1. You can make a bookmark using a simple iron-on technique. You will need the following materials:
- A piece of cotton
fabric measuring 5 inches by 6½ inches. This will form the base of the
bookmark.
- Pieces of cloth of any shape and size. These will form the decorations.
- Ultra-bond or ultra-hold iron-on adhesive that
you can buy from any arts and crafts or quilting store.
- A
small iron, to be set to medium hot at the appropriate stage. Please use the iron
carefully as too much heat will cause the glue on the iron-on adhesive to melt,
making it ineffective.
- A pair of scissors.
- A ribbon.
- A pencil for drawing,
preferably 4B.
- Kitchen paper towels to protect ironing table and the iron.
2.
From the iron-on adhesive, cut out a piece measuring 2½ inches by 6½
inches.Place the "glued" side of the iron-on adhesive on the "wrong" side of the base fabric, either on the left half or the right.
Use a medium-hot iron to press on the iron-on adhesive. This will cause it to stick to the base fabric.
3. Peel off the paper from the iron-on adhesive. Fold the "wrong
side" of the cloth inwards, glueing it together.
4. Place a piece of kitchen paper towel on the folded cloth.
5. Use a medium-hot iron and press onto the kitchen paper towel. This will be the base of the bookmark.
Making the decorative items
6. Draw any decorative shape on the "paper" side of the iron-on adhesive, for example, hearts, flowers etc. The patterns should be small enough to fit onto the base of the bookmark. Use a pair of scissors to cut around the drawing, leaving a 2mm border around it.
7. Place the "glued" side of the iron-on adhesive onto the "wrong" side of the other piece(s) of fabric.
8. Use a medium-hot iron to press on the iron-on adhesive. This will cause it to stick to the fabric.
9.
10.
11. Cut out the desired shape from the cloth.
12.
13.
Peel off the paper from the iron-on adhesive. The glue from the adhesive is now transferred onto the "wrong" side of the cloth. Voila! Now you have a decorative piece to put on the base of your bookmark. You can repeat steps 6 to 13 as many times as you like, using different shapes, designs, colours and sizes.
Putting everything together
14. When you have made all your decorative pieces, design your bookmark by rearranging them on the base.
15. Once you're satisfied with your design, place a piece of kitchen paper towel on the bookmark.
16. Use a medium-hot iron to press the decorative pieces onto the base of the bookmark. This will cause the pieces to stick to the base fabric.
17. You can trim the edges using a jagged scissors or pinking shears to form a zigzag border.
18. To add a ribbon to your creation, use a scissors to make a small slit at top of your bookmark using your scissors.
19.
20.
Push one end of the ribbon through the slit and pull it through until both ends are of equal length. Tie both ends of the ribbon together to make a knot. You can also fold the ribbon into two, thread the loop through the slit, and pull the two ends of the ribbon through the loop.
21. Voila! You now have a bookmark.
1. Protect your ironing board with a kitchen paper towel. Before ironing on your bookmark, place another piece of paper towel on it to protect your iron. Should your iron be stained with glue, rub a candle on the stain to remove it. You can also use commercial iron cleaners.
2. The base of the bookmark need not be a rectangle. You can cut out any shape, for example, oval, heart, crescent, circle, etc.
3. If you want to use letters, remember to use their mirror image when drawing on the "paper" side of the iron-on adhesive.
4. You could use a permanent marker to write a message at the back of the bookmark, for example your name or the name of the person receiving your handmade gift.