Cute and Easy Knitted Yarn Ball Bookmark: Free Pattern

Combining Knitting and Reading

April is National Public Library month in the United States. Every April, I like to celebrate by making a bookmark to use with my favorite books. This year, I combined two of my favorite activities, knitting and reading, into the design of this knitted yarn ball bookmark. This little bookmark would make a great gift for any knitter or crocheter. This design can also be used as a brooch or pin!

This yarn ball bookmark starts with a knitted i-cord but requires a few other craft supplies. There is some basic sewing involved in assembling this bookmark, but it's quite easy. I'm not much of a sewer, so if I can do it, anyone can make and put together this bookmark.

Materials

• One small ball of worsted or Aran weight yarn - you can actually use any weight of yarn you choose; you would just need to adjust the number of cast on stitches to make an i-cord that is about 1/2 of an inch wide.
• Correct double-pointed needles to knit your yarn into an i-cord. I used size 8 for my yarn.
• One piece of felt for the back of your bookmark.
• One strip of elastic, like you would use to replace a waistband in your underwear or a slip.
• Coordinating thread for your yarn and a sewing needle.
• Tapestry needle to weave in your yarn ends.
• Marking pen, ruler, and scissors.

Optional Extras

• Toothpicks, a wooden skewer, or a small double-pointed needle and two beads to make small knitting needles for the yarn ball.
• A small bit of fiber fill or a couple of cotton balls to stuff in your bookmark.
• Contrasting embroidery floss or thin yarn to add detailed stitches to your yarn ball.

Directions

Step 1

Using the properly sized dpns for your yarn, cast on four stitches and begin knitting an i-cord. You want your i-cord to be a little less than 1/2 an inch wide. As you knit, if your i-cord is too thin or too wide, you can just start again by casting on with more or fewer stitches.

Step 2

Continue knitting your i-cord until it is about 16 inches long. This length will make a yarn ball bookmark that is about 3 inches in diameter. If you want your yarn ball to be larger, you should knit your i-cord to be longer.

Once your i-cord is the proper length, bind off your stitches and weave in your yarn ends.

Step 3

Next, starting at the cast on the edge of your i-cord, use your coordinating thread and sewing needle to sew your i-cord into a spiral shape. Sew your i-cord together loosely by tacking it together at the bottom edge. Work carefully so that your spiral is even and your sewing stitches do not show.

Step 4 (Optional)

This step is optional but will add more color and definition to your yarn ball. Use some embroidery floss or thin yarn in a contrasting color to add stitches between the wraps of your i-cord. Working from the center of the spiral, sew even stitches in the well created between your i-cord wraps. Be careful not to pull your stitches too tight because you want them to be seen on the surface of your yarn ball.

I used embroidery floss and my tapestry needle for this step. I used all six strands that came in my embroidery floss and held it doubled while sewing. You can also use a thin contrasting yarn for these stitches.

Step 5

The next step is to cut your elastic for your bookmark. This bookmark design uses elastic to hold your bookmark around your book. This sewing elastic is quite flexible and should fit around many books of different sizes.

To measure the length of elastic you need, take your elastic and wrap it around the front cover of a book. Your elastic should be at rest and not stretched at all while measuring. Put your i-cord yarn ball in the center of your book cover and cut your elastic so that the two ends just touch the edge of your yarn ball.

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Step 6

The next step is to assemble the complete bookmark. Cut a circle out of your felt that is just slightly smaller than your i-cord yarn ball. Then pin your piece of elastic at the top and bottom (at the twelve and six o'clock positions on a clock) with about 3/4 of an inch of elastic sitting on top of your felt circle.

When pinning it in place, make sure your elastic forms a large loop and is not twisted. See the photo above for correct positioning. Then put your yarn ball on top of your felt circle with your elastic pinned in place.

Using your coordinating thread and a sewing needle, begin to sew around your felt circle, tacking it to the underside of your i-cord yarn ball and sandwiching your elastic in between. Make some extra stitches when sewing through your elastic to make sure it is held tight.

(Optional), before sewing completely around your circle, you can stuff in just a small bit of fiberfill or a couple of cotton balls to give a little roundness to the top of your yarn ball. Then continue to sew around your circle completely.

Optional: Knitting Needle Detail

Adding little knitting needles to your yarn ball bookmark is optional but makes a fun detail. There are a few materials you can use to make your knitting needles:

• Use toothpicks and add beads to the ends, but make sure your toothpicks are long enough to fit through your yarn ball
• Cut a wooden skewer in half and add beads
• Cut a small dpn in half and add beads
• I've also had friends who have found small knitting needles for sale on eBay

I made my needles out of a size 4 wooden dpn. I happened to have an extra needle that I cut in half. Each half was the perfect length to fit through my i-cord yarn ball. To finish my needles, I superglued a wooden bead to each end.

A small crochet hook is harder to make, but you may be able to buy one on eBay or Etsy.

To place your knitting needles in your yarn ball, slide each needle into the side of your i-cord and through your yarn ball to the other side. Do not push it between your felt backing and your yarn ball. Once you like the position of your needles in your yarn ball, put a dot of clear drying glue at each of the connecting points to hold them in place.

Other Ideas and Uses for Your Knitted Yarn Ball Bookmark

Here are a few more ideas for your knitted yarn ball bookmark:

• You can sew some buttons along the length of the elastic to add more decoration to your bookmark.
• Instead of making a circle for your backing piece, you can cut a larger felt rectangle and add additional stitching or decoration around your yarn ball.
• Omit the elastic and sew on a pin back instead to use your i-cord yarn ball as a pin or brooch.
• Make your i-cord yarn ball into a Christmas decoration!

How to Make a Knitted Yarn Ball Christmas Ornament

Step 1

Knit two i-cords, using the same yarn and following the instructions above. You may want to knit your i-cords to be 20 to 22 inches each to make a bigger ball.

Step 2

On your second i-cord, bind off on the wrong side of your work.

Step 3

Wind each of your i-cords into a spiral as described above. However, wind one going clockwise and one going counter-clockwise so that the spirals mirror each other (see photo above).

Step 4

Add the contrasting stitching in the color of your choice.

Step 5

Place your i-cord yarn balls back to back and begin stitching around the edge.

Step 6

As you get to the top of your ornament, sew in a loop of ribbon or string to use as a hanger for your ornament. I used a piece of old measuring tape on my ornament.

Step 7

(Optional) Before closing up your ornament seam, stuff your yarn ball with fiberfill or cotton balls. I stuffed mine until it was almost completely round.

Step 8

Add your little knitting needles by pushing them in place through the side seam on your ornament.

More DIY Bookmarks

• DIY Craft Project: How to Make Colorful Bookmarks Using Easy Watercolor Techniques
  Learn to make colorful bookmarks using simple watercolor techniques and materials! A fun project for artists of all ages, making bookmarks is a great way to enhance your enjoyment of reading.

© 2016 Donna Herron

Comments

Donna Herron (author) from USA on April 01, 2016:

Thanks, Heidi! I appreciate your share and support. Have a great weekend!

Heidi Thorne from Chicago Area on April 01, 2016:

What a cute little gift for friends who love needlework and reading! Sharing here on HP. Have a lovely spring weekend!