How to Make a Bookmark

This article will help you make a physical bookmark. If you're looking for How to Bookmark a Website, click here.

Making a bookmark is fun and easy, and they're great personalized gifts for fellow bookworms. You can feature old tickets, a favorite photo, newsprint, gift wrap, scrapbook paper, or other recycled materials.

1. Select your materials. If you're using something thin like gift wrap or magazine clippings, you don't need a sturdy backing card. A common choice is 200gsm weight card stock. If you're using something like an old concert ticket or gift card that's already sturdy, trim it to the desired size and skip to Step 5.
   
   
2. Cut a piece of card stock. You can make the bookmark whatever size you want; 1.5 inches (38.5 mm) x 6 inches (13.2 cm) works well for a lot of projects.
   
   
3. Trim your subject. Make whatever you'll be putting on top of the card match the card's size.
   
   
4. Put the pieces together. Glue your subject to either one or both sides of the card and allow to dry. Trim any shaggy edges to a neat crisp line.
   
   
5. Laminate your bookmark. Preheat your laminator and place the bookmark inside a laminating pouch. if you don't have a laminator, skip to Step 7.
   
   
6. Trim the laminate. Once you've laminated the bookmark, trim the edges to approximately 1/8 inch (4 mm) wider than your bookmark.
   
   
7. Punch a hole for the tassel. Put this in the middle of the top of the bookmark to thread your tassel through.
   
   
8. Make a tassel. To make your tassel, get some thin ribbon in a coordinating color. You'll need about 12 to 14 inches (30.5 cm to 35.5 cm).
   
   
   • Fold the ribbon in half and tie a thick knot about 1 inch (about 3 cm) from the ends.
     
     
   • Thread 1 to 3 beads onto the ribbon. Tie another knot above the beads to secure them.
     
     
   • Do not Loop the tassel through the hole in the bookmark.Because the hole will tear if it's tight.
     
     

• If you don't like the heavy beaded tassel you can purchase a tassel from craft stores. Tie a small feather to the end of the ribbon, use plain ribbon or don't have a tassel at all.
• If you're making more than one bookmark at once, save time and money by arranging all your bookmarks inside a large laminating pouch about 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) from one another. Secure with a dab from a clear glue stick to hold them in place, and laminate them all at once.
• You can also decorate your bookmarks with paint, markers, glitter and drawings.
• You can use almost any paper item to make a bookmark. Even newsprint can look great with a red tassel.
• You can turn your children's drawings into a bookmark for their bedtime stories.
• If your beads have a particularly large hole, you may need to knot the ribbon several times to make they stay put.

• If you are working with younger children, help them cut the card stock and the laminate.
• When trimming the clear plastic laminate, make sure all the scraps go in the trash. They're hard to see, and pets and children could swallow them.
• If you're making a feathered tassel, purchase them from a craft store, not just some bird feather you found. They might have lice or other nasty things.
• Laminators can get quite hot. Be careful with your fingers.
• help them fire themselves
• Be careful when using scissors or craft knifes. Do not leave them where little hands or paws may reach.

• Paper - hard card, decorative paper, new concert tickets, photographs, etc.
• Scissors, or craft knife and mat
• Craft glue
• Thin ribbon
• Large beads
• Hole puncher
• Laminator (optional)
• Ruler (optional)