A gift for my mother
March 8, 2009
My mum’s birthday is rapidly approaching and I wanted to make her something – more specifically, I wanted to crochet something for her. At Christmas, she was the only close family member who I didn’t crochet anything for and I felt it was time to redress the balance. The reason I’ve not crocheted anything for her before is that Mum is very stylish and I simply couldn’t imagine her wearing anything I’d make. Oh, I’m sure she would to humour me but I wanted to make her something that she’d want to use – not simply be obliged to – so I opted to make something for the home rather than a wearable and decided on a bookmark. I plan on teaming it up with a book by one of her favourite authors.
For anyone who fancies making one of these themselves, here’s the details:
Pattern: Fancy Filigree Bookmark
Yarn: Anchor Artiste Linen Size 10 Thread
Hook: 1.50mm
About: The bookmark might look quite fiddly to make but it’s actually deceptively simple. You do have to pay attention but the pattern is well written and precise. I think I’ll definitely make more of these. They use such a tiny amount of thread that I suspect I could get about a dozen more from the 50g ball!
Modifications: None, other than to miss off the crocheted tail and make a tassel instead.
Modeled by: Albion by Peter Ackroyd (an attempt to make myself appear intelligent and literary!)
Finally, a question for you – when I went to photograph this, I initially put the bookmark the other way up, with the tassel at the bottom. It just seemed natural to me but my husband insisted that the tassel should come out of the top of the book, which I guess makes sense for if you’re putting it on a shelf. What do you think? I know it’s not exactly all that important in the scheme of things (!) but I’d be interested to know…..
Entry Filed under: Crochet. Tags: book, bookmark, Crochet, fancy, filigree, gift, lace, linen, photograph, thread, victorian.
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1. Mon | March 8, 2009 at 1:39 pm
I’ve been searching for bookmark patterns for the last week. Being a bookwhore measn this was a natural project for me. I LOVE this design. I think it might be too complex for me, but what the heck.
Oh, and tassle on top for shelving, and bottom if I finish a page towards the bottom and it’s my current read.
Lovely gift idea too.
Q – would it work with a larger hook. My smallest is 4mm. Quite a difference.
2. Rebecca | March 8, 2009 at 1:54 pm
Thanks Mon – it’s really not that complicated but using thread is a bit more fiddly than normal yarn. It would be a lot larger with a 4mm hook. I started off with a 2.00mm hook and found it a bit on the large size so started again with the smaller hook. There are loads of other bookmark patterns at crochetpattern central: http://www.crochetpatterncentral.com/directory/bookmarks.php – so there might be something suitable for a bigger hook…..
3. fruitfulfusion | March 8, 2009 at 5:23 pm
It’s such a lovely bookmark. I think I’m going to give it a go! You have a lovely blog here too and I just love the crochet posts!
About the tassle, I think I would have put the tassle downwards too. I made a bookmark for my Mum last year and when I handed it to her, she took it and placed it in to the book on her lap with the tassle coming out at the top! So each to their own I suppose
4. Rebecca | March 8, 2009 at 6:33 pm
fruitfulfusion – thanks very much! I hope you have fun making it.
5. dowhatyoulove | March 9, 2009 at 3:39 am
This is a very lovely gift for your mum. I bet she will love it. Its very stylish and so pleasing to look at each time she reads a book.
6. Rowan | March 9, 2009 at 8:28 pm
That’s a lovely gift to give your mum, I’m sure she’ll love it. I agree with your DH, I’d have the tassel at the top too.
7. thegardensmallholder | March 10, 2009 at 1:25 pm
This is a beautiful gift that im sure she will be very pleased to receive.
8. hen | March 11, 2009 at 4:44 pm
that is gorgeous. looks like lace to me.
I’m a tassle at the top, makes the most of the point which is gorgeous.
hen
xxx
9. Rebecca | March 12, 2009 at 12:47 pm
Thanks everyone. It would appear that tassel at top is the way to go…..
x
10. gwen Buchanan | March 12, 2009 at 1:32 pm
I would certainly use a beauty like this.. your mother should love it…
as per the direction of the tassel…..at first I was going to say have the tassel at the bottom then I thought about the part about putting it on the shelf so I thought the top was better.. then I thought that I would probably have the book lying down if it was a book I was reading off and on and when I put it away on the shelf when I was done reading it, I would probably take the bookmark out and use it with the next book I was reading…
11. Rebecca's mum | March 18, 2009 at 8:52 am
What a beautiful gift! Its colour and pattern appeal to my love of antiques. I must confess to putting the tassel at the top, but have never given it much thought before. I think it probably goes back to my childhood, when I had a bookshelf over my bed, rather than a bedside cabinet. I would, therefore have stood books up between readings, necessitating putting the tassel at the top.
12. Rebecca | March 18, 2009 at 9:03 am
Thanks Mum – glad you like it.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
xxx
13. Lara | November 1, 2009 at 10:51 pm
Rebecca:
Your bookmark is gorgeous. I saw this pattern on Ravelry, but the link is broken. Do youhave a copy of the pattern you could email me?
If so it would be appreciated.
Also, I put tassles etc at the bottom if I am setting the book flat somewhere (like bedside table) but put them to the top if shelving a book.
Thanks, Lara (larakn@sbcglobal.net)