Book Ribbons: a simple and useful craft project

One of my favorite things is when a book comes with a ribbon to use as a bookmark. You know the kind, those little red ribbons that are glued into the back of the book that let you keep your place without needing a bookmark.

I like them for a lot of reasons. They don't fall out being the primary one, but I also like their simplicity, their minimalism, and their sheer utility.

There are few things in this world that are just utilitarian, that just do what they do and they don't need to do anything else. A bookmark usually says something, there's a message embedded in it even if it's just the Dragonborn logo and that message is "I like this videogame." But ribbon bookmarks don't have that. They just are; pure medium, no message.

Unfortunately, very few books actually come with them, and sketchbooks almost never do. So I've taken to adding them myself, and here's how you can too!

You'll start with some ribbon and a book. Any cheap craft-store ribbon will do just fine.

Next you'll measure and cut a length that gives you a few inches in the back of the book and hangs off one to two inches onto the front to make sure you have enough ribbon to use.

Grab something to weigh down the back of the book and find your favorite all-purpose glue. I like bookbinder's glue because it works equally well on fabric and paper and dries mostly clear. You should be able to find it at most art stores.

Put a line of glue down and press the ribbon onto it. From here you could just let it dry and it would be good enough or you can add a piece of fabric or paper over it to stabilize it better.

If you decide to go that route, cut yourself a square of material big enough to fit over the ribbon and across the gap between the cover and the book. Place it where you'll want it and outline it so you know where to put the glue.

You'll want to put a pretty decent amount of glue in the space and then press the fabric into place. Follow your glue's instructions for drying times.