Butterfly Bookmark Craft

When it comes to a gift for Mom, be sure it's something that she will use but won't make her feel like she needs to work (no cleaning supplies please!). How about an easy craft to make that she will find useful, but will make her want to relax. . .and read? Make this simple and cheery bookmark as a great Christmas, birthday or Mother's Day gift.

Butterfly Bookmark Craft: What You Will Need
For this easy bookmark, you will need felt in your choice of three to four colors, a piece of bright and colorful fabric (I used a colorful denim fabric scrap), felt glue, pinking shears, sewing machine, and colorful thread. An optional item would be a glitter glue pen or fabric paint pen.

Butterfly Bookmark Craft: How to Make It
Cut a strip of the fabric--any length and width. I cut a one-inch strip about eight inches long. Cut an identical piece from felt. Use your sewing machine to zig zag stitch the two pieces together around the edge. With your pinking shears, trim the edges.

Next you will cut a butterfly shape from one piece of felt. I chose felt in complementary colors to my fabric. Cut a body from another color of felt. This will go on the center of the butterfly. Finally cut a few small circles from a different color of felt or the same color you cut the butterfly body from.

Place the butterfly shape at the top of the fabric and felt strip. Place the butterfly body on top of the wing shape. Sew a straight seam along the body to attach the butterfly and body to the fabric strip.

Butterfly Bookmark Craft: Finishing Touches
You can add extras to your bookmark to personalize and dress it up. Use a glitter glue or fabric paint pen to write the recipient's name on the felt back side.

As a variation on this craft, you can make the same type of bookmark using different shapes other than the butterfly. You can cut a Christmas tree out of felt to make a Christmas bookmark, or a turtle out of green felt, a leaf or a flower. The choice is yours. Use the basic design and add your own elements to make this bookmark unique.

Other additional touches could be to add ribbon, ric rac or some other type of trim to the bookmark. Dress it up and make it beautiful. If you have kids they can help you decorate the bookmark to turn it into a personalized gift.