How to sew an elastic bookmark (10-minute gift)

An elastic bookmark is a small fabric pocket with an elastic loop that stretches around the cover of a book, so it never falls out and holds a pen and sticky tabs. To make one, sew two stiffened fabric pieces right sides together with the elastic loop caught in the seam, turn, and topstitch. The Elastic Bookmark pattern in the Sewzy app is a beginner project that takes about 10 minutes per bookmark, which makes it a good stocking stuffer.

TL;DR

• What it is: a pocket-style fabric bookmark with an elastic band that wraps the book.
• Pattern: Elastic Bookmark, in the Sewzy app. Beginner, about 10 minutes, ¼ in seam allowance included.
• Two sizes: Paperback (3½ x 5 in) and Hardcover (4 x 6 in).
• Needs: a fabric scrap, stiff fusible interfacing or a sew-in card, and ¾ in fold-over or knit elastic.
• Best trick: cut several at once, since each one is quick and the elastic loop is the only fiddly part.

Sew the Elastic Bookmark from this guide, step by step, in the Sewzy app

Pick your size, print it from your phone, and follow every step with a sewing coach beside you.

Why make elastic bookmarks for Christmas?

They are small, they use scraps, and almost everyone knows a reader. One fat scrap of quilting cotton goes a long way, so a whole batch for a book club or a gift swap costs very little. The pattern even suggests cutting six at once for gifts and book-club favors. If you are building a pile of small gifts, the stocking stuffers to sew list and the last-minute gifts to sew list have more ideas that finish in a single sitting, and the Christmas sewing patterns page collects the holiday projects.

What do you need?

These are the materials listed for the Elastic Bookmark pattern in the Sewzy app:

• Outer fabric: quilting cotton scraps, linen, cork or faux leather.
• Stiffener: stiff fusible interfacing (Peltex or Decovil style) or a sew-in card, so the pocket keeps its shape. The interfacing guide explains the difference between fusible and sew-in.
• Elastic: ¾ in fold-over or knit elastic, joined into a loop.
• Thread in a color that blends with the fabric.

What size should you make?

The pattern comes in two sizes so the band fits the book. Pick by the book you are giving.

For a custom book, the pattern gives a simple rule for the elastic: (cover height x 2) + spine + 1 in, minus 2 in so the loop stretches snugly. The size key in the app lists the elastic length for each standard size, so use that if your book is a standard one.

How do you make an elastic bookmark, step by step?

1. Cut. Cut 2 pocket pieces in outer fabric and 1 piece of stiff interfacing (or a cardboard-weight sew-in card). Cut a front pocket piece, which is the lower half of the shape, with ½ in extra above the dashed line for its hem. Cut the interfacing to the dashed stitching line.
2. Make the elastic loop. Cut the elastic to the length in the size key. Overlap the ends by ½ in and zigzag them together to form a loop.
3. Hem the front pocket. Turn the straight top edge ¼ in twice and topstitch. Lay it right side up on the right side of one pocket piece with the bottom edges matching, then baste around the sides and bottom about ⅛ in from the edge.
4. Prepare the back. Fuse or baste the interfacing to the other pocket piece.
5. Add the elastic. Lay one strand of the elastic loop on the right side of the pocketed piece, along the dashed elastic line. The rest of the loop hangs outside the top and bottom raw edges, so fold it out of the way. Only that single strand should be caught. Baste it across the top and bottom raw edges at the notches.
6. Sew and turn. Place the two pocket pieces right sides together with the elastic sandwiched inside. Stitch all the way around at ¼ in, leaving a 2 in gap on one side. Clip the corners, turn right side out, and poke the corners out gently.
7. Press and finish. Press the bookmark flat, close the gap, and topstitch ⅛ in around the edge. Backstitch over the elastic for strength.
8. Use it. Stretch the loop around the closed book with the pocket on the front cover. Tuck a pen and tabs into the pocket, and slide the pocket to your page when you stop reading.

How do you get a neat finish?

• Press the elastic ends flat before basting so they do not roll.
• Clip the corners close to the stitching, without cutting through it, so they turn out sharp.
• Use a small bit of clear vinyl for the front pocket if you want to see what is inside.
• For a pen holder, the pattern suggests a tiny tab with a snap at the side.
• Our seam allowance guide helps when you are matching edges on small pieces.

What are the common mistakes?

• Catching the whole loop. Only one strand of elastic goes into the seam. If the whole loop is caught, the elastic cannot stretch around the book.
• Skipping the stiffener. A pocket without interfacing or card flops. The stiff layer is what makes it feel like a real bookmark.
• Using elastic that is too tight. The loop should hug the book snugly. Too tight and it bends the cover. Cut it to the size key, not shorter.
• Forgetting the turning gap. Leave the 2 in opening on a straight side, not at a corner, or the finish will be lumpy.
• Not backstitching over the elastic. That spot takes the most pull every time the book is opened.

Which other small gifts pair well with it?

Pair the bookmark with a book and a tea bag, or sew a few for the readers in your family. For other quick gifts, see gifts to sew for women, or use up odd pieces with the scrap fabric projects list. The Elastic Bookmark pattern is a Premium pattern in the Sewzy app, with both sizes and a printable single-page template.