'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.
I just finished making this great crochet bunting. Its super cute and very easy to make. The random nature of the flowers means you can make whatever flowers you want from odds and ends of wool. It would work equally well with cotton yarn. Then just join them all up a chain stitch. I worked 20 chain stitches in between each flower, and about 40 at each end. The flowers are a mixture of stitches: all worked on magic loops and a base of 11 double crochet in the first row.
Little Miss 4 was very happy to gift it to one of her buddies as a 5th birthday present. With Christmas around the corner and at least four markets to get to, I know I am going to be making a few more of these cute little numbers.
The weather is warming, the holidays are tantalisingly close, the shops are full of chocolate and Christmas is definitely on the way. In an effort to depart from the usual array of plastic based bauble decorations, I decided to make some Christmas themed bunting. It is really easy to make and can be used year after year to decorate all sorts of places.
It only takes a few minutes to draw out a pattern to whatever size you require.
I made mine 18cm across the top and 21cm down each side of the triangle.
A few scraps of Christmas fabric are all that's required. You can make your bunting as long as you wish using as many flags as required. I used nine flags for this one.
This bunting is made from cotton fabric with a gold thread backing.
I also cut out some other nylon and polyester mix fabrics to try out.
Gasp! I hear you say. Synthetic fabrics? Has she gone mad?
There is method in this particular madness... I wanted to be able to hang the bunting outside over the Christmas period without it deteriorating in the weather.
Having cut out all the flags, simply place the right sides of the fabric together and sew down each side leaving the top open.
Trim the tip of the flag as shown. This enables the flag to be turned in the right way and retain a nice sharp end.
Use a pin to pick out the flag tip. Just be careful not to pull out any individual threads or push through the stitching.
Once you have sewed all your flags, lay them out in the desired pattern. If your only making one string of bunting, it is a good idea to have decided on your pattern before starting the project. Because I was making a few strings at one time, I left the pattern arranging until all the flags were stitched.
Now pin the flags to the ribbon. You will need 3 metres of 2.5cm width ribbon.
I left 35cm at each end for tying. Pin in the flag; then leave 8 cm in between the flags.
I have also used bias binding; it worked really well, but is not always available in a very large range of colours.
Fold the ribbon in half and sandwich the flag in between. Pin all the flags in place. Sew from the end of the tie, right through to the other end. Fold the raw edges of the ribbon in before you sew, so they don't end up fraying.
And it's made in no time at all! Not only is this bunting a lovely decoration for your home, it also makes a lovely home-made gift. It doesn't have to be a Christmas theme, and looks equally lovely in children's bedrooms and for party celebrations.
I am already thinking about what fabrics I could use for Little Miss' next birthday party.
