Thursday 17 September 2015

Fabric Bookmark with Stitched Flower ~ Tutorial

A fabric bookmark is a quick and easy sewing project - so much better than bending over pages to mark your place. Today's tutorial will show you how to make a fabric bookmark with frayed ends and a machine stitched flower.

Fabric Bookmark Tutorial... how to make a fabric bookmark with frayed ends and a machine stitched flower ~ Threading My Way


Materials:
  • 2 pieces of fabric 9" x 2½" (23cm x 6cm)
  • 2 pieces of lightweight fusible interfacing 7½" x 1⅞" (19cm x 3cm)
I used cotton fabric about the weight of quilting fabric, but with a looser weave. It's not linen, but looks a little like it. I think linen would be perfect for this project.


  • Follow the manufacturer's directions and fuse the interfacing to the wrong side of the fabric. 
  • Leave a gap of ⅜" at the top.
The interfacing will add a little structure to the bookmark and will also prevent the fabric from fraying further than intended.


  • Fray the bottom edge up to the interfacing. 

I needed to re-fuse the ends of the interfacing after fraying. You could always do the fraying first, then fuse the interfacing.


  • With right sides together, stitch around the two sides and the top.
  • Backstitch to start and finish.


  • Clip the top corners being careful not to cut the stitching.


  • Turn right side out.
  • Push the corners out gently. A chopstick is a handy tool to have here.


  • Press
You could stop here, especially if you've chosen patterned fabric.



  • Lightly draw a flower shape. My pencil lines ended up being covered by the stitching.
  • Change to an open toe embroidery presser foot, as it will allow you to more readily see your stitching as you create the flower.
  • Decrease stitch length. I reduced mine to 1.8. The smaller stitch length will allow you to more easily sew small curves.
  • Sew a spiral to fill in the centre of the flower.
  • Sew three times around the petals. You are aiming for a scribbly effect, so vary the path of the lines.
  • Sew twice around the centre with a contrasting colour and then twice to form the lines in each petal.
  • Sew the stem three times.
My machine has a needle up/down button and I used this a lot for the flower. If you don't have a needle up/down button, just go slowly.


  • Each time you start and stop, reduce your stitch length considerably and backstitch. The smaller stitches won't show as much as larger stitches.

Fabric Bookmark Tutorial... how to make a fabric bookmark with frayed ends and a machine stitched flower ~ Threading My Way

That's all there is to it. A super quick project you can easily make in an evening.

This cute little bookmark is another gift ready for Christmas. I think fabric bookmarks would be terrific gifts to give to teachers. Who would you give one to?

... Pam


If you think others would benefit from reading this post, feel free to share on social media.

21 comments:

  1. Love this bookmark! My book club members will be getting some for xmas. I'm not good at the machine sewing, but I'm sure I can find an embroidery design to use. The fabric and fringe make it rather sophisticated!

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  2. This is so cute! This would make great gifts for loved ones!
    Thanks for sharing, Pam.

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  3. As I was reading your post, I was thinking that fabric bookmarks would make a great Christmas gift....just like you said! Love the flower embroidery and the fringe!

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  4. Beautiful! How about the back of the bookmark - is it untidy with the back of the stitching? Ive never done embroidery on a machine, so excited to have a try! Thank you for this. Kirsty

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  5. Good tutorial and nice idea to make it. Yes, a wonderful handmade gift.

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  6. Really fun bookmark, Pam! Thanks for sharing your idea!

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  7. This is so pretty Pam! I love the machine embroidery on it - and a great idea for a stocking filler gift!

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  8. What a great, quick project for a gift or giveaways! Thanks for the idea.

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  9. I've never thought to make a fabric bookmark, although we often make card ones with the children here in our activity hour. I love the step by step instructions and the frayed end. Popping by from Creative Monday

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  10. This is such a gorgeous bookmark! I'm one of those naughty people that turn ears on my books but that's because I don't have a good bookmark!

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  11. What a cute bookmark Pam, thanks for sharing!

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  12. So pretty! No machine over here, but great inspiration none the less. Pinning it!

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  13. Great tutorial Pam, lovely bookmark :)

    Thanks for sharing at Creative Mondays

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  14. I think this would be great for Venetia to try out some machine embroidery, and I think she'd love to give them to teachers, as well as Grandparents, Great Aunts and quite possibly book loving friends too.

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  15. Hi there
    Just stopped by to let you know that I featured this on my Round Tuit post this week!
    A Round Tuit 277
    Thanks again for linking up! Hope you have a great week!
    Jill @ Creating my way to Success

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  16. That's so pretty - thanks for the tip about shortening the stitch length - I usually forget to do that, then I get very angular curves, which is, of course, not the intent, lol!

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  17. What a fast and nice gift idea Pam!
    Thanks for linking up to Ho, Ho, Ho and on We Sew too

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  18. Why do you not do the machine embroidery before putting the book mark together? Then the bobbin thread would be hidden.

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    1. If you don't want the stitching to show on both sides of the bookmark, you could just as easily do the embroidery before putting the book mark together.

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