Perfect Gift: Customizable Bookmark!

As I was brainstorming for my next project for my Makers' Workshop class, I knew that I wanted to make a birthday gift for my sister. I wanted to make her something aesthetic, useful, and meaningful as well. After lots of sketching, I decided that I wanted to make her a bookmark. She has always loved reading and collecting books, so I thought a bookmark would be perfect. I knew that I could also customize it as well to make it personal to her. I added a quote on the front of the bookmark that indicates it's her birthday but also adds some humor as well. I also added a silhouette image of me and my sister to make the bookmark more personal. On the backside, I wrote her a little message so that she would always remember that this bookmark was given to her on her 21st birthday by her little sister. If you want to make this bookmark for your sister on her 21st birthday then you may not have to make any changes! However, it's quite likely that you might need to customize it. But that's no problem at all! Choose an image and a quote to make this beautiful bookmark for a family member, friend, or even for yourself. We use a laser cutter in this project but it's very simple so no need to worry if you're a beginner. Let's get started!

Tools:

1. Laser Cutter
2. Sewing Machine

Software:

1. GlowForge

Materials:

1. Leather (I used Medium Natural Leather)
2. Thread

1. Before we start designing in glow forge, you are going to want to sketch out your design on paper. Sketch out a rectangle to serve as the outline of your bookmark
2. Decide on the image that you are going to have on the frontside of your bookmark. This can be a traced image from a photo you have taken or an image from the web. I will include the image that I used in the next step if that is the one of your choosing
3. Choose a quote or saying to put on the frontside of your bookmark. I used the quote "sometimes I feel old but then I realize my sister is older". If you are having a hard time choosing, consider the person you are making it for and what feeling/emotion you want to evoke (humor, love, etc.)
4. Write a personalized message on the back and sign your name or initials

1. Make sure your laser cutter is turned on and place your leather onto the tray
2. Open GlowForge, click create a new design, then choose the option "create a blank design"
3. Make sure GlowForge is able to read what the material is, if not add it manually (I am using medium natural leather)
4. Click the "add artwork" icon (it is the one with the circle and the square image at the top bar)
5. Select the square then click on the ruler on the right hand side to "reposition and resize". Under scale, set the width to 2 inches and the height to 6 inches (make sure aspect ratio is unlocked, you can do so by clicking on the paperclip icon in between the width and height)
6. Once you have the desired rectangle, copy and paste the rectangle until you have 2 identical ones

1. Import your desired image by clicking the cloud icon on the top bar. Adjust the size so it fits properly on the frontside of your bookmark
2. Click on the "insert text" icon on the top bar and type in your desired quote. You will need to type each line of your quote out separately and align them so everything is centered. Customize your font however you desire (I alternated between "Dancing script" and "Patrick hand", my size ranged from 14-20pts)
3. Add your personal message and initials on the backside of the bookmark (I placed my message towards the bottom but feel free to put it wherever you would like)

1. We are now ready to print. Double check to make sure that the settings are at "cut" for the rectangles/outline of the bookmark and the settings are at "engrave" for the words and image (this is on the left hand side). You also want to make sure that the engravings come before the cutting
2. Once everything is set, click the "print" button on the top righthand corner
3. Carefully remove the excess leather and peel off the protective film on top of your bookmark (this may take some time near the lettering)

1. Make sure that your sewing machine is threaded accordingly (I am using a black thread)
2. Before you start sewing, make sure that the edge of your bookmark is aligned with the presser foot so that you can keep a straight sew
3. Keep going until all four sides are sewn together
4. Carefully cut off the excess thread

1. Use your bookmark for your favorite book or the book you are currently reading! (the bookmark is very durable so it works well for thicker books as well)

Conclusion:

Yay! You've completed your bookmark! The project is a great way to get introduced into the basics of laser cutting and sewing. Not only is it a beautiful art piece but it is a very useful piece as well!

Tips:

1. If the material doesn't seem to be cutting all the way through, make sure that the camera lens is properly cleaned

Customization:

1. Use an image of your choice
2. Choose your own quote for the frontside (if you are making a gift for someone else, make the quote tailored to them!)
3. Write a personal message on the back
4. Play with different types of leather and different colors of thread

Reflection:

I believe my biggest takeaway from this assignment is that all machines take practice. This was my second major project uses the laser cutter and I feel much more confident with using it. I seem to learn something new about the machine every time I use it. This was also my first time using the sewing machine. I had a friend help me thread it and show me how to use it. I practiced a few times on a piece of fabric before sewing my bookmark together. However, that practice still wasn't enough. I wasn't quite satisfied with how the stitching came out on my first two prototypes. Even though my final one wasn't perfect, I could definitely see some improvement. It's so cool to learn new machines and use multiple for one project. I would like to continue to utilize and practice these different machines so that I can make more advanced projects for myself and others!