Girly bunting for our birthday buddies - tutorial

'Tis the season for birthday parties! With so many toy options available and quite a lot of indecision about which to choose, Little Miss and I have decided to go home-made in our gift giving. This is something we have often previously done, and I guess it's a response to the dilemma of trying to find something new and different for our little buddies on their birthdays. 

This bunting is super easy to make. All you need is 40cm of fabric and about 2.5 metres of pretty bias binding. If your fabric has a directional pattern, then you will need 60cm of fabric, or else 4 of the bunting patches will be up the wrong way!

Make your bunting pattern by measuring out a triangle that is 18cm across the top and measures 17.5cm from the top, through the centre, to the tip. This pattern includes a 1cm seam on all sides.

Fold the fabric in half, so it's doubled over with the selvage edges matching. 

Cut out 9 pairs of bunting flags. You will need to turn the shape 180 degrees and cut 4 of the pairs out of the gaps facing the other way. If it's a fabric with a directional pattern, then cut them out all facing the same way.

With the right sides of the fabric facing each other, pin all the flag pairs together. Sew the long sides of the triangles using a 1cm seam, leaving the tops open.

Trim the extra fabric from the tip as shown. 

Turn all the flags in the right way and iron each one flat. 

Cut the protruding piece of seam from the open end of each side.

The bias binding should be sitting with the short side facing upwards. Measure out 50cm of the binding. At that point, position the first flag between the halves of the binding and pin in place.

Measure a 4cm gap between flags, then position another flag. 

Continue to measure and pin until all the flags are in position. Trim the finished end of the bias binding off at 50cm. 

Fold the end of the bias over making a little tuck in the middle so the raw edge doesn't stick out. 

Fold the bias together and pin in place. 

Starting from the pinned end of the bias, sew the end, then along the open edge, through the flags, right to the other end. Finish by sewing across the end of the bias.  

And you're done! 


Happy sewing everyone.