BERNINA Corporate Blog -Today we’re embroidering corner bookmarks: No more dog-eared pages or lost bookmarks – meet the “Page Monsters”! These monster-shaped bookmarks slide onto the desired book page and mark your place. While reading, you can clip them to the book’s spine – no more searching for bookmarks later. Best of all: your embroidery machine will do most of the work! These bookmarks are an ITH (in-the-hoop) project and are completed entirely within the embroidery hoop.
Monstrously Cute Everyday Helpers: Embroidering Corner Bookmarks
I’m Stephi from the label Frollein Tausendschön. On instagram.com/frollein_tausendschoen, everything revolves around sewing, embroidery, and crafting. Today I’m bringing you a practical little helper for everyday life: the corner bookmark. This little monster-themed bookmark delights both kids and adults and is super quick to make from fabric scraps. Today, we’re letting the embroidery machine handle the bulk of the work. I absolutely love ITH files – you get a fully finished product straight from the machine. It always feels a bit like magic to me! You’ll find the free ITH embroidery file for download at the very end of this post.
“Page Monsters” Guaranteed to Make You Smile
Perhaps the trickiest part of embroidering these bookmarks is choosing the colors and materials – because the sewing and embroidery itself is all done by your machine. Cutting out the shapes inside the hoop requires a bit of finesse but is easily done with embroidery or appliqué scissors.
You can embroider the corner bookmarks using non-fraying materials like felt, vinyl, cork, or faux leather. I chose glitter vinyl today, which gives the monsters an extra sparkle. I’m embroidering the “Page Monsters” on my BERNINA 770 QE PLUS and using the Embroidery Foot #26L. On my combo machine, I use the Embroidery Module L (SDT) with the small hoop.
Materials
- Non-fraying materials like vinyl, cork, felt, or faux leather – 15 cm x 30 cm (I use glitter vinyl soft from Snaply)
- White embroidery felt (for teeth and front back piece): 15 x 10 cm
- Embroidery thread in desired colors (e.g., PolySheen by Mettler)
- Tear-away stabilizer
- Wonder Tape
- Optional: Anti-Glue embroidery needle
ITH Corner Bookmarks – Instructions
General info before embroidering
Depending on the material, using a layer of water-soluble stabilizer on top might be helpful. Test how your machine handles your chosen fabric. In some steps, we’ll use Wonder Tape (double-sided sewing tape). Be careful, as this can gum up your needle. An anti-glue embroidery needle can really help here – it prevents residue buildup that could block the thread path and cause skipped stitches.
Embroider “Page Monsters” Corner Bookmarks – Preparations
Download the embroidery pattern file to your computer and unzip it. This will reveal the different file formats, allowing you to select the one that is compatible with your machine. Next, load the file onto your machine and prepare the desired thread colors. Especially when embroidering, I find the Multiple-spool Holder extremely useful. Additionally, I embroider most files with the BERNINA Hook Bobbin Cases.
Another tip: To ensure both sides of the corner bookmarks look nice after stitching, you should load the bobbin with the thread color that you’ll be using for the border stitching.
Prepare the Embroidery Hoop
Tighten the embroidery hoop with stabilizer, then place the material for the teeth on top of the stabilizer – I’m using white embroidery felt here. Your material should not be hooped as this would make cutting between the different embroidery sequences much harder. If desired, you can also fix the material onto the stabilizer with some Wondertape or spray adhesive.
Embroider Corner Bookmarks: Teeth
Now, stitch through the first two sequences. This will embroider the border and fill of the teeth for the “Page Monsters.”
Next, remove the embroidery from the hoop and mark a line about 1 cm above the teeth.
Then, cut the teeth along this line and around the points. This is best done with appliqué scissors.
Embroider Corner Bookmarks: Front Part
Now, tighten the embroidery hoop again with stabilizer.
Stitch the next sequence, the positioning line for the front part. Then, place your outer fabric on this line and fix it to the stabilizer with some Wondertape, if necessary.
Next, stitch the filling for the ears and the outline for the row of teeth. While stitching the ears, hold the material in place until the first stitches are secure.
Now, remove the hoop from the machine, but keep the material in place! Carefully cut below the positioning line for the row of teeth, just trimming the outer fabric without cutting into the stabilizer.
Next, take the row of teeth and a strip of Wondertape.
For further embroidery of the bookmarks, apply the Wondertape to the free strip of felt above the embroidered row of teeth. Remove the backing paper and secure the teeth to the back of the stabilizer. Important: both backs should be facing you (i.e., the stabilizer and the back of the row of teeth). The long straight edge of the teeth should align with the positioning line, with the unstitched overhang pointing upward.
Next, reinsert the hoop into the machine and stitch the following sequences: the zigzag border (which will later be hidden) and the eyes of the “Page Monsters.”
Remove the hoop from the machine again, keeping the material still hooped! Position some Wondertape on the back of the stabilizer.
Next, secure a layer of thin embroidery felt onto the tape. The felt should cover the existing embroidery.
Then, reinsert the hoop into the machine and stitch the final sequence for the front part.
Embroider Corner Bookmarks: Completing the Front
The front part is almost finished when embroidering the corner bookmarks! Remove the hoop from the machine and take the embroidery out of the hoop. Trim the embroidery around the edges with an applique scissor. Try to get as close to the embroidery as possible without cutting into it.
Attention: Be careful not to accidentally cut the tooth row when trimming the back…
Embroider Corner Bookmarks: Back Part
Final step! When embroidering our corner bookmarks, only the back part is left to stitch, after which all parts will be connected.
Hoop your frame again tightly with stabilizer and attach some strips of Wondertape along the edges of the front and back. Stick your material to both the front and back of the stabilizer, making sure the right sides are facing each other.
Then, insert the hoop back into the machine and embroider the outline of the back piece. This will connect the outer fabric layers together.
Next, remove the hoop from the machine, but keep the material still in the hoop!
Now, you’ll need some patience and a delicate touch: trim the material on the front and back of the stabilizer just before the seam, so that only the back piece remains on the front and back. Be careful not to cut into the stabilizer.
Embroider Corner Bookmarks: Completing the “Page Monsters”
Finally, connect the front and back parts of the corner bookmarks.
Attach some Wondertape to the upper angled edges of the front side of the back part.
Place the embroidered front piece on the Wondertape. Make sure to align the contours precisely – without the tape, this can be quite difficult.
Now, the hoop can be placed back into the machine one last time. Embroider the final sequence, which is the outline that will connect everything together. Afterward, remove the material from the hoop, take off the stabilizer, and carefully trim any excess.
YAY! You’ve finished embroidering your corner bookmark, and I can promise you: the cute “page monsters” love to come in packs. Especially since they also make a great handmade gift idea.
Free Embroidery Pattern Download
Now, I’ll leave you the embroidery file for the ITH corner bookmarks (please remember to first “unzip” the .zip file to see the individual file formats):
Page Monsters ITH Embroidery File Corner Bookmark
Thank u 4 this email, I love the projects and information on the bobbins.
cute –looks like it will be fun to make
Thank you 🫶🏻