the sweetest bunting tutorial

Spring has sprung and with Easter fast approaching it's nice to have some pretty decorative bunting to celebrate the season! I created this bunting for the Brother Crafts Challenge. The pattern is completely adaptable, having two rows means you can switch it up and easily change the words and patterns to whatever you fancy.

The tutorial below provides a link to the templates and instructions on how to sew the bunting, with tips and tricks to make it simple and fun!

Supplies:

Templates, click here to download
(13) 6 x 7.5" pieces of felt (or fabric, see bottom of post for how to!)
(2) approx. 90" lengths of double fold binding or ribbon
Fabric scraps for the letters and flowers
Fusible web
a pen
cotton thread
sewing machine

Begin by printing off the templates. Cut out the bunting shape template. Use the template to cut out 13 shapes from the felt.

Now you could either freehand letters or you can use PicMonkey - this is a fast and easy way to make appliqué letters! Don't be scared, it really is simple to create a great template for your letters.

Go to http://www.picmonkey.com/, on the homepage click the 'Design' button, I've circled it in the image below:

On the left click the 'Tt' button and then the 'Add Text' at the top. I chose Chelsea Market but you could use any font - be sure to pick one that is simple to cut out, so not too fussy. It is also easier to appliqué bold lettering so don't chose anything too skinny!

Type a letter into the text box and then adjust the size to make it bigger.

You want to adjust the size to fit nicely within the bunting shape. My letters were 2212 but check the size by holding the paper template up to your computer screen.
The most important thing to remember is to invert the letter - do this by clicking ↔

Once you are happy with the size, hold the fusible web up to the screen (paper side facing out) and trace round the letter. 

Delete the letter and replace with the next letter of your bunting word, repeat so you have traced all the letters onto fusible web.

h

a

p x3

y

s

r

i

n

g

Roughly cut round each letter and fuse the letters onto your fabric.

Cut the letters out. For the inner parts of letters (i.e. the 'hole' in p, a and g) fold the fabric and make a cut in the middle of the circle, this makes it much easier to cut a neat circle. I recommend using smaller scissors for those bits!

Fuse the letters to the felt, you need to be very careful - use a tea towel or cloth over the top, dampen with a little spray of water and then press (follow fusible web manufacturers directions). If you find it won't stick try dampening the cloth a bit more.

Appliqué the letters - you could use a blanket stitch or zig zag stitch on your machine but since bunting is decorative I outlined the letters with a straight stitch using Aurifil 40 wt. thread.

For an extra touch I stitched around the edges of the felt with variegated thread, using my sewing machine's 1/4" foot. I used Aurifil Lana thread in colour #8009 with 50 wt. white thread in the bobbin. This is easy to do and quick if you chain piece (continuously sew without cutting threads). To follow the curved edge, look at the front right edge of the 1/4" foot and guide the felt round to meet that point as you sew. 

For the floral appliqué, print out the flower templates and trace onto fusible web. Position the flowers on the felt shapes and fuse into place (again follow manufacturers directions and use a damp cloth).

You can use some play with your sewing machine's stitches to appliqué the flowers, have fun and be creative! I used a darning foot to mimic the shape of the appliqué and also tried out different machine stitches with a regular foot.

Once all the appliqué and stitching is done it's time to put the bunting together.

Take one length of binding and find the centre, open the binding and position the middle letter (or two) centrally:

Pin into place and then repeat with the rest of the letters / flowers either side:

Neaten the short ends of the binding by opening it out, fold the edge over 1/4" and stitch in place.

If you are using ribbon pin the letters to the back of the ribbon.

Sew along the length of the binding / ribbon, top stitching along the edge.

Repeat for your second row of bunting and you are finished sewing!

Tie together to make double rows of bunting, interchange the words for birthdays or other celebrations and add a touch of sweetness to your decor!

You could use fabric rather than felt. You would need to cut the fabric using pinking shears to prevent fraying or top stitch the edges and have it fray slightly. Alternatively you could use 26 fabric bunting shapes - add 1/4" seam to the template - sew them right sides together using 1/4" seam and turn right side out to have double sided fabric bunting.

I hope you enjoy making this pattern your own and sewing the sweetest bunting!

This post is in collaboration with Brother Sewing - check out the website for events and free embroidery patterns.


linking up to finish it up friday at crazy mom quilts