how to make your own bunting

 Last week when I showed you the bunting I had made I said I would come back with a tutorial on how to make your own fabric bunting.

This is a very simple sewing project that only requires that you can sew a straight line 

(and mine aren't always that straight!).

While it is not a five minute job it can be done in about an hour.

The wonderful thing about this bunting is that it will last for years to come.

Now over the years with my obsession with bunting this is the way I have found gives the best result.

I have tried cutting the fabric with pinking shears and then sewing it together- this means that you don't have to turn the triangles in the right way, but inevitably you have to re-pink all the triangles because they don't match up and I found that very frustrating and time consuming.

I have also overlocked the edges and this works well, 

but not everyone has an overlocker and because I am selling these I think should look a little more finished.

Feel free to experiment and try other methods but this is the one I go back to time and again.

Onto the tutorial:

First you need some fabric, I used op shopped Christmas sacks that I washed.

Use whatever fabric you want- new, used or scraps,  

I have seen some very pretty scrap fabric bunting.

 Now out of thick cardboard make yourself a template, I used an old box here.

I have used this particular template for all my bunting.

It is about 14.5cm at the base and the height is 18cm.

This is not a magical number I think I just made a triangle about the size I thought a piece of bunting should be.

Just make it whatever size works for you.

 Double your fabric with right sides together and wrong sides facing out.

Trace around your template with a pencil flipping it to get as many triangles as possible.

Cut out keeping your two pieces together.

 Sew down the two sides of the triangle.

 Trim the point.

 Turn in the right way

 Then put something into the point to make it nice and sharp.

I used the end of my scissors, but a skewer works well too.

This step is important if you want a neat finish.

 

Now iron them all nice and flat.

This is your last chance to check your points and fix any that are not pointy enough!

 Once they are all ironed I like to lay them out on a flat surface and arrange them how they look best, 

this is especially important if you have a mix of colours.

Now you are ready to sew.

 Fold the bias binding I use 25mm (1inch) wide  in half and sew along to make your ties, I make mine between 20-30cm long.

Then it is just a matter of putting your triangle into the middle and making sure you have an even amout of bias binding on each side and sew. 

I find it easiest to just catch the triangle with one or two stitches and then stop and line it all up and then hold it in place while I sew along to the end of the triangle.

However, if you are not confident you may like to pre iron your bias binding in half (some come pre ironed)

and pin your triangles in place before sitting down to sew.

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I tend to make my bunting between 2.5 to 3 metres long, you may wish to make yours longer. 

You can space them apart or have them closer together.

There is about 5cm between each of mine, but I think the next one I do I will place them a bit closer together.

So there you have it a step by step guide to creating your own pretty fabric bunting.

Now go forth and create!

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