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Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Stay Put Bookmark Tutorial

I have seen these elastic bookmarks all over, so I figured I would try to make one too.  They are really easy to make and WORK.  
(On a side note, don't you love the old book I picked up for free at a garage sale!)

First you need to gather your supplies.  You will need elastic cording, beads, small pliers, and wire

  Cut a 17” piece of Elastic Cord. I have used the thin, clear jewelry elastic and that’s really pretty, but I prefer the Thick cord because I feel less likely to break it. I picked up this set at Michaels for $3.99 (so worth it)



Use your wire to create this shape
I actually had a bunch of earring making supplies, so I just straightened out one of the earring loops.

Put your beads on it and make a loop on the other end. Now for the tricky part. You want a knot that isn’t going to come undone, my personal preference is a Uni-Knot that is used for fishing.   Florida Sportsman is the best site for fishing knots. (Don't ask me how I know) 3 steps pretty simple…



The only difference is you only need to loop it 2-3 times and pull it tight. If you pull the long end it tightens up the loop. Then do the same knot on the other end of the beads. Clip the excess elastic off the knot, and voila!

A stretchy bookmark that stays put if your kids happen to ‘accidentally’ pick up your book.



If I’m making these for my kids I put a little drop of super glue on the knot to give it a little extra strength, but I’ve never had a knot come undone yet.





Photobucket


 
 
Creations by Kara


 


NightOwlCrafting


2 comments:

Misty @Creative Itch said...

Fun bookmark!!

Rebecca said...

Hey, I just found your blog on Childmade--love it! This is a great gift idea for my avid reader sister-in-law. I did a double-take when I saw your picture--I used to live by you! :)