This Waves Bookmark Crochet Pattern is actually one of my favorites I've put together so far. It's a quick, satisfying project that works up fast and makes the most thoughtful little gift for the readers in your life.
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About This Project
What I love about this one is how much personality it packs into such a small project. The construction is really clever. you're working two sides that come together with a stripe detail running through the center, and the whole thing finishes with a little tassel that just makes it feel complete. It's the kind of make where the process is genuinely fun, not just the end result.
I'd make this for basically anyone who reads, which honestly covers a lot of people on a gift list. It suits a birthday, a holiday basket, a teacher appreciation gift. something small but made with actual care.
What Makes This Pattern Special
A fast, beginner-friendly make that actually looks like you put real effort into it.
- Skill Level: This is rated Easy, so newer crocheters will have no trouble at all working through it.
- Time Investment: It's a small accessory, so you can realistically finish this in a single sitting.
- Gifting Potential: Bookmarks are one of those universally appreciated gifts, and making a few in different color combos goes pretty quickly.
- Technique Value: The multi-color construction gives you a low-stakes way to practice working with more than one yarn color at a time.
- Stash Friendly: This really does use very little yarn, so it's a great way to put small leftovers to good use.
What You'll Need
Three colors at 8 yards each — the whole yarn commitment for this project fits in your palm.
- DK Weight Mercerized Cotton (3 colors, approx. 8 yards each): Mercerized cotton is the right call here. It has a slight sheen and holds its shape well in rows, so the color changes read cleanly instead of getting muddy at the edges. A DK cotton also blocks flat without fuss, and at only 8 yards per color, you're looking at small amounts — scraps work perfectly.
- Size E/4 (3.5 mm) Crochet Hook: This size pairs well with DK cotton, giving you a firm fabric that isn't stiff. Cotton has no stretch, so a slightly smaller hook keeps the stitches tidy without fighting the yarn.
- Also needed: yarn needle, scissors
Color Sequence & Yarn Changes
The colors rotate every two rows: Color A for Rows 1 and 2, Color B for Rows 3 and 4, and Color C for Rows 5 and 6. Each switch happens at the end of the even row, so you're always joining the new color as you finish a row rather than mid-row. If you plan to add the optional tassel, set aside a small length of whichever color you want before you cut your yarn at the end.
Pattern Overview
A slim, lengthwise-worked bookmark in DK cotton, with optional tassel finish.
| Skill Level | Easy |
| Pattern Gauge | Gauge is not critical for this project. Use the stated hook size and yarn, and work to the finished measurements; adjust hook size if needed to achieve a neat fabric and desired width. |
| Finished Size | Approximately 1.5 x 8 inches, excluding tassel |
| Yarn Weight | 3 Light / DK |
| Fiber | 100% Mercerized Cotton |
| Terminology | US |
Stitch Guide & Abbreviations
There's a solid range of stitches here, from basic to decrease-heavy.
- ch = chain
- sc = single crochet
- hdc = half double crochet
- dc = double crochet
- tr = triple crochet
- sl st = slip stitch
- sk = skip
- yo = yarn over
- rep = repeat
- sc2tog = single crochet 2 stitches together (insert hook in next st, yo, pull up a loop; insert hook in next st, yo, pull up a loop; yo, pull through all loops on hook)
- sc3tog = single crochet 3 stitches together (insert hook in next st, yo, pull up a loop; insert hook in next st, yo, pull up a loop; insert hook in next st, yo, pull up a loop; yo, pull through all loops on hook)
- tr2tog = triple crochet 2 stitches together (yo twice, insert hook in next st, yo, pull up a loop, [yo, pull through 2 loops] twice; yo twice, insert hook in next st, yo, pull up a loop, [yo, pull through 2 loops] twice; yo, pull through all loops on hook)
- tr3tog = triple crochet 3 stitches together (yo twice, insert hook in next st, yo, pull up a loop, [yo, pull through 2 loops] twice; yo twice, insert hook in next st, yo, pull up a loop, [yo, pull through 2 loops] twice; yo twice, insert hook in next st, yo, pull up a loop, [yo, pull through 2 loops] twice; yo, pull through all loops on hook)
Special Stitches
- sc2tog: Insert hook in next st, yo, pull up a loop; insert hook in next st, yo, pull up a loop; yo, pull through all loops on hook.
- sc3tog: Insert hook in next st, yo, pull up a loop; insert hook in next st, yo, pull up a loop; insert hook in next st, yo, pull up a loop; yo, pull through all loops on hook.
- tr2tog: Yo twice, insert hook in next st, yo, pull up a loop, [yo, pull through 2 loops] twice; yo twice, insert hook in next st, yo, pull up a loop, [yo, pull through 2 loops] twice; yo, pull through all loops on hook.
- tr3tog: Yo twice, insert hook in next st, yo, pull up a loop, [yo, pull through 2 loops] twice; yo twice, insert hook in next st, yo, pull up a loop, [yo, pull through 2 loops] twice; yo twice, insert hook in next st, yo, pull up a loop, [yo, pull through 2 loops] twice; yo, pull through all loops on hook.
Important Notes
This bookmark is worked in rows lengthwise. The ch 1 at the beginning of a row does not count as a stitch, so don't work into it at the end of the following row. The ch 3 at the beginning of a row does count as a dc. Weave in ends as you go or at the finish. If you'd like to add a tassel, make one in your preferred color and attach it to one end of the bookmark once the piece is complete. It's optional, but it does give the finished piece a nice bit of weight and personality.
Step-by-Step Instructions
This waves bookmark works up in six rows and uses three colors to build the ripple effect from foundation to finish.
The Bookmark
Each color gets its own moment here — Color A lays the foundation, Color B shapes the wave, and Color C pulls it all into the final form. You'll need approximately 8 yards of each color. The whole thing works in rows, so there's no joining or turning in circles to worry about.
Setup: With Color A, ch 38.
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. Ch 1, turn. [37 sc]
Row 2: Sc in first st. *Hdc in next st, dc in next st, 3 tr in next st, dc in next st, hdc in next st, sc in next st; rep from * across. Switch to Color B. Ch 1, turn. This row builds the wave peaks — the treble cluster at the center of each repeat is what pushes the fabric up into that arch shape. Switch to Color B before you turn so it's ready to go on Row 3.
Row 3: With Color B, sc2tog over first 2 sts, sc in each of next 2 sts. *3 sc in next st, sc in each of next 2 sts, sc3tog over next 3 sts, sc in each of next 2 sts; rep from * across to final 2 sts. Sc2tog over final 2 sts. Ch 1, turn. The sc3tog pulls the valley of each wave tight, and the 3 sc in one stitch fans out the peak — this is the core of the ripple shaping.
Row 4: Repeat Row 3. Switch to Color C. The wave shaping repeats exactly, so you're working the same stitch pattern as Row 3. Make the color switch to Color C before turning.
Row 5: With Color C, ch 3, sk first st, tr in next st (counts as a tr2tog). Dc in next st, hdc in next st, sc in next st, hdc in next st, dc in next st*, tr3tog over next 3 sts; rep from * ending the last rep at **. Tr2tog over final 2 sts. Ch 1, turn. The ch 3 plus tr combination at the start counts as your first tr2tog, so don't work into that first stitch. The pattern mirrors Row 2 in structure but with the taller stitches now decreasing rather than increasing — it closes the wave back down.
Row 6: Sc in first st and in each st across. A clean single crochet row across everything to finish the top edge flat.
Fasten off and weave in ends.
Care Instructions
Mercerized cotton holds up really well to washing, so this bookmark can go in the machine on a gentle cycle without much fuss. I'd skip the dryer though. Lay it flat to dry so the wave shape stays crisp and the tassel doesn't get mangled. If you made one as a gift and want it to look tidy in the packaging, a quick press with a damp cloth and a cool iron will smooth it right out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, and that's one of the things I love about this project. Each color uses around 8 yards, so this is a great way to use up those tiny scraps of DK or light worsted cotton you've been hoarding. Three colors, about 24 yards total, and you have a finished bookmark.
Color A switches to Color B at the end of Row 2. Color B switches to Color C at the end of Row 4. Both switches happen at the end of the row before you turn, so you're never mid-row scrambling to change yarn. Just make the switch, chain 1, and turn as usual.
Row 5 starts with ch 3, which counts as a dc, so you skip the first stitch and work into the second one. This is a standard dc turning chain setup. The tricky part is remembering to treat that ch 3 as a real stitch when you reach the end of the next row. Missing it will throw off your count.
Not at all. The pattern notes say it's optional, and the bookmark looks complete without it. If you do add one, any color works, including one of the three you already used. I've also seen people add a simple loop instead of a tassel if they want something a bit tidier.
The foundation chain of 38 runs along the long edge of the bookmark, not the short end. So you're building width as you add rows, not length. Each row you work is adding a thin horizontal stripe across the 8-inch span. It's a different orientation than you might expect if you've only made bookmarks worked top to bottom.
Now It's Your Turn!
This little bookmark works up so fast that you'll probably want to make a stack of them, and with only 8 yards per color, it's a perfect excuse to raid your cotton scrap bin. I'd love to see which color combinations you land on, so if you share yours on Instagram, tag me so I can take a look. And if you're saving this for later, go ahead and pin it so it doesn't get buried in your browser tabs.
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