Hello!
I thought today I would share with you how I make my fabric bunting!
This is actually the first thing I learnt to make on a sewing machine!
What you will need:
fabric vanishing pen or tailors chalk
Fabric - I'm using a lovely shabby-chic style burlap fabric
Bias Binding
pretty trim
(optional)
scissors
pinking shears (optional)
sewing machine
Iron and ironing board
and to make the little crochet flower;
cotton yarn
crochet hook
pearl
Ready?
Right then, lets get started...
The first thing to do is print out and cut around your template. now your going to lay your fabric face down, if you are using a fabric with a pattern on you need to make sure that when the pendant hangs the pattern is the right way up! now start drawing around your template
If your using a vanishing ink fabric pen like me you might find that on some fabrics it vanishes way too quick! So don't draw out too many, or they may have disappeared before you get a chance to cut them out!
Once you have drawn out a few, use your pinking shears if you have them, if not normal fabric scissors to cut out the pendants, keep repeating this stage until you have enough pendants, bear in mind you need 2 triangles to make one finished pendant as we will be sewing 2 together.
Next we are going to sew 2 together. For this bunting I want to leave the raw edges showing, as i think it adds to the rustic look of the bunting, therefore just hold 2 together (don't worry if they don't line up perfectly, we will sort that out later) both with the right side of the fabric showing (so wrong sides inside together) and sew around the edge, about half an inch in from the edge. Make sure you 'back stitch' (this means to sew forward about 3 stitches, then stop, and press the reverse button on your sewing machine to go back over those few stitches, then carry on forward). This stops the stitches from coming undone and means no need to fuss about knotting the threads at the end) Start at the top right corner of the pendant, sew down that edge, when you get to the bottom point of the pendant leave your needle down, lift the footer, swivel the pendant, footer back down, now sew up the other edge. There is no need to sew across the top edge as this will be hidden inside the bias tape later.
Now we are going to snip off the thread ends, so that we have a nice neat finish at the end.
Now take your pinking shears or fabric scissors
Remember how I said not to worry if the 2 pendants didn't line up perfectly? We are going to sort that out by trimming around the outer edge. Be super careful not to get too close to your stitches, you don't want to cut them! You just want to create a nice, neat finish.
Now lets talk bias tape. This stuff can be picked up in any fabric store or haberdashery, or eBay. Your going to need a couple of meters of the stuff. The one I'm using today is a floral fabric one, but more often you will find plain coloured ones like in my above photo of materials. Some times they will come as a flat strip, or sometime it will come folded in on itself at the back, if so, you just need to iron it flat. Once you have your flat strip you need to start folding it in half and pressing it.
(Do you love my floral ironing board cover?!?!)
Once you have ironed the entire length in half its a good idea to lay everything out and decide on pendant placement!
Some people like to have the pendants touching, i like about a 1.5 inch gap in between each
You could now pin them into the bias tape if you want, I don't personally bother, because I'm too lazy!
Now we are going to stitch the pendants into the bias tape. First take the end of the bias tape, fold it in slightly to the back to create a nice neat end, now stitch back and forth over that end a few times
Now start to sticth along the long edge. So leave your needle down, put the footer up, swivel the bias tape so that you can stitch along the long edge, and put your footer back down
Then stitch along, I leave about 6 inches, but its just down to personal preference!
Now place your first pendant snuggly inside the bias tape
If you pinned yours in place then you wont need to worry about this bit!
Now stitch over the pendant, being sure that your stitches are catching the pendant inside the bias tape.
Because I don't pin mine in place (lazy bum) I measure the distance between each by sewing until the top edge of my pendant reaches the end of the footer...
Then slip the next pendant into position.
Carry on until all the pendants are sewn into position, then carry on along the bias tape for another 6 inches, I like to pull my other end up so I can make sure they are the same length.
Ta-Dah!!
Well done you clever sausage! Now you can either leave it like that, and be sufficiently pleased with yourself, or you can get creative with the trims and let your imagination run wild!
I, myself, like to run wild once in awhile!
So I decided a lace trim was a definite, if you choose to add a trim, simple line up the edge of the trim with the edge of the bias tape and stitch alone the entire length
I thought about adding a button on each end, but decided against that idea, it just didn't look quite right. So I made some tiny hearts and flowers to see how they would look...
Once i made a decision i used my trusty old glue gun to stick the flowers in place
And that's it. Stand back and admire your masterpiece. Then hang it somewhere for everyone else to admire and wait for the compliments to flood in!!!
(and if the compliments don't flood in refuse to cook dinner!!)
I hope you have found this tutorial useful, I'd love to hear what you think of it and see your creations!
So please leave me a message!
If your on instgram then tag me using @cornishrosediaries.
If you have any problems or questions just message me!
Toodle-Pips
x
