How do you do a bookmark?

[Nicola Main]

This may seem an odd question for some of you more experienced stitchers but how do you stitch and finish a bookmark? I've been cross stitching 'properly' now for coming up for four years and have only ever done normal framed stitches or greetings cards. I've been admiring all the lovely bookmarks on the Spring Exchange thread and would just like to know your tips for them. Obviously you stitch your design but do you cover the back? Do you back them with card? How do you attach a tassel if it comes with it? Thanks in advance, Nicola xxx

[Mabel Figworthy]

I put something about bookmarks somewhere, if only I could find the post! I'll see if I can find it, but until then much of the info is also on my blog here. Hope that helps!

[Nicola Main]

Very useful thank you very much Mabel!

[Nicola Main]

Bumping this up xxx

[wendywombat]

Well you can buy this Aida band

https://www.sewandso.co.uk/category/fab ... e?TRE00017" target="_blank

it comes in several widths and is already edged with a pretty scalloped edging. You can chose a coloured or an edging in the same colour as the fabric. You can then fringe the cut ends or stitch them with a simple back stitch. You can back them with iron-on interfacing or felt. I like to use felt and I machine the 2 parts together after doing a running stitch in one of the pattern colours around it inside the scalloped edge.

[mags]

There is nothing wrong with just stitching on a piece of aida and fraying the edges and not backing it at all. I have made several like that. If you use evenweave I guess you would have to zigzag machine stitch it to stop it fraying further than you want.

My latest bookmark stitched for the Spring bookmark exchange was just two pieces of aida (bigger than finished size) - running stitched together, then cut to size and frayed.
It is a bit fiddly to do.
Also if one piece is heavily stitched and the other not, then the tension of each piece will be slightly different - steam pressing helps a bit.
When cutting and fraying, it is better to cut and fray each side separately (yes, fiddly )

[DisneyStitcher]

I posted this link in another thread where someone was asking about what a reverse stitch was. This might be what you were looking for.
http://eac.ca/eng/images/youthdocs/ReversibleCross.pdf" target="_blank" target="_blank

[HalbertMusik]

Hello-

I ditto the stitch & fray technique. Using a pre-edged piece if Aida is OK, but I seldom have one.

I have attatched other pieces of fabric on the back, but I find this makes the finished product a bit too thick to actually be used as a

bookmark.

William David

[ROSEMARYHARRADINE]

I have made bookmarks on perforated paper then backed them with wide ribbon. You can stitch a border to attach the ribbon and have the ribbon extended by two or three inches below the design.

[Christina]

Great!!

[Podolyanka]

My method is for the lazy. A piece of plastic canvas (14count, white, American make), some sticky felt for backing, stitchng in three strands. Not to forget to "bathe" (holding the piece in my hand I "wave" it in the water with washing liquid) and dry the stitching before sticking the felt to its back.

[Serinde]

I have done all of these on one project or another, and can vouch that they all produce lovely bookmarks at the end.

[cherryblossomz]

Interesting reading this topic. Have you tried looking on YouTube Nicola? I looked up how to back a project in a frame & found several useful videos - it was good seeing others actually doing it rather than reading diagrams in a book

Not heard of reversible cross stitch but I have done 'reverse' cross stitch where instead of going //// and then \\\\ chart said to do \\\\ first and then ////. It was done for animal fur & I had to do it quite slowly so as not to revert to my usual way.

Look forward to seeing the bookmark

[Allyn]

This is an old thread resurrected, but still very relevant.

I have done 2-sided bookmarks so the back looked like a mirror of the front and it wasn't easily distinguishable which was the 'front'. I use a single strand of the floss and do each leg of the stitch twice so you're doing 2-over but with one thread at a time. Finish each stitch before moving to the next, be very careful with carries so they don't show on the front or the back, and end each color under itself. By using a single strand, it's easier to hide tails and carries.