Quick Gift for Readers- And Your Time Starts... NOW!

So a plague has swept through my house...

Not a vomit, rash, or pestilence sort of plague,

but rather a worst-cold-this-side-of-hell kind of plague,

infecting basically everyone in my husband's side of the family.

I won't bore you/gross you out with the details,

but needless to say, I haven't done much creating in the past weeks...

This was first venture back,

and I started off easy peasy...

I love to give the gift of books.

Usually not for any special occasion,

but just a "hey, I like to read, you like to read" kind of gift.

and I've started accompanying them with these cute magnet bookmarks.

They're easy

They're a "happy hour" craft, meaning I can start and finish in less than an hour/a nap time

They're cute

Best of all... they're made entirely of things that I have on hand and can't really use for anything else.

Let me start by saying that no one has more scraps than this gal.

Okay, probably someone does, but I have a lot.

I don't really make new year's resolutions, but I do have a goal for the foreseeable future to try my very best to use up some of my stash and buy as little as possible.

This is also a great reuse for those business card magnets you get from the pizza place, realtors, or in this case... your mom. :)

This card is from my mom's old job, circa 1995.

I randomly found it wedged in a book as a bookmark... how fortuitous!

Can we just take a moment, and look at her job title...

yes, "blind consultant."

No, my mom's not blind, but she loves her some window treatments!

Anywho... here's what you need:

Some fabric scraps

a magnet or two (any kind will work but make sure they're strong enough to hold through some fabric and at least one sheet of paper

thread, sewing gear, and the like

Step One: Cut all your pieces

You need 2 pieces of magnet (about 1" x 1.5-2")

2 pieces of fabric cut 2" x 14" each

Step Two:

Place your fabric pieces right sides facing.

You can pin if you wish.

I did not. Lazy sewer.

Step Three:

Sew these pieces together with a 1/2" seam allowance,

leaving a couple inches of an opening to turn it right side out and to insert your magnets.

 

 

Step Four:

Clip your corners so it will turn out nicely.

 

Step Five:

Turn right side out.

It helps to use a knitting needle or scissors to get up in the corners.

 

 

Step Six:

Iron flat.

Step Seven:

Insert your magnets, keeping in mind that they will need to stick together when you fold this in half, so double check to make sure you have the right sides facing before you close up.

 

Note: It also helps if you cut a curve in your magnet corners.

That way, it won't catch and pull your fabric.

 

Feed the magnets all the way to ends.

Step Eight:

Sew along the edges of the magnets to keep them in place,

and sew along the edge of the entire bookmark.

 

Step Nine:

Iron in half, making a decent crease.

Step Ten:

I sewed slightly along the crease so it would stay in place.

That way, you also have a little tab that sticks out when it's in the book.

 

Fini!

You could go crazy with embellishments like initials, buttons, whatever.

I think I like the simplicity of these for now.

Obviously, this is nothing spectacular, but it's nice to have something handmade to go with a gift, right?

Right.

Speaking of which, anyone out there in the universe have a good book suggestion?

I'm in need.

I hope you and your family are not infected by the various illnesses that seem to be running rampant.

If you do. Make something.

You'll feel better.