Cross-Stitch

Charts, patterns and everything needlepoint

An Easy Way to Stitch a Bookmark

by

2018 stitched bookmark

In a recent post I mentioned my love for stitched bookmarks and that I had made one recently that I kept meaning to share but hadn’t yet, so it seem like high time to do so.

I made this little 2018 bookmark toward the end of last year, using variegated thread and a scrap of cross-stitch fabric.

It measures about 2 inches wide and 5 inches long. I drew out the chart myself, making simple blocky numbers, then added a simple border.

I then used my favorite technique for turning a bit of cross stitch into a bookmark: I cut a piece of card stock to fit the back then secured the edges with washi tape.

This covers the back, hides the mess, keeps the edges from unraveling and gives it a nice finished look with stuff you probably already have in the house.

[Photo: Sarah White.]

Looking for more Bookmark charts and cross-stitch patterns? Check these out on Etsy

Next Pattern:

Have you read?

Cross Stitch Cards for All Occasions

I have never stitched a greeting card, but I kind of like the idea of it. It’s a card and a gift all in one, and hopefully one the recipient will hang onto for years to come. 

This collection of easy and colorful greeting card cross stitch patterns from Susan Bates (via Gathered) are a great place to start if you want to stitch your own greeting cards. 

These text-based designs cover a lot of card-sending events, such as:

  • get well soon
  • happy birthday
  • thank you
  • thinking of you
  • congratulations
  • anniversary
  • new home
  • good luck

The lettering is done in gradients and there are other details like hearts and stars, a house key and a gift, depending on the text. There are full cross stitches and back stitch on all of the cards, and they use 15 colors for the cross stitching and six for the back stitching (and just two colors are used for both, so it’s 19 colors total). 

The designs vary a bit in size but the biggest one is 52 by 67 stitches, which comes out to 3.75 by 4.75 inches or 9.5 by 12 cm when worked on 14 count fabric or 28 count evenweave. The text suggests beads are also used in the patterns but there’s no note of them in the key, so go wild and add some beads if you like. 

Designs are worked on a price of 6 by 8 inch/15 by 20 cm fabric and then mounted to a card with a colorful baking piece of card stock behind it. This is easy to assemble with whatever cardstock greeting cards you have on hand.

You can get the free charts as a PDF from Gathered. 

Have you ever stitched your own greeting cards? I’d love to hear about it, or let me know if these inspire you to try. 

[Photo: Susan Bates via Gathered]