Here is a simple bookmark you can make for a Christmas gift. It can be completed in an evening. You can also use in place of a bow on a wrapped gift.

Materials:

White bedspread-weight crochet cotton

Size 1.75 mm (4) crochet hook

Red and green embroidery cotton

Darning needle

Directions:

Vertical Bar:

Using white crochet cotton, ch 8, sl st to beginning ch to form ring.

1st Round: Ch 3 (used as dc here and throughout), skip next sc, (3 dc, ch2, 3dc) shell in next sc, skip next sc, dc in next sc.

Row 2: Ch 3, turn, shell in ch 2 sp of shell (shell in shell), dc in top of beginning ch 3 of previous row.

Rows 3-16: Repeat Row 2 until there are 16 shell rows. Fasten off.

First Half Cross Bar:

Row 1: Rotate the Vertical Bar so that Row 16 will be to your right, skip 3 rows from the top and join with a sl st into the top of the end dc (fourth row from the top); * ch 3; work a shell over top of next end dc (fifth row from the top); dc into top of next end dc (sixth row from the top for First Half of Cross Bar).

Row 2: Ch 3, turn, shell in shell, dc in top of beginning ch-3 of previous row.

Row 3: Repeat row 2. Fasten off.*

Second Half of Cross Bar:

Rows 1-3: Rotate your Vertical Bar so that row 16 will be to your left, skip 5 rows from the top and join with a sl st into the top of the end dc of next row (the 6th row from top); repeat from * to * of First Half of Cross Bar (last dc of Row 1 will be the 4th row from top).

Edging Round:

Join with sl st around post of end dc of Row 1 of Vertical Bar; work 2 sc over same post, sc into top of end dc, (2sc over next end post, sc into top of end dc) 10 times (last sc worked in corner); continue along bottom of the Cross Bar, **(2sc over end post of next row; sc into top of end dc) twice, 2sc over end post of next row, [sc (ch 3, sc in third ch from hook) for picot, sc] in first dc of shell, sc in next 2dc, (2 sc, picot, 2 sc over ch-2 sp, sc in next 2dc of shell, (sc, picot, sc) in last dc of shell, 2 sc over first end post, (sc in top end of dc of next row, 2sc over end post of that row) twice, sc in corner **; continue up the edge of Vertical Bar, repeating from ** to **; working up the edge of the Second Half of Cross Bar, repeat once more from ** to **; continue down theVertical Bar (2 sc over end post of next row, sc in top of end dc of next row)10 times; 2 sc over end post of last row; sc in unworked sc of beginning round, sl st in top of beginning sc. Fasten off. Weave in ends.

Flower:

Using red embroidery thread, wind thread around finger to form ring.

Row 1: (ch 3, tr1, ch 3, ss in ring) 7 times. Fasten off and darn in ends. Attach to cross.

Leaves:

Using green embroidery thread, embroider leaves around flower. Make a French knot in centre of flower.

Finishing:

Gently shape stitches with fingers as you lightly press. Can spray with iron-on starch to finish.

– Joanne Rawluk writes from Gypsumville, Manitoba