how do I make bunting?

[cleoowen]

I am all fingers and thumbs with art and crafts and not very artistic but does anyone have instructions for making easy but good quality bunting which will last,the test of time?

I made miles and miles of bunting for my wedding, it took over my life for a while...

The easiest way is, cut triangles with pinking (sp?) shears so you don't have to hem them then attach to bias binding. Use a thicker binding so you can fold it over the top of the flag and then only have to sew once with the machine.

Hope that helps / makes sense?

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Choose any fabric you love and cut into wide strips (about 25 to 30cm) and then triangles - you can be a perfectionist with a ruler - using pinking shears (scissors that cut a zigzag edge.

Then just run up on a machine across the top shorter edge folding the tape in half lengthwise across the top. Leave an equal sized gap between each flag - I used a mark on my sewing machine so no pinning or tacking.

The cutting out takes the longest, then you simply zip through and very quickly have metres of the stuff!

Oh, and I organised my different patterns in order on the table so just picked the flags from each pile in turn, so no complex organisation before.

You could double side each flag, hem and make it truly beautiful, but I was far more interested in impact - quantity over perfection!

I do triangular pockets and attach them to bias binding - will last forever...

Cut 2 triangles same size, stitch with right sides together along 2 sides (not the top)

turn right way out and press with an iron.

I then stitch again 0.5cm from the edges on all 3 sides - looks pretty, fold bias binding over the top edge and stitch,

make sure you measure the gaps in between as it is very noticeable when they differ....

(p.s. Very easy to make money from bunting at the moment as it is "in"...)

What do you all think about gaps? Some bunting has no gaps. I have gap indecision.

I am going to make mine like this.

I prefer a more open look myself - about a third to half the width of the triangle.. like this

gives a floaty romantic look and takes less effort for a longer stretch... but doesn't look "stingy"

Oh, I love bunting. I made my first lot earlier in the year, I have hung it on my piano. I still have loads of pennants made up, I must get around to making some more up.

I did have a thread going on here with links.

As for the gaps in between pennant, I think that it depends on the place and usage of the bunting if that make sense. For my piano, I had no gaps but if I wanted it to hang outside, I would go for a "gappier" look!

Have fun.xx