Christmas Bunting Tutorial

DIY Appliqued Fabric Banner

I've been stitching up bunting this week ready to pop in the post as Christmas gifts for my lovely family.  I used a cute blue dotty fabric to represent snow, combined with some very sweet snowmen and tasty figgy puddings!

Bunting is such a thoughtful gift to give and you could also use Christmas fabric, without the appliqued images, for an even quicker project.  The shops charge a fortune for fabric banners and bunting but if you can sew in a straight line, then you can whip up a festive garland!   

Christmas Bunting Tutorial

Materials

Blue dotty fabric

Blue lining fabric

Scraps of fabric for applique

Fusible web (Bondaweb/Heat N Bond)  

Paper or acetate for template

Bias-binding or ribbon

Small red buttons for holly berries

Bells or pom-poms

Step One

Create a template by drawing an equilateral triangle of 20cms either using Publisher or by hand (Having all sides equal saves worry about which is the ‘top’!).  Cut the template from acetate, salvaged from gift packaging.

Using the template, cut the required number of triangles from both the front and lining fabrics.

Step Two

If you're adding applique draw a suitable image or download one from the internet.  I drew a very simple snowman and figgy pudding with the word 'Noel'.  

Step Three
Trace all of your applique pieces onto the Bondaweb.  Place on fabric, fuse and cut out.

Step Four
Arrange the applique pieces on your flag fronts and, when happy with their placement, fix into position with your iron.

Step Five
Machine stitch around the applique pieces using black thread.  Sew over each line twice and don't worry if you wobble, this is all part of the appeal of free motion embroidery!

Step Six

Pin the fronts and lining pieces together, with right sides facing. Then machine stitch around three sides, leaving the tops open. Trim seams and snip across the bottom point to reduce bulk, then turn through to right side and press carefully.

Almost there!

These triangle flags were stitched, pressed and ready to be attached to the bias binding when I noticed that one of the 'N's' was upside down - I quickly stitched up another one........A bit of a D'oh moment!

Step Seven

Place the flags inside the bias-binding approximately 2cms apart and pin into place.  If you don’t have any bias-binding simply fold some pretty ribbon or tape in half and press.  Remember to allow at least 10cms of tape at both ends of the bunting garland so that it can be tied or hung in its finished position.  Machine stitch using either a zigzag or straight stitch.

Step Eight
Stitch a little bell or pompom to each of the triangle points and then hang in pride of place in your home (or gift to a loved one, if you can bear to part with it!).

See, I told you it was easy!

'We all love figgy pudding, so bring some out here!'

'Let it snow!'



Merry Christmas!