Some people collect bookmarks. Some people buy bookmarks. And then there are people like me, who look at a perfectly good bookmark and think: “You know what this needs? Several thousand tiny crosses.”
I recently stitched up the adorable Vervaco bookmark (PN-0128595), featuring a cute little fox tucked away in a bookshelf, enjoying a good read. Honestly, relatable. Give me a pile of books, a quiet corner and absolutely no responsibilities, and I’ll happily disappear for several hours too.
Now, let’s address the fabric situation. I used 18-count black Aida. Because apparently, I have a type, and that type is black fabric.
At this point, choosing anything else would probably confuse my entire crafting ecosystem. Black is my default setting. My comfort zone. My stitching personality in fabric form.
The design looks lovely against the dark background, giving the little fox and its bookshelf a gorgeous contrast. And let’s be honest, everything looks a little more sophisticated with a black background. Even a fox having a reading session.
Once the stitching was done, it was time to transform this little piece of cross-stitch real estate into an actual bookmark.
I finished the back with black felt, keeping everything neat, sturdy and wonderfully dark. Naturally, I wasn’t going to ruin the black aesthetic now. Consistency is important, people. To finish it off, I added a hand-sewn border stitch around the edges. A little extra stitching, a little patience and a few more opportunities to poke myself with a needle. You know, the usual crafting experience. The hand-sewn border gives the bookmark a lovely finished look and ties the front and back together.
And there we have it! One finished bookmark, one ridiculously cute fox and another perfectly reasonable excuse to add more cross-stitch to my life.
Is it practical? Yes. Is it adorable? Also yes. Did I technically spend hours making something that could have been bought for a few euros? Let’s not discuss that.
