Some of the most meaningful crafts are the ones we use quietly and often, and handmade bookmarks are a beautiful example. Tucked between pages, they don’t shout for attention, yet they’re always there, marking pauses, memories, and moments of rest. Felt craft bookmarks bring a soft, tactile charm to reading, blending simplicity with a sense of care that feels especially meaningful in our fast-paced lifestyles.
Working with felt is an invitation to slow down. Its gentle texture and forgiving nature make it ideal for playful shapes, stitched details, and subtle embellishments. Whether you’re cutting simple leaves, stitching tiny flowers, or layering colours for a bold graphic look, each felt bookmark becomes a small companion to your stories. They’re practical but also deeply personal, carrying the marks of your hands and imagination.
Step-By-Step: Felt Bookmark
What You’ll Need:
- A colourful selection of felt
- Sewing or embroidery threads
- Needles and pins
- A piece of paper and a pencil
- Fabric scissors
- Card (optional, for sturdiness)
- Beads and/or buttons (optional)
Bookmarks come in all shapes and sizes, each one quietly marking the moments we pause and return to our stories. Begin by choosing a shape that feels right for you, your book, or the person you’re making it for:
- Rectangle – simple and timeless
- Corner bookmark – slipping neatly over the page
- Animal shapes – cats, owls, bears, dinosaurs
- Nature shapes – leaves, flowers, stars, moons
- Character or themed shapes – hearts, ghosts, or beloved book-inspired designs
1. Plan your design
Take a moment to imagine the bookmark you want to create. Sketch it lightly on paper, thinking about shapes, patterns or words. Consider what you want your colour palette to be, whether soft and calming or bright and joyful
2. Cut out your shapes
Use your sketch as a gentle guide and cut out each piece. Pin the shapes onto your felt and cut around them. Layering the felt can give your bookmark a little extra strength. For a sturdier touch, tuck a piece of card between the felt layers.
3. Add your embellishments
Before assembling, add small details such as decorative stitches, beads, or appliqué. These are best added at this stage so no stitches show through to the back. Keep embellishments fairly flat so the bookmark sits comfortably inside a book.
4. Bring it all together
Once you have finished adding your details it’s time to sew all the separate pieces together, bringing your design to life layer by layer.
5. Finished
Your bookmark is ready, a small treasure to keep for yourself or to share as a thoughtful gift with someone you love.