Woven Paper Bookmark

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Every step, at a glance

Compare your paper with each diagram after completing the action. Blue identifies the three long strips; gold identifies the six separate cross strips. Darker shades are reverse faces. Narrow connecting ramps are folds, not cuts. All nine pieces remain in the diagrams, including cross strips waiting on the right.

0. 0. Prepare and mark nine strips
1. 1. Open alternating weaving channels
2. 2. Weave cross strip 1
3. 3. Weave cross strip 2
4. 4. Weave cross strip 3
5. 5. Weave cross strip 4
6. 6. Weave cross strip 5
7. 7. Weave cross strip 6
8. 8. Flatten and secure the weave
9. 9. Fold the bottom end hems
10. 10. Fold the top end hems
11. 11. Let it dry before using

0. PREPARATION · Original nine-strip plain-weave layout

   Prepare and mark nine strips

   Cut the nine strips listed above. On each long strip, measure from the bottom: mark 0.25 and 5.75 inches for the end hems. Mark the five narrow ramp pairs at 1.0/1.3, 1.8/2.1, 2.6/2.9, 3.4/3.7 and 4.2/4.5 inches. Keep the three long strips parallel with 0.05-inch gaps. Lay the six cross strips to their right, ready to slide left.

   Layers: Three long blue strips and six separate gold cross strips; nothing is joined yet.

   Check: All three long strips are 6 inches long. Each short strip spans the full 1.5-inch bookmark width.

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1. STEP 1 · Original nine-strip plain-weave layout

   Open alternating weaving channels

   Gently bend each marked ramp pair into a shallow step. On the outer long strips, the first crossing land near the bottom is high, the next low, then high, low, high, low. Reverse that pattern on the middle strip. Keep the lands level; open about a 0.2-inch height difference between high and low lands. The animation opens the bends together; work up one strip at a time.

   Layers: Each long strip remains one continuous piece. The middle strip bends opposite to the outer two.

   Check: At every row there is an open horizontal channel between the high and low long strips.

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2. STEP 2 · Original nine-strip plain-weave layout

   Weave cross strip 1

   Slide the lowest short strip from right to left through its channel, centered on the 0.75-inch mark measured along the long strips. Pass UNDER the right outer strip, OVER the middle, then UNDER the left outer strip. Stop when both ends project equally beyond the outer strips. Keep the earlier rows in place.

   Layers: Move this complete cross strip horizontally; do not push it through a long strip or close the bends yet.

   Check: 1 cross strip is in place. This row reverses the crossing order of its neighbor.

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3. STEP 3 · Original nine-strip plain-weave layout

   Weave cross strip 2

   Slide the second short strip from right to left through its channel, centered on the 1.55-inch mark measured along the long strips. Pass OVER the right outer strip, UNDER the middle, then OVER the left outer strip. Stop when both ends project equally beyond the outer strips. Keep the earlier rows in place.

   Layers: Move this complete cross strip horizontally; do not push it through a long strip or close the bends yet.

   Check: 2 cross strips are in place. This row reverses the crossing order of its neighbor.

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4. STEP 4 · Original nine-strip plain-weave layout

   Weave cross strip 3

   Slide the third short strip from right to left through its channel, centered on the 2.35-inch mark measured along the long strips. Pass UNDER the right outer strip, OVER the middle, then UNDER the left outer strip. Stop when both ends project equally beyond the outer strips. Keep the earlier rows in place.

   Layers: Move this complete cross strip horizontally; do not push it through a long strip or close the bends yet.

   Check: 3 cross strips are in place. This row reverses the crossing order of its neighbor.

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5. STEP 5 · Original nine-strip plain-weave layout

   Weave cross strip 4

   Slide the fourth short strip from right to left through its channel, centered on the 3.15-inch mark measured along the long strips. Pass OVER the right outer strip, UNDER the middle, then OVER the left outer strip. Stop when both ends project equally beyond the outer strips. Keep the earlier rows in place.

   Layers: Move this complete cross strip horizontally; do not push it through a long strip or close the bends yet.

   Check: 4 cross strips are in place. This row reverses the crossing order of its neighbor.

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6. STEP 6 · Original nine-strip plain-weave layout

   Weave cross strip 5

   Slide the fifth short strip from right to left through its channel, centered on the 3.95-inch mark measured along the long strips. Pass UNDER the right outer strip, OVER the middle, then UNDER the left outer strip. Stop when both ends project equally beyond the outer strips. Keep the earlier rows in place.

   Layers: Move this complete cross strip horizontally; do not push it through a long strip or close the bends yet.

   Check: 5 cross strips are in place. This row reverses the crossing order of its neighbor.

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7. STEP 7 · Original nine-strip plain-weave layout

   Weave cross strip 6

   Slide the top short strip from right to left through its channel, centered on the 4.75-inch mark measured along the long strips. Pass OVER the right outer strip, UNDER the middle, then OVER the left outer strip. Stop when both ends project equally beyond the outer strips. Keep the earlier rows in place.

   Layers: Move this complete cross strip horizontally; do not push it through a long strip or close the bends yet.

   Check: 6 cross strips are in place. This row reverses the crossing order of its neighbor.

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8. STEP 8 · Original nine-strip plain-weave layout

   Flatten and secure the weave

   Check all eighteen crossings before closing the shallow bends. Add a tiny dab of paper glue between the two layers at each crossing, lifting just enough to reach the contact. Gently flatten the long-strip bends while allowing each cross strip to shift lengthwise with its row. Press lightly and let the glue set as its label directs. Do not glue the bookmark to your work surface.

   Layers: The over-under order stays unchanged. The animation shows closing and row movement; it does not depict glue application or drying.

   Check: The six rows alternate. Small even gaps remain between rows and between long strips.

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9. STEP 9 · Original nine-strip plain-weave layout

   Fold the bottom end hems

   Fold the bottom 0.25 inch of each long strip upward toward the front along its marked line. Work across the three strips separately. Use a tiny dab of glue under each hem and press it against its own long strip.

   Layers: Only the three short bottom tails move. The first cross strip stays in place immediately above them.

   Check: Three folded ends form the bottom edge; no strip is cut off.

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10. STEP 10 · Original nine-strip plain-weave layout

    Fold the top end hems

    Fold the top 0.25 inch of each long strip downward toward the front along the 5.75-inch mark. Glue and press each hem to its own strip. Keep the woven rows flat.

    Layers: Only the three top tails move; all eighteen crossings stay unchanged.

    Check: Both ends now have folded hems. The finished bookmark is about 1.5 × 5.5 inches.

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11. STEP 11 · Original nine-strip plain-weave layout

    Let it dry before using

    Let the glue dry fully according to its label, then check that every cross strip and hem is secure and no sticky areas remain. Place the long bookmark between pages with its top projecting slightly. Do not attach it to a page or force a thick glued patch into a tightly bound book.

    Layers: Nine separate strips are now held by the woven crossing order and glue; there is no hidden pocket or tuck.

    Check: A long, flat checkerboard bookmark has six woven rows and folded top and bottom ends.

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