Birth Month Embroidery Bookmarks

Alison
Jun 3, 2021
2 min read

Updated: Oct 17, 2022

This series of Birth Month Embroidery Kits, evolved over 2020. With free time to create and a newly opened Etsy store, I had intended to embellish some gorgeous velvet with silvers, golds and astronomical themes. Making small jewellery pouches and purses - something I still hope to get to at some point... I somehow ended up researching birth month flowers and gemstones, and needing a bookmark myself - embarked on designing embroidered bookmarks...

I vaguely remember embroidering this as a primary school pupil, many (many) moons ago. For some reason I have always kept it, and kept it safe.

Would you believe my next foray into hand embroidery would be 2018, embroidering a pair of Phoenix onto a bridal veil. I love embroidery but never had the patience or time to learn formally. I discovered some wonderful embroidery designers during lockdown, and they inspired me to sit down, put pen to paper and thread to needle.

What started as a simple idea, took over 4 months to design, develope, sample and finalise.

It certainly kept me busy, and seeing each month embroidered was a satisfying accomplishment.

Birth month flowers and gemstones vary through time, there are ancient, traditional and modern lists to choose from, and these differ from country to country.

I chose to use a combination of ancient and traditional gemstones represented by crystals, and the traditional birth flowers of both the UK & USA.

January: UK: Carnation, US: Snowdrop, Gemstone: Garnet

February: UK: Violet, US: Primrose, Gemstone: Amethyst

March: UK & US: Daffodil, Gemstone: Bloodstone

April: UK: Daisy, US: Sweet Pea, Gemstone: Diamond

May: UK: Lily-of-the-Valley, US: Hawthorn, Gemstone: Emerald

June: UK: Honeysuckle, US: Rose, Gemstone: Moonstone

July: UK: Larkspur, US: Waterlily, Gemstone: Ruby

August: UK: Gladiolus, UD: Poppy, Gemstone: Sardonyx

September: UK: Aster, US: Morning Glory, Gemstone: Sapphire

October: UK: Marigold, US: Calendula, Gemstone: Opal

November: UK: Chrysanthemum, US: Peony, Gemstone: Topaz