Sewn Flower Bookmark Using Recycled Jeans Craft for Teens

This bookmark requires very simple sewing for teens to learn how to sew a straight line with a machine, use pins and sew on some buttons with a needle and thread.

You’ll need these craft supplies and tools:

• three buttons
• one scrap of denim from old blue jeans
• floss
• three silk flowers
• three pins
• one needle
• scissors
• sewing machine(optional)

Pin the three flowers in a line going down the scrap of jeans. You can sew them on with a machine, or use a needle and thread using a running stitch. Be sure to reverse stitch in the beginning and at the end, so the thread doesn’t unravel later when you are using the bookmark.

Using colored floss, or threads if that is all you have, sewn on the buttons to make a middle to your flowers. One word about the buttons, they should be flat and not shank buttons. If you use shank buttons, you may ruin the book binding.

Fringe the sides of the bookmark by cutting into the denim 1/4 inch. This is an optional step, but one that follows the treads teens set. So, let them make the choice as they know what the current trends are.

Some variations to this craft:

• Use different color fabric flowers to make a theme, like red, white and blue for patriotic. Or the colors could be the school colors of the teens making them, you can use these as a fundraiser.
• Use sew on gems for the middles of the flowers. Don’t glue anything in this project because it would take away the basic sewing lessons you want teenagers to learn.