If you have ever lost your bookmark when half way through a great read you will know just how annoying it can be. Yet, this is something so easily avoidable with a magnetic bookmark and by making your own you can personalise each one to your own taste. Or, they make really fantastic gifts for your friends and family – especially at Christmas.
A magnetic bookmark is normally made out of a single piece of material or card which is folded in half and slipped over a page or pages. The magnets on each side of the bookmark attract together through the thickness of the page and hold the bookmark securely in place.
Here’s what you need:
- Inkjet printer flexible A4 magnetic sheet (makes 5 x 40mm wide bookmarks per sheet)
- Scissors
Or
- Card, patterned, white or coloured depending on your preference and,
- A4 sheet of 54 self-adhesive magnetic dots
- Scissors
How to make a magnetic bookmark using inkjet printer magnetic sheets
Step one
The fantastic thing about using a printable magnetic sheet to make magnetic bookmarks is that you are only limited by your imagination. Simply open up a desktop publishing program on your computer or even a more basic program like Microsoft Word and mark out four lines vertically down the page approximately 40mm apart. You will cut down these lines later to make each individual bookmark. |
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Step two
Create your design for each bookmark, or download our Christmas design templates. Remember, that each strip will be folded in half so the design that you create on the bottom half of each bookmark will need to be turned upside down, like our example Christmas designs. Also, remember that most printers won’t print to the very edge so it is a good idea to make sure your design finishes a few millimetres in from each edge. |
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Step three
Once you have created your designs, put one magnetic sheet into your printer on top of your regular paper, ensuring you are inserting the sheet the correct way up so that the printer will print on to the white side and print your designs. Do not put more than one sheet into your printer at any one time as they will stick together and jam. |
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Step four
Once printed, allow the ink to dry thoroughly before cutting. You can cut the sheet with a pair of regular scissors or with a paper trimmer. |
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Step five
Fold each book mark in half and crease. Then, take your scissors or craft knife and carefully and lightly score along the crease on the magnetic side to help prevent the bookmark springing open. |
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Step six
Place your bookmark over the top of the page and press together. The two pieces of the bookmark will attract together and hold tight against the page. |
How to make a magnetic bookmark using card and self-adhesive magnets
Step one
Take your piece of card and mark out the borders to the size of the bookmark you wish to create. Alternatively, you can download our Christmas templates to print off. |
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Step two
Cut out your bookmark and fold in half. |
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Step three
Add your own design and embellishments to your bookmark. |
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Step four
Peel off two self-adhesive 30mm diameter magnetic dots and stick one to the inside of one side of the bookmark and press it firmly in place. |
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Step five
Take the second magnet and place the magnetic face on top of the magnet on the bookmark. Then, twist the second magnet carefully in one direction until you feel it snap in place and where the attraction is strongest. Then, press the two flaps of the bookmark together and hold for a few seconds, taking care not to dislodge the magnets. |
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Step six
Open the bookmark and slide it over your page then allow the two magnetic dots to attract, holding the bookmark in place. |