Embroidered Satin Guest Book

Make a beautiful satin guest book and matching pen set, and personalize it with embroidery. Coordinate the color changes with the wedding colors to create a unique, sophisticated look.

Guest books and pen holders can be found at most craft stores, or by shopping online.

The guest book used in these instructions is 10 x 7 1/2 inches, and the amount of fabric listed in the supplies covers this size book. Be sure to purchase enough fabric to cover the size of your book, plus a 1 1/2 inch allowance on all sides.

Supplies & Materials:

Supplies needed:

Guest book
Pen holder with pen
12 x 24 inch piece of satin (for outside cover)
12 x 24 piece of satin (for inside cover)
10 x 7 1/2 inch piece cotton batting -- 1/8 inch thick (and a small piece for pen holder)
Two pieces 8 1/2 x 11 inch cardstock (and a small piece for pen holder)
Medium-weight cut-away stabilizer

Temporary spray adhesive
All-purpose permanent spray adhesive
Hot glue
Masking tape
Air-erase pen
Small piece of foam board
Self-healing pad
Craft knife

The designs used in this tutorial include:

Roses and Vines Bridal Border

Roses and Vines Bridal Accent

Gather Materials:

Lay the satin for the outside of the cover right side up. Lay the book on top of the fabric with the outside cover down.

Remove the pages if possible.

With an air-erase pen, trace the edges of the book onto the fabric.

Open blank ring-binder guest book on white satin fabric lies on dark wood table; right hand holding blue pen poised to write on right page.

Remove the book and mark an allowance of 3/4 inch around the entire outer edge of the shape. Draw lines connecting the marks and angle the ends at each corner as shown.

Hand holds a blue pencil marking a white satin fabric with a 12-inch metal ruler on a wood table, outlining a rectangular shape in purple ink.

Lay the book back inside the shape, aligning it with the right half. Mark the top and bottom of the spine onto the fabric. These marks indicate the edge of the embroidered area.

Hand tracing around a closed guest book on white satin fabric with a purple marker, outlining its shape for embroidery or sewing, on a wooden table.

Remove the book again. At both the top and the bottom, measure between the corner and the mark indicating the edge of the embroidered area. Divide by two, and mark the center.

Lay a strip of masking tape between the two center marks. Measure between the two marks and divide by two to find the center of the embroidered area. Mark the center onto the tape.

Hand with pencil drawing straight lines on white fabric using a metal ruler on a wooden surface; purple guideline markings visible on fabric.

Lay strips of tape extending horizontally from the center mark.

Print templates of the designs at full size. Poke a hole in the center of the design template, and align it with the center mark on the tape. Mark the horizontal and vertical axis points on the tape.

Hand tracing a floral design on light gray fabric with a pencil, centered over yellow tape strips forming a cross, on a dark wood surface.

Remove the template and draw lines on the tape connecting the horizontal and vertical axis points.

Spray a piece of cut-away stabilizer with temporary adhesive and smooth the fabric on top.

Hand with silver ring rests on white satin fabric with yellow tape arranged in a cross. Fabric has purple lines and markings on a dark wood surface.

Start Embroidering:

Align the marks on the hoop with the lines on the tape and hoop the fabric and the stabilizer.

For tips when embroidering on satin, please see these free instructions and video: Embroidering on Satin

Close-up of a grey embroidery hoop holding shiny silver satin fabric marked with taped guidelines and purple ink lines forming a square and cross pattern.

Attach the hoop to the machine, load the design, align the needle directly over the center point on the tape, remove the tape and embroider the design.

Close-up of a sewing machine embroidering a blue rose with green leaves on white satin fabric, held in a rectangular embroidery hoop.

After the first design has finished sewing, position and mark the other designs as you did the first one, and embroider the remaining designs.

To perfectly align the border designs, position each template and then measure equally, on each end of the template, from the horizontal axis line on the template with the inner line on the fabric.

When all the designs have finished stitching, carefully trim away the excess stabilizer, leaving about 1/4 inch around each design.

Scissors with orange handle cutting a piece of floral fabric with purple roses and green leaves, placed on a white fabric background on a wooden surface.

Cut out the shape following the outer allowance lines.

White satin fabric with embroidered purple roses and green leaves in vertical patterns, held by orange-handled scissors on a wooden surface.

To make sure that the existing surface of the book does not show through the fabric, we are covering ours with printer paper.

Measure the front and back cover, and cut the paper to fit.

Hand cutting a narrow strip from a white sheet of paper using orange-handled scissors on a dark wood surface.

Spray the paper with permanent adhesive. Smooth one piece on the front cover and one on the back.

Right hand with a silver ring resting on a closed white binder on a dark wood surface.

We are adding a thin layer of cotton batting under the front cover (embroidered cover). This gives the front cover some extra dimension and prevents the areas around the embroidery from having a "ridge" look when smoothed onto the cover.

Lay the book, with the front cover down, onto the batting and trace the shape.

A white guest book lies open on a piece of batting on a dark wood surface. A hand holds a blue pen near the book's right edge.

Cut out the shape from the batting. Spray the front cover with permanent adhesive.

Hand holding a silver spray paint can, spraying white satin guest book lying flat on a dark wood table.

Align and smooth the batting onto the front cover.

A closed white quilted satin guest book lies on a dark wood table with a hand wearing a silver ring resting on it.

Spray the outside of the front and back cover with permanent adhesive.

Hand spraying white spray adhesive from a can labeled Krylon onto a fluffy white fabric inside an open guest book cover on a dark wood table.

Lay the embroidered satin piece wrong side up. Carefully align the book with the satin and press into place -- be sure to place the front cover on the same side as the embroidery.

Hand resting on an open white guest book with metal ring binder, placed on top of a satin fabric on a wooden surface.

One at a time, lay a line of hot glue along each of the long sides. Gently pull the satin taut, fold it over the edge of the book and glue the fabric allowance in place.

Then, lay glue along the short sides and press the fabric allowance in place.

Hand using a blue hot glue gun to apply glue near the metal rings of an open white binder lying on a dark wood surface.

Measure the inside of front and back cover. Measure and cut two pieces of cardstock to fit.

Pair of scissors with orange handles cutting a white rectangular piece of fabric or paper on a dark wood surface.

Spray the cardstock pieces with permanent adhesive.

Hand holding a silver spray can, spraying a white rectangular sheet of paper on a dark wooden surface.

Lay the satin for the inside of the cover, wrong side up. Smooth the cardstock onto the wrong side of the satin. Cut about a 1 inch allowance on all sides.

Piece of lilac satin fabric with a white paper template pinned on it, lying on a wooden surface next to a pair of orange-handled scissors.

Spray the fabric allowances with permanent adhesive.

Hand spraying adhesive onto a rectangular fabric piece with lavender satin border and white center, placed on a wooden table.

Fold the long sides over and press into place.

White fabric square bordered by lavender satin ribbon laid flat on a dark wood surface, with a hand gently holding the bottom right corner.

Then fold in the short sides. Trim the excess fabric on the corners.

Rectangular white fabric bordered by a lavender satin frame with clipped corners, laid flat on a dark wood surface.

Make two pieces of satin-covered cardstock.

Spray the wrong side of each piece of satin-covered cardstock with permanent adhesive.

Hand holding a can spraying adhesive over a rectangular piece of white felt bordered with lavender satin ribbon on a dark wooden surface.

Place the linings on the inside of the front and back cover and smooth into place.

You may want to reinforce each of the corners with a dab of hot glue.

Add the pages and the book is complete.

Open lavender satin guest book with metal ring binder lying flat on dark wood table; a hand with a ring rests on the right edge of the book.

Now we will make a matching base for a pen holder.

To determine the size of the base, set the pen holder and a paper template of the design on top of the foam board. Measure and mark about 1 inch around the holder and the template.

Hand holding pencil drawing a line with a metal ruler on white paper beside a transparent base with attached white pen and printed flower sketch on wood surface.

Cut out the shape on a self-healing mat using a craft knife.

White rectangular paper or fabric marked with blue lines on a cutting mat, with a metallic craft knife positioned near the center line.

Lay the foam board on the satin and cut about a 1 inch allowance around the shape.

Piece of white satin fabric with a rectangular paper template pinned in the center, placed on a dark wooden surface next to orange-handled scissors.

Center the satin, right side up, on top of the foam board. Reposition the holder and the template on top of the satin.

Lay a strip of masking tape under the template. Poke a hole in the center of the template and mark the center onto the tape.

Hand holding a blue pencil tracing a floral design on white fabric secured with tape, beneath a clear embroidery hoop frame with gold hardware on wood surface.

Lay strips of tape extending vertically from the center point. Align the template with the center point and mark the horizontal and vertical axis points.

Remove the template and draw lines connecting the horizontal and vertical axis points.

Hand holds a blue pencil, drawing on white satin fabric with two yellow tape strips forming a cross; a black Westcott ruler guides the drawing.

Spray a piece of cutaway stabilizer with temporary adhesive and hoop it with the satin.

Attach the hoop to the machine, align the needle directly over the center point on the tape, remove the tape and embroider the design.

Close-up of a sewing machine embroidering green leaves and a pale flower on white satin fabric held in an embroidery hoop.

When the design has finished, carefully trim away the excess stabilizer.

White satin fabric with a small embroidered purple rose and green leaves, partially covered by silver metal scissors on a dark wooden surface.

Cut a piece of cotton batting to be the same size as the foam board.

White textured fabric piece with a hand-cut rectangular shape, scissors with orange handle cutting along the right edge on a dark wood surface.

Spray the foam board with permanent adhesive, and align and smooth the batting on top.

Then spray the batting with adhesive, and align the embroidered satin on top and smooth in place.

White satin fabric with an embroidered purple rose and green leaves in the center, placed on a wooden surface with a hand touching the lower right corner.

Flip the board over and add lines of hot glue to the long sides. Gently pull the fabric allowances and press in place.

Attach the fabric allowances on the short ends as you did before.

Close-up of a rectangular piece of white fabric with frayed edges on a dark wooden surface, a white rectangular card on top, and a blue hot glue gun applying glue.

You can finish the bottom by cutting a piece of cardstock a bit smaller than the bottom of the board and hot gluing it in place.

Rectangular guest book covered in light purple satin fabric with subtle textured pattern, placed on a dark wood surface next to a blue hot glue gun.

Spray the base of the holder with permanent adhesive and press it into place above the embroidery.

Hand holding pen attached to a white satin guest book cover embroidered with a purple rose and green leaves, on a wooden surface.

Get Inspired:

It's a perfect pair!

White satin guest book with embroidered purple roses and green leaves on cover, paired with a matching satin pen holder and white pen with gold accents.