Finish what you stitched
A felt-backed bookmark
Keep a counted border, fold the Aida edges and hand-sew a flat felt back.
From stitches to a finished piece
Lavender Bookmark · 14 count Aida
A felt-backed bookmark
Keep a counted border, fold the Aida edges and hand-sew a flat felt back.
- Whole chart
- 1.71 × 4.57 inIncludes the empty chart squares.
- Working cloth
- 7.75 × 10.75 inStart with this larger piece while stitching.
- Finishing trim
- 2.86 × 5.71 inCut this only after stitching and all fit checks.
- Finished size
- 2.29 × 5.14 inThe visible finished object.
- Backing
- 2.29 × 5.14 inDry fit before attaching.
- The 7.75 × 10.75 in working cloth contains the entire finishing trim line.
- Visible border on every side
- 4 squares / 0.29 inKeep this blank border outside the entire chart.
- Fold under on every side
- 4 squares / 0.29 inThe fold allowance is added outside the visible border.
Finishing supplies
- Completed Aida, with the working allowance still attached
- Felt cut to the finished bookmark size
- Matching sewing thread, sharp hand-sewing needle and scissors
- Ruler, removable marker and clips; an iron suitable for your fabric
These are measured-layout plans and original assembly diagrams. Fabric stretch, bulk, tape adhesion and the finished object have not been physically sample-tested. Make a paper dry fit and measure your actual supplies before cutting.
Diagrams are not full-size templates. Use the written dimensions and check any printer scale before tracing.
1. Secure the stitching
On the back, pass each thread tail under several existing stitches. Remove the hoop. If your materials allow pressing, lay the work face down on a clean towel and press gently from the back.
Check: The front keeps its raised crosses; no loose thread tail reaches an edge.
Secure the stitching · schematic, not to scale 2. Count the border and fold lines
Find the edges of the entire 24 × 64 chart, including blank squares. Count 4 blank squares beyond each edge for the fold line, then 4 more for the trim line. Finished size: 2.29 × 5.14 in.
Check: Measure opposite edges before cutting. The solid outer line and the dashed fold line are different.
Count the border and fold lines · schematic, not to scale 3. Cut the larger rectangle
After the fit checks pass, trim the Aida to 2.86 × 5.71 in. Follow a fabric thread so the cut stays square. Keep the corners intact for this simple overlapping fold.
Check: Every fold line remains inside the cut fabric with the full allowance.
Cut the larger rectangle · schematic, not to scale 4. Turn the raw edges to the back
With the back facing up, fold both long edges under by 4 squares (0.29 in). Fold the short edges next. Hold the corners flat with clips; keep folds outside the visible border.
Check: The front measures the planned finished size. Reopen uneven folds before sewing.
Turn the raw edges to the back · schematic, not to scale 5. Add the felt backing
Cut felt to 2.29 × 5.14 in. Lay it on the back to cover the raw edges. Check that it reaches all folded edges without showing beyond the front; adjust only the felt after a dry fit.
Check: Aida front faces out; folded raw edges and thread tails sit between Aida and felt.
Add the felt backing · schematic, not to scale 6. Slip stitch around all four edges
Start with a small knot hidden between the layers. Pick up a tiny bite of the Aida fold and then the felt edge, alternating around all four sides. Keep stitches about 3–4 mm apart and the thread relaxed. Bury the finishing knot and tail between layers.
Check: No sewing thread crosses the stitched design. Add a small extra stitch at any open corner.
Slip stitch around all four edges · schematic, not to scale 7. Check the bookmark in use
Inspect front, back and corners, then place it between two paper sheets. If an edge curls, ease the sewing tension and flatten the fold before resewing. Keep the finished bookmark dry and avoid pulling it by the stitches.
Check: The bookmark lies flat, the felt is secure and every raw edge is covered.
Check the bookmark in use · schematic, not to scale