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In-the-Hoop Applique Bookmark

In-the-Hoop Applique Bookmark

Hit the books with an in-the-hoop applique bookmark - it's perfect for gifts, craft fairs, or even for treating yourself! Learn how to stitch and assemble your own applique bookmark by following along with our helpful step-by-step tutorial below.

Supplies & Materials:

Supplies
- Small pieces of cotton (for front and applique)
- Small piece of felt (for the back piece)
- Tear-away stabilizer
- Embroidery thread

Tools

- Temporary spray adhesive (Gunold KK100)
- Ribbon
- Masking tape
- Craft knife
- Scissors

The designs used in this tutorial include:

- EMP82144, Cottage Charm Bookmark (Applique) (In-the-Hoop)

Gather Materials:

When you download a Cottage Applique Bookmark design, you will find multiple files. Some are embroidery files, and the others are dieline files marked with the letters "DL". Dielines are used to cut the fabric to the correct shape and size. Open and print each dieline file using an embroidery software. If you do not have embroidery software, take a look at  our helpful video on using dielines .

Stack of printed embroidery design sheets with a triangle and rectangle shape shown, next to three folded fabric pieces in blue floral, light yellow, and solid light blue on a gray surface.

Spray the backside of the printed dielines with a small amount of temporary adhesive, and smooth it onto the chosen fabric. For the front piece and applique pieces, we used cotton. For the back piece make sure to use something sturdier like felt so the bookmark does not become too floppy.

Three fabric pieces with paper patterns pinned on them in different shapes and sizes on a gray surface, with a pair of gray scissors nearby.

Cut out all the fabric shapes and remove the paper.

Gray-handled scissors and four pieces of fabric on a dark gray background, including a blue floral triangle, blue floral rectangle, yellow elongated pentagon, and solid blue elongated pentagon shape.

Start Embroidering:

Now that the fabric pieces are cut to the proper shape and size, it is time to embroider the design. Hoop a piece of tear-away stabilizer.

Embroidery hoop holding white stabilizer fabric, placed on gray surface, ready for stitching; hoop is rectangular with rounded corners and plastic frame.

Attach the hoop to the machine and load the full embroidery design (not the dieline files). Use a size 11 or 75/11 sharp sewing needle, rather than an embroidery needle. A sharp sewing needle has a smaller, finer point than an embroidery needle, so that will make smaller perforations in the stabilizer. Embroider the design. The first thing to embroider will be a dieline or outline. This marks the area on the stabilizer for the front fabric piece.

Close-up of an embroidery machine stitching a blue outline of a rectangle with a rounded top on white fabric secured in an embroidery hoop.

Remove the hoop from the machine, but do not unhoop the stabilizer. Spray the back of the front fabric piece with a small amount of temporary adhesive. Place the fabric right inside the sewn outline.

Embroidery hoop with white stabilizer fabric hooped; a yellow fabric applique cut in a pointed bookmark shape is centered on the stabilizer inside the hoop.

Place the hoop back onto the machine and embroider the tackdown for the front piece. The tackdown holds the fabric piece in place for the remainder of the design.

Close-up of a sewing machine embroidering a yellow fabric bookmark with a black stitched outline on white stabilizer in an embroidery hoop.

If your design has applique pieces, embroider the dieline for the next applique piece. In this example it is the roof.

Close-up of embroidery machine stitching a black outline on yellow fabric shaped like a pointed bookmark, hooped with stabilizer under the needle.

Remove the hoop from the machine, but do not unhoop the stabilizer. Spray the back of the roof applique with a small amount of temporary adhesive. Place the fabric right inside the sewn outline.

Embroidery hoop with white tear-away stabilizer fabric holds an in-progress yellow and blue applique shaped like a pencil on gray background.

Place the hoop back onto the machine and embroider the tackdown for applique piece.

Embroidery machine stitching a rectangular, glittery yellow fabric bookmark with a blue triangular top piece inside a hoop on a white stabilizer.

Follow the color change sheet to embroider any remaining front dielines and tackdowns for any additional applique pieces. Make sure to spray and place each front piece inside of its dieline before sewing its tackdown.

Close-up of a sewing machine stitching a blue fabric applique in the shape of a genie bottle onto a light yellow rectangular fabric piece, held in an embroidery hoop.

After all the front fabric pieces are tacked down in place, embroider the inner details if there are any. Stop before sewing the "back piece tackdown" step.

Close-up of an embroidery machine stitching a house-shaped fabric bookmark with blue roof and door, beige walls, and decorative green and blue floral applique details.

On the color change sheet, look for the note that says, "back piece tackdown." When you get to this section, stop the machine, and remove the hoop from the machine but do not unhoop the stabilizer. Flip the hoop over so that the backside is facing up. Spray the backside of the back fabric piece with adhesive and place it inside the shape on the backside of the embroidery.

Hand lifting a light blue fabric piece from a rectangular embroidery hoop filled with stabilizer material, showing black printed stitch outlines underneath.

Since both sides of the bookmark will be seen, wind a bobbin with the same thread used in the needle.

Large spool and small bobbin of dark navy blue thread placed on a gray fabric background.

Attach the hoop back to the machine and continue embroidering the design. A tackdown and the final border will sew around the outer edge of the fabric. This binds all the layers together.

Close-up of a sewing machine hoop with fabric inside, stitching an applique design of a tall house with a blue roof, blue door, and floral vines on a beige background.

Once the embroidery is finished, remove the hoop from the machine. Unhoop the stabilizer, and carefully tear the excess stabilizer away (the dieline will be removed with the stabilizer).

Fabric bookmark shaped like a house with a blue roof and door, yellow walls with floral patterns, black embroidered window, bricks, and fleur-de-lis details.

Use a craft knife, awl, or small scissors to open the eyelet at the top of the bookmark.

Fabric bookmark shaped like a narrow house with blue patterned roof and door, yellow wall with leafy and floral applique, black embroidered details, next to a silver craft knife on gray fabric background.

Cut a piece of ribbon to 7" - 8" long, thread it through the eyelet, and tie it into the knot.

Rectangular fabric bookmark shaped like a house with a pointed roof, light blue patterned top, yellow body with floral embroidery, black embroidered lines, and a blue ribbon loop.