self-healing cutting mat, ruler and rotary cutter.  

These three tools I could not live without, my friends...   

However, if you are like my dear mom who prefers being old fashioned by using scissors, you can make a simple template for easy, accurate cutting.  {{Smiles}}

Cut two pieces of fabric measuring 2.75" x 7.5".  

Try to include the prettiest part of the design on the material. 

{I always use 100% cotton fabric...I love the quality and of course the designs are stunning...}

Now cut a piece of thin batting the same size as your fabric.

Lay these pieces aside and trim your lace and ribbon to slightly bigger than the width of the fabric.  Cut another piece of ribbon...preferably a narrower satin ribbon, to 3".

 

With your ruler and a pen, mark where you will stitch your lace and ribbon on the piece of fabric that is going to be the front of your bookmark.  

I like my ribbon to overlap the lace but this is optional.  

Play around with how low down you would like your lace and ribbon before pinning in place.... 

Now fold your narrow top ribbon in half and pin to the top centre of the bookmark.

Stitch ribbon with matching coloured cotton on your sewing machine.  

The nice thing about overlapping the lace with the ribbon is that you only have to sew two rows of stitches as pictured.  

Baste the narrow ribbon in place so it doesn't move when sewing the bookmark up.

Put bookmark pieces together, right sides facing.  

Place the batting at the bottom as shown - you want to sew on the actual fabric not on the batting as it moves whilst on the machine.  

Sew around the whole bookmark leaving a 1" opening at the bottom to turn it right way around.  

I used a 1/4" seam allowance....

 

Now trim the excess batting as close to the seam as possible, being careful to not snip the stitching in doing so.  

This stops the batting from bunching when the bookmark is turned the right way around.

Turn the bookmark right way around using e a knitting needle or a blunt pair of scissors to open the corners....

Press with an iron, being careful that it is not too hot otherwise the batting shrinks and causes the fabric to pucker slightly.  

Now, using mattress stitch, neatly hand sew the opening closed.

Topstitch all the way around the bookmark.  

I used a very small seam allowance and first pinned all the way around the bookmark to prevent the fabric from moving about when being sewn.   Use a contrasting or matching cotton.

Secure the button to just below the top ribbon or lower down if you prefer.

And...you are finished!  

What a lovely gift for someone who loves to read and appreciates beautiful, handmade items...  {{smiles}}

~

I have been adding a couple bookmarks to my Etsy shoppe lately...oh, what fun they are to make!

And...now for some happy news....there will be free shipping on selected Heart❤made items for this week only!

Visit Heart❤made on Etsy HERE.

 

 

 ~

Happy sewing, sweet readers!

"Think of all the beauty still left in the world and be happy..."

~ Anne Frank

~

Today I am sharing this sewing project with...

The Art of Homemaking Mondays

A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

Raising Homemakers

Modest Mom Blog