School starts for my girls (transitional kindergarten through seventh grade) this week. I am not doing well. I’m already mourning the (mostly) carefree days of summer and all the fun travel memories we made together. We had morning swim team practices that made my car smell of sunscreen and chlorine. My kids fully embraced the summer reading program at our library and came home with their hauls weekly. Our summer road trip was epic as always and I’m still daydreaming about the sights we saw and places we stayed. If you’re not quite ready to say goodbye to summer either, check out today’s post! I’m sharing a super simple DIY project that’s the perfect back to school craft. These DIY map bookmarks will keep you re-living the summer fun through the darkest days of winter when you’re curled up with your favorite novel. Some links contain affiliates.

how to make handsewn map bookmarks

I’ve sewed many paper craft projects over the years but it’s been awhile. Truthfully, it had been awhile since I even pulled out my sewing machine! I had forgotten how much I enjoy sewing through paper. There’s something very soothing about creating a tiny row pf perfect punches in a crisp sheet of paper to make something. Your standard sewing machine needle should be able to tap through two layers of paper quite easily to make these simple DIY map bookmarks.

materials needed

• old maps or travel brochures (regular paper, not thick cardstock)
• paper trimmer or scissors
• glue stick
• sewing machine and thread
• ribbon (optional)

Your bookmarks can be any size you want, but I find that roughly six inches long by two inches wide is a pretty good size. Trim two appropriate pieces of map of the same size and spread one thin layer of glue down the middle. Be careful not to get glue near the edges where your sewing needle is going to be punching through!

| Read: How to Make Sewn Paper Garlands |

Carefully sew a straight line around the edge of the of the bookmark, using the lines on your sewing machine foot as a guide for width. If adding a ribbon to your bookmark, start with that side and be sure to secure the ribbon with the stitch as you sew around the bookmark.

| Read: Make Your Own Map-covered Composition Books |

Have fun with this simple project! You could use maps, travel brochures, or even pages from their summer travel journals! These DIY map bookmarks come together really quickly, making this a great back to school craft that your kids can do themselves, or you could make for a classroom if you’re a teacher!

Do you like to save maps and travel mementos?

Find more fun and easy back to school projects on Pinterest!