I quilted this bookmark as a gift for an unknown recipient in Japan! I used scraps (some as small as ¾” square!) of my precious Fossil Fern Fabric (by Bernatex) to piece the rose stem. It was totally improvised on a piece of fusible fabric stabilizer 2.5″ X 9″. When I discovered it could not be done in a single piece, I made a diagonal cut below the upper leaf, and pieced the lower leaf separately. The bud was an afterthought!
I have made a paper piecing template for the bookmark which can be downloaded here Bookmark -Rose Stem Paper piecing Templates. Remember to print the templates in the landscape mode of your printer! The instructions can also be downloaded separately as a .pdf file, as I have not been able to work out how to put the instructions and templates in a single file Bookmark -Rose Stem -Instructions L It is presumed that you know how to do foundation paper piecing! There are several great tutorials available online too!
( I used QuiltAssistant free software by www.timcosman.nl for making the pattern! I absolutely love it!)
Foundation Paper Piecing Template – Rose – Bookmark (2.5″x 8″)
INSTRUCTIONS
Fabric Requirement
- Scraps of light coloured fabric for background (Coded 1)
- Green for leaves – I used three shades of green (Coded 6, 4 and 3 – dark to light)
- Scraps in any colour of your choice for the flower and bud – I used 5 shades (Coded 9,2,7,8,5 – dark to light).
- 2″ wide strip fabric for binding – 25″ long
- 3″ X 9″ piece of fabric for back
- 3″ X 9″ piece of heavy batting. You could use a double layer instead, if you do not have heavy batting.
Piecing and Binding
- Print Paper piecing templates file. Remember to print this in landscape mode! There are 4 templates, A,B, C and D.
- Reduce machine stitch length to 1 or 1.5 before you start piecing. You can trim the seam to about 1/6″, as the pieces are so small. Finger press to flatten after joining each piece. Do not trim the fabric that extend beyond the edges at this stage.
- Using master template given below as guide, join the pieced templates.
- Layer with batting and backing and quilt closely on background to highlight the flower and leaves. It would look even nicer hand quilted, I think!
- Trim to 8″ X 2.5″
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Binding
- Double the binding strip length wise.
- Cut 2 lengths X 9″ and 2 lengths 3″
- Attach first to the longer sides and hem/ sew to the back. Trim binding at the ends.
- Fold shorter edge of binding inside before you attach it to the width of the bookmark for a neat finish.
- Double the binding strip length wise.
*Suggestion – Trace templates on to fusible stabilizer and use that for foundation piecing, as it may be difficult to remove paper from such tiny pieces.*
So go ahead, make your own bookmark!
…and do link back to share your bookmarks if you decide to make them!
Bookmark -Rose Stem Paper piecing Templates – Please print in landscape mode
Bookmark -Rose Stem -Instructions
Update : November 2016.
I recently had the ocassion to make this bookmark and have revised the master template and added some details to the instructions. I used the freezer paper method to piece the templates and could avoid having to take off tiny bits of paper after piecing! As you can see, I also did a button hole stitch on the edges instead of binding them.
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betukbandi 
What a useful tutee ! Thank you for sharing
Thanks, Vee! 🙂
OOps ! That should read “tute” darned auto correct !!
Wonderful Madhu. I will definitely try it once I have access to a machine.
Thanks, Brinda! Though I do think it is easier improvised with the paper pattern there only to give you some idea of how to proceed! I’cheated’ when doing the original; turning in the seam and stitching over it one place. So I could do it in just two pieces.