We're thrilled to have Deena of @charmandglitz back with another creative DIY post. She transforms our mini cookie cutters into cozy bookmarks with some yarn, knitting, and paint. What a perfect craft for all levels of knitters, and a great gift to give as well!
*
Recently I discovered knitting! It’s just the right therapy I’ve needed while undergoing a home renovation. As a new knitter, I prefer quick and easy projects to improve my technique. Sure, a blanket would eventually be awesome... but I need the instant gratification of a project I can finish in less than a day!
So when CookieCutterKingdom asked me to dream up another use for their fun cutters, I knew I needed to incorporate my favorite new hobby. Inspired by my oldest daughter and her love for books (real books with pages, not e-books), I came up with these fun bookmarks. Knitting and reading are both nods to the art of slow living. In our busy and fast-paced lives, we can certainly all use a bit of that.
As a new knitter, I can’t exactly offer a knitting tutorial. If you think you might be interested in learning, I recommend finding a YouTuber with a style you enjoy, or a local class. I honestly learned with YouTube. If you have basic understanding of knitting, you can totally execute this project!
I cast on 8 stitches and just did a basic knit stitch until my piece measured about 7 inches. You can choose any length. I eye-balled it, using a book that I had on hand. There are some technicalities to knitting, that you don’t need for this project! You can knit it as tight or as loosely as you prefer. I used size 7 needles and bulky yarn (5).
The next step is to transform the cutter itself. I thought it would be fun to do this with yarn. Thinking of these as gifts, I ordered CookieCutterKingdom mini cutters in the shape of a heart, a key, and an anchor. I have to say, the heart shape was the easiest.
To cover it, you simply go round and round with the yarn, until it is completely wrapped. The key was a little less cooperative, due to the corners, but with some patience, I was able to get it covered. I used some rubber cement to hold the yarn in place at the start and the corners.
The anchor was a different story! Thankfully, I had some navy spray paint and used that to transform the cutter. Another fun option might be to coat the cutter in glue and glitterize it! (I know that’s not a real word, but you follow!)
Once you have transformed your cutter, simply tie it on using a piece of yarn. Again, there’s no perfect length here. If you want your bookmark to dangle from the bottom (like my anchor, for example), a shorter piece will suffice. However, if you want your marker to come out of the top and flip over the cover of your book, you will need a longer piece.
Since this is a beginner craft, there’s no need for perfectionism. Feel free to experiment with different needles and different types of yarn until you have something that you like. I would avoid super bulky yarn though, since you want the bookmark to be rather flat to fit into the book. For reference, I used bulky yarn for the heart bookmark.
With spring break on the horizon, I hope you find yourself on a beach or by a pool with a good book. When you feel your nap coming on (can’t you just see it?), mark your place with the super cute bookmark that you’ve made for yourself. And since knitting requires so much practice, go ahead and make several of these to gift to your favorite readers!
xo,
Deena
@charmandglitz