Lavender Bookmark

Your colors & materials

Estimate includes 20% extra. Tension and thread travel can change usage.

A six-strand 8 m skein supplies 48 m of single strands. Use matching colors from your stash, or buy at least one skein per color. Screen colors are a guide.

Use the listed DMC Article 117 six-strand cotton numbers for this palette. Names and numbers were checked against the manufacturer list; screen swatches are illustrations, not calibrated thread colors. Compare real skeins before stitching. The finished bookmark has not been physically sample-stitched.

DMC Article 117 number and name list · Four selected thread colors; sewing thread is separate.

Also gather a blunt tapestry needle, a hoop and scissors. Estimated stitching time: 4.1–7.3 hours at 90–160 stitches/hour. This estimate has not been timed by a stitcher.

From first stitch to finish

1. Prepare your fabric

   Cut the suggested fabric size, secure the edges with a zigzag or overcast stitch, and place it in a hoop without stretching the weave.

2. Find the center

   Fold the fabric lightly in both directions. Align the fold intersection with the chart center at column boundary 12 and row boundary 32. Count to the first filled square; blank squares stay unstitched.

3. Start the first thread

   Separate the selected number of strands from six-strand cotton floss. Use a blunt tapestry needle. Leave a short tail on the back and secure it under the first four or five stitches; avoid a knot.

4. Follow the color order

   Work A (DMC 209), B (DMC 367), C (DMC 368), then D (DMC 729). Start each color in a block near the chart center and count outward. Keep the two slender borders aligned using the numbered ten-square lines. End and restart across blank gaps longer than five squares.

5. Keep your count

   One symbol is one full cross over one Aida square. Make lower diagonals in the same direction and top diagonals in the same direction. Check every ten-square line. End and restart thread across gaps longer than five squares.

6. Finish neatly

   Run each ending tail under four or five stitches on the back, then trim. Remove the hoop between sessions. Follow the floss maker's care instructions before washing or pressing; avoid pressing directly on the stitched front.

This design includes 1 intentional single stitches in details or stepped edges. End and restart the thread when a gap is longer than five squares.

Finish your bookmark

After stitching: trim Aida to 2.86 × 5.71 in; fold 4 squares (0.29 in) under on each edge. Finished bookmark and felt backing: 2.29 × 5.14 in. Keep 4 blank squares outside every edge of the 24 x 64 chart before the fold. These finishing sizes are separate from the larger working fabric above.

Gather the finishing supplies

• Thin, non-fraying felt for one backing panel, cut to the finished dimensions below. Choose a light neutral color so it does not show through the Aida.
• Matching sewing thread, a sharp hand-sewing needle, ruler, removable fabric marker and small clips. Keep the blunt tapestry needle for the cross stitches.
• A clean towel and an iron set for your fabric and thread, if their care instructions permit pressing.

The project bundle and Materials PDF include a full-size cut-and-fold template for your chosen fabric count. Print the template at 100% / Actual size and check its 1-inch ruler. Keep the chart at a readable size; chart squares are enlarged for stitching.

1. Secure and flatten the stitching

   Run each floss tail under four or five stitches on the back and trim it. Remove the hoop. Follow the fabric and floss care instructions; if washing, let the work dry fully. Press from the back on a clean towel, without stretching the weave. Check the count and borders before cutting.

2. Mark the fold and trim lines

   Use the full 24 x 64 chart rectangle, including its blank cells, as the measuring reference. Count four blank Aida squares beyond each edge for the visible border; this is the fold line. Count four more squares beyond each fold line for the fold allowance; this is the trim line. Mark all four sides. The trim rectangle is 40 x 80 squares and the folded front is 32 x 72 squares. Do not measure from the outermost colored stitch.

3. Trim and fold the Aida

   Cut on the outer trim lines only after checking all four allowances. Fold each long edge under by four squares, then each short edge by four squares. Tuck the corners flat without cutting toward the stitches. Clip in place and press gently if permitted. Keep all raw Aida edges inside the folded front.

4. Cut and fit the backing

   Cut one thin felt panel to the finished dimensions for your selected fabric count. Lay it over the reverse, aligned with the folded front. Trim tiny protruding felt fibers as needed. The panel should cover the raw allowances without showing beyond the front; use clips instead of pins through the design.

5. Sew the backing around all four edges

   With a sharp sewing needle and matching sewing thread, hide the starting knot between the felt and the folded allowance. Use small slip stitches about 3 mm apart, catching only the felt edge and the turned-under Aida allowance. Keep the needle out of the stitched front. Sew all four sides, take two small securing stitches in the allowance, hide the thread end between the layers and trim it. The design itself uses only full crosses; this edge sewing is a separate finishing step.

6. Check the finished bookmark

   Check that no raw Aida edge or loose tail is exposed, that the corners lie flat and that the seam holds with a gentle tug. Slip the bookmark between spare book pages to check its thickness. Store it flat. Follow both the floss and felt care instructions for cleaning the assembled bookmark.

See the chart before you print

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