How to Make Wire Bookmarks

Video Transcript

"Hi, I'm Laura from youngwritersworkshops.com. I'm going to talk about how to make a wire bookmark. Bookmarks are great gifts for people that like to read and write, and they're also fun to make. And I've found that it's actually a fun activity; kind of a a tactile activity for kids. So, even though this might not seem like a super easy kid activity, it actually ends up being quite fun for kids to do with with the supervision and help of an adult, and definitely with the cutting of the wire. But, these are some of the supplies that you need to make a wire bookmark. Twenty gauge jewelry wire, craft wire, very easy to find in a craft store, and also, not very expensive. Usually it comes in gold, silver choices. You might find some colored options as well. And then, you just need a bead, and or you could choose to make a a few beads that will hang at the end of your bookmark. Some wire cutters, and again you know, the adults; if you're working with a child definitely the adult will do the cutting. I've also found though that a good pair of scissors can cut the wire, this this gauge of wire, so the wire cutters are actually optional, and just using a good pair of sharp scissors could work just as well. So, let's get started on making a wire bookmark. Now, you're going to want it to be flat obviously, because it's going to be inside of a book, so before you start to work with the wire have a design in mind; something you know, drawn out maybe on paper that will give you an idea of what you're going for. Usually about eighteen inches of wire, and again you know, I can use scissors to cut this. Using a pliers, which I don't actually have with me here, can make it a little bit smoother, but for kids I think doing it by hand is easier. Working with pliers can be hard for a child, so since we're doing this as a a kid activity I'm just going to show how to do it by hand; smoothing you know, the more you can pull on the wire you're going to straighten it out, and then create some kind of pattern, like a curly cue or a shape that's interesting to look at. Here's what a finished wire bookmark looks like. And again, just working with the wire by hand to get it into this shape, and then stringing a bead at the end, the upper end, so this bead just goes right on the end of the wire. Tighten it with, tighten it so that the bead will stay in place, and you've got a wire bookmark."