One of my last-minute ideas for Christmas gift-giving was to whip up a crochet bookmark and add it to the Persian cook book I’d bought for mom. It was one of those ideas that sounded great in my head. It would be quick, it would add a personal touch to the gift, and I would write up the pattern and post it here as an easy project to do during the holidays.  Then I ran out of time and the good-idea bookmark was just one more thing adding to the Christmas crazy. When I finally got it finished, I slapped it in the stupid book, wrapped it up, and stuffed it in the gift bag. Two days later I realized I had forgotten to take a picture of the finished book mark. Sigh.

So this post had to wait until a) the gift was opened, b) I got the pictures taken, and c) I got back home and could sit down to write it all up.

Merry Christmas Happy New Year and have an easy pattern to dress up all your books over the holidays whenever you have the time to get around to it.

For the Bookworm in Your life – A Wrap-Around Bookmark

Yarn I used: Crystal Palace Mini Mochi (a fingering weight yarn)

Hook I used: Size C (2.25 mm)

Abbreviations:

• ch: chain
• hdc: half double crochet (that would be half treble crochet in the UK)
• hdc2tog : half double crochet the next two stitches together. You do this by

– yarn over

– insert hook into next stitch, yarn over, and draw through

– insert hook into second stitch, yarn over, and draw through (now have four loops on hook)

– yarn over and draw through all four loops.

Set up:  ch 3, hdc in 3^rd ch from hook

Row 1: ch 2, put 3 hdc in the hdc from previous row (3 sts)

Row 2:  ch 2, hdc, put 3 hdc in the next hdc, hdc (5 sts)

Row 3: ch 2, 2 hdc, put 3 hdc in the next hdc, 2 hdc (7 sts)

Row 4: ch 2, 3 hdc, put 3 hdc in the next hdc, 3 hdc (9 sts)

Row 5: ch 2, 4 hdc, put 3 hdc in the next hdc, 4 hdc (11 sts)

(The button hole is made in the next row.)

Row 6: ch 2, 5 hdc, ch 3 & skip next hdc, 5 hdc (10 hdc & 3 ch spaces for a total of 13 sts)

Row 7: ch 2, hdc, hdc2tog, 3 hdc, put 3 hdc in the center ch space, 3hdc, hdc2tog, hdc (13 sts)

Row 8: ch 2, hdc, hdc2tog, 3 hdc, put 3 hdc in the next hdc, 3hdc, hdc2tog, hdc (13 sts)

 Repeat Row 8 until your book mark is the length you want.

Cast off and weave in ends. Sew on a button (or two or three), add a tassel, and you’re done!

If you are looking for a way to take this pattern with you, check out the handy “Print & PDF” button down there on the left. And check out our other free patterns. You might find something else you like.