Hand-embroidered Bookmark With a Romantic Quote

It’s this time of the year when we start looking for an original gift for that important person in our lives. If your loved one is a reader, consider gifting a book for Valentine’s Day. But do you also want to make it personal and unique? 

If you are looking for a creative way to say “I love You” on Valentine’s Day, this hand embroidery and sewing tutorial might be the right one for you!

Create a one-of-a-kind bookmark that will remind your loved one about you whenever they read a book. 

“True love stories never have endings.” – Richard Bach.

I like this quote by Richard Bach. It’s so romantic… Why don’t we turn this inspiring quote into a long-lasting gift?

Tools and materials you will need

• A piece of sturdy fabric. I used white felt material size 25×35 cm.
• Hand embroidery floss. I used two strands of red and black embroidery floss by DMC (#321 Red and #310 Black). If you choose a dark material for your bookmark, you can change the colors of the embroidery floss.
• Hand embroidery needle.
• Hand embroidery hoop. I used a bamboo hoop with a diameter of 20 cm. It’s best if all the design fits into the hoop.
• Scissors.
• Tissue paper and a pencil for pattern transfer.
• A couple of pins.
• A ruler and a marking tool. You will need these to measure and cut a final book marker shape. I used a fading purple pen to mark the final form of the bookmark.

Photo credit: Tatjana Iljaseviciute from Practical Embroidery

Hand embroidery stitches you will use:

• Whipped Backstitch and French knots for lettering.
• Long and short stitches to fill in the shapes of the hearts.
• Blanket stitch for sewing embroidered piece with a backing.

Step-by-Step Tutorial

Step 1.

• Download and print the pattern. You can save the image below and print it on your home printer. Adjust the size to your liking.

TIP. If you want to use your handwriting for this design, write the quote on the fabric you will use for the bookmark. Use a water-soluble marker on the light-colored fabrics or a chalk pencil on dark ones.

• If you do so, you can skip the part of this tutorial where I show how to transfer embroidery patterns with tissue paper.

Photo credit: Tatjana Iljaseviciute from Practical Embroidery

Step 2.

• Transfer the pattern to the fabric. If you use felt material like I did, or your fabric is dark, use a pattern transfer with the tissue paper method. If you are unfamiliar with this pattern transfer method – watch this video tutorial.
• First, separate one layer of the tissue paper and place it over the pattern. Now, center it so all the design fits. Next, repeat all the lettering from the design and the shapes of the hearts with a pencil.

Photo credit: Tatjana Iljaseviciute from Practical Embroidery

Step 3.

• Place tissue paper with a pattern over your fabric and frame them in the hoop. Center the tissue paper, so all the design fits in the hoop. Tighten the screw of the embroidery hoop to keep the fabric and tissue paper tight.

Photo credit: Tatjana Iljaseviciute from Practical Embroidery

Step 4.

• Embroider the lettering and the outlines of the hearts with a Backstitch. Use French knots for the dots of the letter “i.” On the letters’ curves, use smaller stitches – it will make the curves smooth and nice. Use two strands of black embroidery floss (DMC #310).

Photo credit: Tatjana Iljaseviciute from Practical Embroidery

Step 5.

• Take the embroidery out of the hoop and remove the tissue paper. If you find it hard to remove small pieces of the tissue paper left, use a lint remover to gather even the most minor details of the paper. Also, whipping stitches will remove the last pieces of paper left under the stitches.

Photo credit: Tatjana Iljaseviciute from Practical Embroidery

Step 6.

• Frame your embroidery into the hoop again and whip the Backstitch. Be careful not to snag the stitches or the fabric. You can use a blunt embroidery needle (cross stitch needle). Use the back of your embroidery needle if you do not have one. I did so in the example in the picture below.

Photo credit: Tatjana Iljaseviciute from Practical Embroidery

Step 7.

• Now fill in the hearts with the long and short stitches. Use two strands of red embroidery floss (DMC #321). Be careful not to embroider over the outlines.

Photo credit: Tatjana Iljaseviciute from Practical Embroidery

Step 8.

• Remove the fabric with embroidery from the hoop. You might have to iron it at this stage. 
• Measure and mark the shape of the bookmark. I used a fading purple pen to draw a 21 x 6,5 cm rectangular shape.
• Cut out the embroidery and a backing piece of fabric into a bookmark shape, round the corners, and adjust so that both pieces match in size and are well aligned.

Photo credit: Tatjana Iljaseviciute from Practical Embroidery

Step 9. 

• Pin both pieces together. Now sew the elements of the backing and embroidered part together. Use a Blanket stitch for sewing the fabric. Make the stitches more dense on the corners, so they take the corners better. I used two strands of red embroidery floss (DMC #321) for sewing. Still, you can use pearl cotton or embroidery floss of a different color.

Photo credit: Tatjana Iljaseviciute from Practical Embroidery

Step 10.

• Add a charm or a tassel, so it would stick out of the book. 
• I made my tassel with the same red embroidery floss (DMC #321) I used for all the embroidery.
• Wind some floss around a piece of cardboard or a ruler, take it off, and tie the knot to secure one side of the winded floss. Next, wrap some floss around the folded floss near the knot you made, secure the end of the thread, and cut the other side of the folded floss.
• Adjust, so all the threads are of the same length. Now sew the tassel to the bookmark.

Photo credit: Tatjana Iljaseviciute from Practical Embroidery

Your embroidered bookmark with a quote is ready!

Pack it with your chosen book and gift it on Valentine’s Day or any other occasion. I’m sure Your sweetheart will appreciate this gift and cherish it for many years.

Photo credit: Tatjana Iljaseviciute from Practical Embroidery