Make your own beautiful beaded bookmarks rather than waste money on a generic bookmark at the bookstore. Making beautiful bookmarks will enhance the enjoyment you get from reading.
Reading is a sensory activity that gives great pleasure to those who read. Bibliophiles enjoy the smell, texture, and appearance of a good book nearly as much as they take pleasure in the story. The sensory enjoyment of a good book can equal that of fine glass of wine, a luscious cheesecake, or the endorphin rush of a great race.
Reading can be relatively inexpensive and doesn’t require tremendous effort on the part of the reader. As a result, books are neglected or mistreated, resulting in busted spines, dog-eared pages, and water stains. Regrettably, bookmarks, even plain ones can be remarkably expensive. However, a beautiful bookmark adds to the reader’s enjoyment by adding to his sensory pleasure as well as reminding him that reading is a worthwhile pastime, that the ability to read is a gift, and that the freedom to choose what he reads is a privilege.
Supplies
- Ribbon
- Coordinating seed beads or E Beads
- Coordinating larger accent beads
- Coordinating focal bead
- Thread
- Needle
- Scissors
Instructions
- Take a look at your bookshelves and pick a book that represents the average size of the books that you read. Measure the book and add an inch and a half to the measurement.
- Cut ribbon to the length you figured out.
- Thread your needle. Use a doubled length of thread. Knot the end.
- Fold a raw edge of the ribbon over twice so that the raw edge is encased.
- Hide the knot inside the fold. Make a small stitch along both edges of the ribbon to tack it in place. End with the thread on the topside of the bookmark along one edge of the ribbon.
- Begin making your bead fringe. String beads until you have enough beads for a long loop. Run the thread down through the top of the bookmark to the back. Bring it up again and make another loop. Repeat until you have a fringe that runs the width of the bookmark. Note: It is helpful to count the beads in the first loop and use the same number of beads in subsequent loops. This insures that the fringe remains even.
- Knot off your thread.
- If desired, make a second shorter fringe just above the first fringe.
- When making strands for accent beads and the focal bead always fix your thread in the back similar to how you did for the fringe and then push the needle up to the topside of the ribbon so that your strand will emerge from the top of the fringe.
- If you intend to use accent beads, you will make them along the outside edges of the bookmark. To make the accent strand, start on the topside of the bookmark and thread a few smaller beads and the accent bead or beads on your needle. When you’ve arranged the strand. Thread a seed bead last then run the needle back through the preceding beads to make the dangle. Repeat on the other edge of the ribbon. Note: Finish by knotting your threads on the back of the bookmark hem and cut.
- String the focal point at the middle of the bookmark. The large focal bead is strung the same way that the accent beads are threaded. Note: Finish by knotting your threads on the back of the bookmark hem and cut.
- For the top edge for the bookmark fold a raw edge of the ribbon over twice so that the raw edge is encased. Tack it down like you did for the bottom edge. Make a single shorter bead fringe for the top edge of the bookmark.
Ideas and Suggestions
- Grosgrain ribbon is easiest to work with when making these bookmarks.
Melissa Howard - I am a stay-at-home Mom. My college education was in English and History and my last job was as a Technical Writer. Now that I ...
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