Hello! It’s Stephanie from Sissy Belle Sews, back again this week for another fun food-themed project. A few days ago I shared a tutorial for how to make a fun look and find book using the four blocks from the Food for Thought sew along. That theme continues in this project as I have created another fun thing for you to make related to both food and books again!
I’m sure I’m not the only person who does this, though I might be the only one willing to admit it, I love to read cookbooks. For fun. No joke. I get ideas for new cooking techniques, I make lists of potential recipes for upcoming special occasions, and I like looking at the pictures for ideas on presentation, etc. And some cookbooks have fun little personal stories from the author that tells why that recipe is special to them or describes a special memory related to that food. I have learned, however, not to read them at night because it inevitably makes me hungry right before bed…
Anyway, I always have lots of little papers sticking out of the pages of my cookbook to mark my place. They are always falling out or my boys take them out to scribble on them. So, I decided to make some bookmarks, all food-themed of course, to use so I can easily pick up where I left off or quickly find that favorite recipe. And today I’m showing you how I make them so you can make your own. Because I’m not the only one who reads cookbooks for fun, right? Right?
Bookmark Supplies Needed
- 1 package of Pressing Paper by ThermOWeb
- 1 package of Heat n Bond Craft Extra Firm fusible interfacing
- 1 package of Heat n Bond Lite (paper backed, double sided interfacing)
- Scraps of food-themed fabric that can be used for the patchwork and that can be fussy cut
- Scraps of ribbon, lace, or rickrack
- Black embroidery floss and needle
- 3.5″ square of linen for each bookmark (I used a 10″ square piece and made four bookmarks at one time). If only making one bookmark and using an embroidery hoop, cut your square larger so your hoop fits, or do your embroidery first then cut the square down to 3.5″ when done.
- Small embroidery hoop if desired
- Erasable marking pin (I use Frixion)
Bookmark Sewing Instructions
- If making multiple bookmarks at once, mark 3.5″ squares on your large piece of linen with your marking pen.
- From your scraps, fussy cut some fun shapes (you will need one for each bookmark).
- Cut a piece of Heat n Bond Lite to about the same size as your fussy cut shape (if making more than one, just cut one piece of Heat n Bond and line them up side by side. See picture below).
- Place your fussy cut shapes and piece of interfacing inside (shiny side) of one of your pressing paper sheets. I will have to tell you that I only recently discovered pressing paper, but it is lifesaving when working with sticky interfacings. I don’t have to worry about my iron getting sticky or gummy, and my ironing board cover stays clean as well!
- Fold pressing paper over to cover your fabric and iron according to package instructions. Open your paper and remove your shapes. Don’t worry if it sticks to the pressing paper. The sticky residue wipes right off, and you can reuse the pressing paper again!
- Cut out your fabric shapes as desired.
- Peel off the paper backing and fuse the onto your linen where you want them. You can stitch around the shapes on your machine if you want to, but I did not. Use your erasable pen to mark out the words you want to embroider. I chose pie, cake, eggs, and jam. Make sure to overlap your fussy cut shape with your embroidery. Stitching over the shapes will add some dimension and help secure the shapes.
- Using two strands of your embroidery thread, hand stitch your words onto the linen. This is my favorite part. I enjoy the slow stitching because I can be outside or where my kids are while I’m doing it.
- Trim your linen squares to 3.5″ each and stop to admire the pretty work you just did!
- Cut your fabric scraps into 1.5″ x 3.5″ strips. You will need four for each bookmark. If using lace, rick rack, or ribbon, cut a piece 3.5″ long.
- Sew your patchwork, ribbon, and linen square together. Trim to 3.5″ x 7.5″.
- Cut the Heat n Bond Craft Weight Extra Firm interfacing into 3″ x 7″ rectangles. Fuse one rectangle to the back of each bookmark, leaving an approximate 1/4″ seam allowance along all sides.
- Cut a 3″ piece of ribbon and fold it in half. Stitch to the top center of the bookmark close to the edge.
- From your fabric stash, cut a 3.5″ x 7.5″ piece of fabric for the back of the bookmark. Sew this rectangle to the patchwork bookmark front, right sides together. Leave a 3″ opening on one of the long sides for turning. Clip your corners after sewing and before turning.
- Turn bookmark right side out, poking out corners so they are nice and square. Press the edges of the opening so that all raw edges are neatly tucked inside, then top-stitch all the way around the bookmark. Give it another good pressing, then you’re done!
Thanks for following along with me again this week! Now, who’s hungry?
