Introduction: Rainbow Bookmarks

By Leather goods workshop
About: I'm a programmer from Siberia and the leatherworking is my hobby. I think the everyone deserves really high-quality goods and I'm trying to make them)

There are a lot of books in my life. I love reading myself, but these are small things compared to my three year old son. Recently I had to buy a fifth box for storing his books)))

And, I think, all lovers of reading will support me that there are never too many bookmarks)

Today we will make at once not even just a set, but four bright, cheerful and rainbow sets of bookmarks!

I will warn you right away, it took me more than one day for these sets)

Step 1: Materials and Tools

A lot of materials are required, but we will do a lot at once). You will need:

  • 14 pieces of leather, 1-1.5 mm thick and bigger than 110X110mm
  • threads
  • Tokonole or Tragacanth gum
  • finish for leather
  • glue

  • paint

More tools will be needed, but many can be replaced with available tools) So, you will need:

  • paper template
  • ruler
  • awl
  • pen
  • sharp knife
  • marking compass (if you want to do it without template)
  • scissors
  • line puncher
  • hammer
  • round punch d = 25/30/35/40/45mm (optional)
  • round punch d = 100mm (optional)
  • press (optional)
  • 2 needles
  • slicker
  • brush
  • airbrush (optional)

Step 2: Template Cutting

Print the attached template.

It has square 50X50mm for checking size after printing.

The template contains 3 circle. I think you need not to caut all of them. One should be enought.

Attachments

Step 3: Finally Determine the Size

I tried on different diameters to get a good size bookmark and chose a 35mm punch to cut the inside out.

As soon as we have decided on this, we should note the intersection of future cutting lines with our diameter.

Step 4: Inner Sides Processing (optional, But Highly Recommended)

Processing the inner sides is very important, although not required.

Processed bookmarks glide much easier, last longer and do not stain books. The last point is the most important!

The algorithm is very simple:

  • apply Tokonole (or tragacanth) on the back of the skin, I do it with my finger))))
  • gently polish with a slicker
  • let dry (at this time you can have a cup of tea)

Step 5: Marking Outer Side of the Front Part

According to the template, using an awl, we leave marks on the outside of the front part:

  • seam marks
  • knife marks
  • punch marks (intersection of the bold cross with the outer and inner circles)

Carefully use a ruler to connect the cut marks with a knife and seam marks (as on the picture)

Step 6: Marking Inner Side of the Front Part

You can skip this point if you did not process the inner sides.

The glue adheres very poorly to the treated inner sides, so it will be necessary to prepare precisely the gluing points. For this we need the markings on the inside. It is much easier to apply with a pen.

With an awl we pierce through the marks that show the cutting line and the boundaries of our bookmarks. We connect along the ruler. And nothing complicated.

Step 7: Marking Inner Side of the Back Part

On the inside of the back, we also need to mark the places for gluing.

Use a pen to mark the boundaries of the cutting line. Then we just connect, but this time we draw a line from edge to edge of the workpiece. This is useful for gluing.

Step 8: Preparing the Gluing Area

Very carefully, so as not to cut yourself, with a sharp knife we scrape off the polished layer from the lines along which the gluing will be carried out.

Scrape off a strip about 7-10 mm wide. It is also not necessary to scrape along the entire length of the line, the main thing is to scrape inside future bookmarks.

Step 9: Gluing

Gently apply glue to the inner sides of both parts (front and back) and glue.

This is where the large markings on the back came in handy. It is conveniently combined with the markings on the front side of the front.

Step 10: Cut Out Blanks

You can cut a workpiece in many ways:

  • draw with a compass and cut with scissors or a knife
  • use cutting compasses
  • or like me, with large diameter punches

To use my method, you need punches and a press. In order to correctly place the punches, we have already marked all the necessary points, the main thing is to be careful.

Step 11: Seam Punching

I use the so-called French line punchers, but you can safely use any that you have.

The main thing when working with line punchers is to make sure that all the teeth stand on the seam line. Take care of the tool, do not hit the punchers excessively hard and put something dense, but soft under the punched area. For this purpose I use a small silicone tile 15 mm thick.

Step 12: Painting

For painting I use water-diluted acrylic paints and an airbrush. Acrylic paints will give a bright color and have a sufficient palette.

You can paint with a brush, but I don't have enough skill when working with it and it always turns out not very evenly or in stripes.

Working with an airbrush is very important with good ventilation. After each color, the airbrush should be thoroughly rinsed so as not to spoil our blanks.

Step 13: Finish Application

Since we painted with acrylic, it is worth protecting it from rashes over time.

For these purposes, almost any colorless finish for leather is perfect. It also adds shine, and protection from water and dirt, and is simply pleasant to the touch.

Some replace the finish with a spray wood varnish. I haven't tried it myself, so it's at your own risk)

Step 14: Polishing Edge

Polishing will give almost the same effect as applying the finish in the previous step. The finish is extremely difficult to evenly apply to the edges, so it will be safer to polish them with Tokonole (or tragacanth).

The algorithm is the same as in the Inner Side Processing step. Only we do not polish with a straight part of the slicker, but with a suitable recess.

At this stage, you need to polish the inner and outer circles.

Step 15: Making Many of One

We already have the markup that needs to be cut.

We arm ourselves with a sharp knife, a ruler and go!

Step 16: Painting Edge

Since the newly formed edges are not painted, this urgently needs to be corrected.

An airbrush will not help us here, but we can do it perfectly with a brush or a cotton swab.

Step 17: Polishing Edge. Yes, Again))

And polish the edges again.

What has already been polished does not need to be polished again))

Step 18: Insert the Thread Into the Needle

When sewing, we need to insert one thread into 2 needles.

Everything seems to be not complicated ...

In general, in order to not have to constantly keep the folded edge of the thread, the needle is rigidly fixed at the end of the thread.

Everything is visible in the photographs, but I will try to describe it, just in case.

  • insert the thread into the needle
  • at a distance of 5-7 cm from the edge of the thread we pierce it with a needle
  • pierce again, but now at a distance of 3-4 cm from the edge
  • pull strongly at the short end (but not so that the whole thread slips)))
  • repeat on the other side and with the second needle

Step 19: Hand Seam

There is nothing complicated in sewing with two needles at once. It is important to practice a bit and clearly follow the same sequence of actions throughout the seam.

For clarity, I took 2 threads of different colors and tied them into one, and used light skin to make it better visible.

I will describe to you my sewing sequence from left to right:

  • insert and fully stretch the thread on the front side
  • insert the second needle into the same hole on the reverse side so that the thread is already above the thread. In this case, the loop formed by the thread glides over the already stretched thread, as can be clearly seen in the photographs from the back.
  • firmly pull on both threads at once, but without excessive force
  • repeat

When you tried a little, you can start sewing our blanks.

Step 20: Sewing the Blanks

In order for the kit to be a kit, even the threads must be chosen correctly.

Personally, I see 2 solutions for such a kit:

  1. matching threads for each color
  2. the thread is contrasting for everyone the same, in my case - white

I found only thick threads of a suitable scale, but for an example it's still good.

I talked about how to stitch in the previous two steps, there are only many hours of sewing left)

Step 21: Enjoy It!

The pictures clearly show how exactly these bookmarks can be used.

In the end, I liked the ones with white stitching more and I made them 3 sets)

Now I have a cool present for a few friends who also love to read.

When the work is finished, there is time to enjoy a good book.

I hope my instructable will be useful and you enjoy making these bookmarks and reading with them)))

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