Most cross stitch fans love creating something special for family and friends. Often, they stitch a card to commemorate a special occasion or holiday. These cards are beautiful and are greatly admired by their recipients. But after a time, the cards are stored away and forgotten. A better idea might be to give a specially designed bookmark as a present.

Bookmarks just make sense. Your friend will sit down to relax with a book, and your bookmark will help make that time even more enjoyable. Each time this person reads a book, he or she will once again get to admire the special gift you made. A cross stitch bookmark is a gift that’s both practical and pretty.

There are a few principles to bear in mind if you are considering making bookmark presents.

Pick a bookmark design that means something to your friend. You want to personalize this present by making it depict something this person loves. For instance, does she love flowers? Is he a golf fan? Decide on a pattern that captures the interests of the recipient. Of course, since your cross stitch bookmark will be small, the pattern must reflect this. So pick one interest the recipient has and use that as the pattern.

Children may be encouraged to read by being given their very own bookmark, with a favourite cute character stitched onto it to make it personal for them.

If you’re looking for a quick, easy way to create a bookmark, you may want to buy a kit. Select a kit that has a pattern your friend will like. If you haven’t created a cross stitch bookmark before, a kit will show you what’s involved. The kit will contain everything you need, including all of the various flosses, the required cross stitch material, and directions. After you complete this bookmark, you should save the directions so you can follow them when you stitch your next bookmark.

As a general rule, a bookmark is tall and narrow. It should slip easily between the pages of a book. Don’t use floss that is thick or fuzzy, since this could make it difficult to close the book. When you’re determining the exact dimensions for your bookmark, give some thought to the reading choices of your friend. If your friend reads hardcovers, create a longer bookmark than if he or she prefers paperbacks. Generally, you’ll want the finished bookmark to be no longer than nine inches but no shorter than six inches (15 to 22cm). Regarding the width, many stitchers prefer to keep the bookmark around two and a half inches (6.5cm).

When you start making bookmarks without a kit, you’ll want to cut the bookmark out of the cross stitch material, and then bind the edges with ribbon or other decorative fabric. Another pretty way to finish the edges is to create fringe. You fray the edges just enough to create a nice fringe, then use glue or spray to prevent additional fraying. You don’t want the fraying to extend beyond the point where you stopped the fringe.

Many bookmark designs exists, so finding one should be easy. Look in cross stitch books and magazines for a small pattern that will look nice on a bookmark. Of course, you can draw your own pattern. Keep it small enough that it doesn’t run right up to the edges. Use graph paper to draw your pattern. Each square on the paper should indicate a single stitch on your bookmark.

To make the back as attractive as the front, carefully glue ribbon or fabric to hide the stitching. As you stitch, you want to avoid thick knots or other bumps.

You can add extra appeal to your bookmark by doing things such as making the bottom edge a triangle. A tassel, perhaps even with a few beads, dangling off this triangle-shaped end will be very attractive.

After you’ve completed your bookmark, you’ll want to iron it. Place a towel both over and under the bookmark, and then carefully press. Make certain the heat isn’t too high since you don’t want to hurt your project.

Once you have experimented with making one bookmark, you will be surprised how easy the next ones will be — and how quickly you will complete these projects.

More importantly, think how delighted your friends will be when they receive a beautiful cross stitch bookmark. Unlike a stitched card, which may end up forgotten in a drawer, a personalized bookmark is sure to be treasured for years.

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