Skip to Main Content

Crafts for Bibliophiles: Bendy Friend

A collection of directions/templates for making your own creative bookmarks and other book crafts at home.

 

To make one of these bookmarks, you will need to print the Wire Bending Template sheet below. You will also need around two feet of 12 gauge decorative floral wire in a color of your choosing (available at craft stores; the wire should bend easily), a pair of wire snips or strong scissors, and a pencil or pen to wrap the wire around.

 

"Bendy Friend" Bookmark

Download and print this supplemental file to complete this project:

Directions

1. First, decide whether you will make the cat shape or the dog.

2. The wire will be one continuous piece bent to shape. If you are making the cat, start inside the face; if making the dog, start on the inside of the left ear.

3. The pattern sheet should be used as a guide to keep track of the pattern and your progress - it will be difficult to try and make the wire line up exactly as shown. Use your fingers to bend the wire around in the shape of the black line. Keep the “working” end of the wire in front of the project to get the tail in the right position.

4. Larger curves can be shaped around your fingers. For smaller curves such as the ears/tail, bend the wire around a pencil or pen.

5. The red section on the pattern guide (tail plus a bit of belly) shows where the wire will clip over the front of the book’s pages (see PDF Instruction Sheet for images). Continue shaping this section of wire in front of the body.

6. If you have a little extra wire at the end, it can either be trimmed off with scissors/wire cutters OR you can continue bending it into the overall design.

 
* project contributed by Jasmine G. *