Learn how to cut and stitch an easy plastic canvas bookmark that features a fun, chunky checkered pattern.
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A plastic canvas bookmark is a great project for practicing stitch patterns and using up scraps of yarn, especially when you are wanting a plastic canvas project that isn’t a coaster, but can still be completed fairly quickly – just over an hour and a half. It’s also a great project for using up the long, skinny pieces of plastic canvas that build in your scrap bin.
Handmade bookmarks are make a fun, personalized gift when you stitch it in favorite colors and/or combine with a brand new book or gift card to a favorite book shop to celebrate a birthday, Mother’s Day, back to school or anything in between. Being small and fairly quick to work up, you can easily add one or bundle a few bookmarks together and pop them into a stocking for Christmas. So many fun ways to gift a bookmark – don’t forget to gift one to yourself as well!
Inspired by the Chunky Checkered Plastic Canvas Coasters I shared for Halloween in 2025, I’ve worked up a fun, plastic canvas bookmark in the same chunky checkered pattern, working the boxes slightly smaller to better fit the overall size I wanted to make.
I made mine alternating two colors, but wouldn’t this be fun if all of the boxes were a different color?! That would be especially great for working through your scraps.
This bookmark is a part of the 2026 Spooktacular Halloween Crafting Event.
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Materials:
- Small Amounts of a Worsted Weight #4 Yarn
- Piece of 7 Mesh Clear Plastic Canvas that is 13 holes by 43 holes or 2″ by 6 1/2″
- Tapestry Needle
- Scissors
- Optional: Felt or Fabric for back, though I did not line mine
- Optional: Tape Measure
Yarn Talk:
I used Lion Brand Pound of Love in the Black and Pumpkin Spice colorways. I used my 39 3/8″ long table to cut my strands of yarn, I would round that up to 40″ to be sure. Each strand completed 1 1/2 squares and I used 2 strands for the border so that equals to 7 black strands and 5 orange strands.
You may be wondering, what is the best yarn to use to stitch a plastic canvas bookmark? Because a bookmark is removed often, thrown into and pulled out of a bag a lot and fiddled with unknowingly while reading, I think the best option for a plastic canvas bookmark may be a cotton yarn or a cotton and acrylic blend. While I am still on the hunt for the best cotton yarn to use with 7 mesh plastic canvas that fills in the holes perfectly, I typically reach for acrylic or wool yarns from my yarn stash for plastic canvas projects. My chosen Lion Brand Pound of Love Yarn is a 100% acrylic yarn, probably the most common yarn fiber to use when it comes to working plastic canvas projects, but I foresee it developing that fuzzy sort of halo quicker with this fiber choice. I do have some Lion Brand Made with Love, the Cottony One in my yarn stash, which is a 60% acrylic, 40% cotton yarn with a beautiful spin and texture, and I would like to try stitching with it. I think it will be a lovely option, though as fall as Halloween or Fall goes, there isn’t an orange colorway (yet).
If you don’t have any worsted weight yarn to spare, you can hold two strands of lightweight yarn together, and stitch the same way with it, or hold one strand and work two passes per stitch.
If you aren’t familiar with Lion Brand Pound of Love, it is so large with so much yardage packed into one skein that it last practically forever when it comes to needlepointing! Think of the size of Caron One Pound, but much softer and a little bit fluffier.
Lion Brand Pound of Love Yarn is a soft, acrylic worsted weight yarn that comes in a one pound ball. One pound means you won’t need many skeins to get projects done! Just one ball makes a baby blanket, or 2-3 scarves or shawls, or lots of beanies or what feels like an infinite amount of appliques and plastic canvas projects! You’ll also love that this yarn is machine washable and dryable, making projects so easy to care for! One ball contains 1,020 yards or 454 grams.
Tools & Notions:
7 count or 7 mesh plastic canvas comes in a soft version and stiff version as well as many canvas sizes and colors that other mesh sizes don’t. The 7 means that 7 holes equal 1″ wide and tall. It’s the most popular mesh size and is excellent for a variety of projects. When working with 7 mesh, you’ll want to use a worsted weight #4 yarn with a size #18 tapestry needle that has a blunt tip.
I used soft plastic canvas for my bookmark. It doesn’t matter if you reach for soft and stiff canvas, though soft is more flexible and may not lay completely flat when not in use. Stiff canvas would create a more crisp bookmark. Both options really are just fine.
Many needlepointers have commented that 7 mesh plastic canvas is too thick for a bookmark, but I disagree. As you can see in my photos, I have my bookmark inside of a book and it works great – the book shown is Modern Tapestry Crochet: Techniques, Projects, Adventure by Alessandra Hayden. The only thing I wouldn’t use my bookmark in would be something with thin pages, like a magazine, and in that case, I would go with either a 10 mesh or 14 mesh.
Can I use 10 mesh or 14 mesh plastic canvas instead? If you wanted to change up the size of plastic canvas, use a respective size tapestry needle and yarn. For size 10 mesh plastic canvas, I would recommend a #20 or #22 tapestry needle and a lightweight #3 yarn, like Premier Yarns Basix DK, and work more boxes using the stitch multiple provided in the Pattern Notes section to achieve similar sizing. For size 14 mesh plastic canvas, I would recommend a #24 tapestry needle and 4-6 strands of embroidery floss or a #5 pearl cotton thread. I would not recommend using a 5 mesh as it would make a bookmark that is too thick.
Tapestry Needles with the blunt, round end are essential for sewing and finishing in needlepointing on fabric and plastic canvas. The blunt, rounded end allows the needle to pass easily through the holes on canvas and the fabric created by the yarn without snagging (or getting your fingers) in the process. The long oval eye makes threading strands of yarn easier, though you may still want to use a needle threader.
Scissors are an essential tool. In my notions pouch, I always have a pair of lightweight, all-purpose scissors as they are so versatile and great for a variety of things from cutting plastic canvas mesh to cutting yarn strands and trimming yarn ends after weaving in to cutting out a care tag to include with a handmade gift.
For a cleaner back, you could cut and attach some felt of fabric. I know it’s also common to cut and attach an unstitched piece of plastic canvas, but I think it would make the bookmark too thick.
If you don’t want to count the holes on your canvas for cutting and you don’t want to stitch it first and then cut, you can use a tape measure to measure the canvas holes following the measurements provided and make a mark on the canvas so you know where to cut.
How to Wash a Plastic Canvas Bookmark?
I’ve experienced light coffee stains as well as deep soda stains on plastic canvas projects, and with a little spot cleaning, I’ve been able to make them good as new! Grab a damp towel or paper towel, and dab a couple times onto the bookmark, then dab with a dry towel or paper towel and reassess. You may need to do it a couple times until the stain comes out. If it’s a tougher stain, you can use a gentle soap, like Dawn, on your damp towel. Repeat the same process, and once your stain is out, go back in with just a damp towel to work the soap out. Press with a dry towel to get out as much water as possible, and then lay flat to dry.
Alternatively, you can fill a bowl with some soapy water (I like to use cold like room temperature water, but you’ll find many others say warm water), and soak the bookmark for about 10 minutes. Empty the bowl, and fill with just water, and rinse the bookmark. I do not like to run the bookmark directly under running water as it can be too abrasive. Press with a dry towel to get out as much water as possible, and then lay flat to dry.
Now, if you have a lining on the back of your bookmark, like fabric, felt or cork, you’ll need to consider that when you are cleaning, how those items and/or the method of adhering it onto your bookmark will hold up to your cleaning method or supplies.
As much all you’ll want to, make sure when cleaning not to try to rub the stain out or use anything that is too abrasive, like a brush, otherwise, you’ll find that your yarn will pill, fray or felt (depending on the fiber) and could look very worn and icky.
How Long Does it Take to Stitch a Bookmark?
About 1 hour, 45 minutes total.
Each box took me about 6 minutes and the whipstitch took me about 13 minutes.
Measurements:
Just over 2″ Wide by 6 5/8″ Tall
Prior to adding the whipstitch, the bookmark is approximately 1/8″ smaller.
How to Continental Stitch aka Half Cross Stitch aka Tent Stitch
The Tent Stitch is a series of single diagonal stitches that run parallel to each other. There are a few variations of the Tent Stitch, but you’ll want to choose either the Continental or Half Cross to work your project in. The front of the stitch pattern looks the same, but the back of the stitch pattern varies. I prefer the Continental Stitch because it makes for a fuller, neater back, though it does use a little bit more yarn than the Half Cross Stitch. It is not uncommon to combine both styles as you work and not even realize it until you take a peek at the back, and really that is totally okay! As long as the front of the project looks correct, the back is no big deal so don’t feel pressure to pull any stitches out just to work in one style over the other.
Here is a peek at the back of my bookmark stitched entirely in the continental stitch.
Pattern Notes:
If you want to change up the size of plastic canvas, you can easily add more chunky boxes to the pattern to add width and length to the bookmark. Following the same pattern, you’ll want the total number of holes to be divisible by 6 + 7 so a number like 6, 12, 18, etc plus 7, with 7 being the first complete box of 6 x 6 stitches, and 6 being for each complete box after that. Really, with the basic rectangle shape, the easiest way to adjust it is to stitch it first, and then cut it so you don’t have to stress about the math part and potentially not cutting the right number of stitches – this is my preferred method even when using the 7 mesh the bookmark was designed in, and I would use it if I were stitching on a different mesh size as well.
I recommend your anchor stitch and final end of each strand be about 1/2″ – 1″ long.
View & Download the Cut Graph, Stitch Graph & PDF:
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Yarn Crafts & Coffee newsletter subscribers get access to Exclusive Subscriber Content, like the free PDF of this pattern via the Free File Library. The library is password protected so sign up for my newsletter and you’ll receive a Welcome email containing this month’s password, or if you are already a blog subscriber, reference your latest newsletter for this month’s password. From the library, you’ll be able to access the PDFs via Google Drive – you do not need to have a Google Drive account to view and download the PDF.
My patterns are protected by copyright and are not free to share in Facebook groups or by private messaging. If you enjoy my pattern and would like to share it, feel free to share an image of the completed project only without removing my watermark or share a photo of your completed project and share the blog link to this tutorial so others can visit for themselves.
easy Plastic Canvas bookmark Tutorial:
You can either stitch the bookmark first and then cut later, or cut the plastic canvas rectangle out first, and then stitch.
To cut first, cut a rectangle out that is 13 holes wide by 43 holes tall, or use a soft tape measure to measure out 2″ wide by 6 1/2″ tall, and cut just outside of that.
Use the Tent Stitch to make boxes that are 6 stitches wide and tall to fill in your bookmark.
You can work each box in a different color or to do the checkboard pattern: start with Color A (mine was Black) and alternate between that and Color B (mine was Orange) so the pattern takes on a checkerboard pattern.
For the cleanest appearance, I did not run my strand down to begin the next box. Instead, I fastened off after completing each box. You can do it either way – whichever you like best! Carrying your strand down would use even less yarn.
You will have 2 boxes wide by 7 boxes tall when finished.
After you finish all of your boxes, whipstitch around to finish – if you have not cut your canvas, you’ll want to do that first, and then whipstitch.
Please feel free to make and sell your own items made using this pattern, but keep in mind, this written pattern and my photos are protected by copyright. Please DO NOT claim this pattern as your own nor should you sell my pattern. DO NOT re-publish my photos as your own. DO NOT copy and paste my pattern anywhere, link to it instead so other’s can visit. Making videos providing instructions how to make my projects on any social media platform is also not permitted.
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