One of the things I wanted to work on this year was reading. And I have. In fact, I’ve worked on it a lot. It seemed only right to make a new bookmark to mark my place. I’ve already read more books this year than I did in all of last year! It started when I got sick and didn’t have anything to do but read. It’s like I caught the reading bug.

Fabric Stitchy Bookmark

materials needed

• scraps of fabric – smallish sizes
• canvas or duck cloth (pretty much the same thing)
• sewing machine with bright colored thread

Directions

Step One:
Lay out your fabric so it’s in the order you want.

Step Two:
Cut a general bookmark shape and sew the fabric to each other one piece at a time, use the zig zag stitch liberally, and trimming the excess as you work.

Step Three:
Take the canvas and sew it to the backside of the pieced fabrics, using a straight stitch, so it completely covers it.

Step Four:
Trim into a straighter bookmark shape (rotary cutter works great for this). Sew around all the edges with a zig zag stitch to finish off the edges.

And that’s it, all finished. These are so easy to whip together too. I’m sure you will like making it just as much as you enjoy tucking yourself in with your favorite read.

On the topic of reading

What have I been reading? Well, I tend to read a lot of non-fiction, usually pertaining to whatever I’m currently interested in. Right now I’m reading a book on dog training. Before that, I read about having an The Urban Homestead: Your Guide to Self-sufficient Living in the Heart of the City (Process Self-reliance Series)and getting my finances in order with The Simple Dollar. And, of course, just about any book on herbalism I can get my hands on because I’m taking a year long course: The Herbal Medicine-Maker’s Handbook, Healing Wise, The Herbalist’s Way and a few others I can’t remember off the top of my head.

How do I find time to read? Well, have you ever read Dr. Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham? That’s pretty much my approach to reading–in a house, with a mouse, on a train, in the rain, here and there and on the roof. Seriously, I find I get the most reading done right in the morning while eating breakfast, on my lunch break, and any other odd chance I get–while cycling at the gym, while waiting for a train to go by in the car, I just make sure to have a book on hand so I’m ready to go.

Happy crafting and bookishness!
Kristin