Make your own Halloween Bunting

Published in Issue 19, October 2012

Written by Kerry from Crafts from the Heath

www.craftsfromtheheath.co.uk

Halloween Mini Bunting

Materials Required:

Orange cotton fabric

Black/white polka dot fabric  

Black cotton fabric

Black bias binding tape 19 or 25 mm 140 cms long

Felt –orange, green, black, brown, white

Sewing thread

Pins

Sewing machine 

Triangle template shape 12 cm across x 12 cm dow [middle to point]

Scissors

Pencil

Iron

Step 1 Cut 4 triangles using the template from each of the fabrics – you should have 12 triangles to make 6 double sided bunting flags.

Step 2 Cut out your Halloween felt embellishments to go onto your bunting flags. I decided on a ghost, witch & pumpkin but you could also choose a spider, spider’s web, skeleton, or anything Halloween themed.

Step 3 Pin your embellishments onto the right side of the flags [front side] & sew around the shape securing it to the flag – this is also the time to sew any additional features to faces or shapes.

Step 4 Once all the embellishments are secure, pin your flags with right sides together.  Taking a seam of about 5 mm, sew down one side to the point and stop. Then keeping your needle down in the fabric, turn and sew up the other long side. Do not sew top edge.


You can sew all the flags in one go.  As you get to the end of each flag allow your machine to sew a few stitches without fabric, then introduce the next flag.  This saves time and thread!
Then just cut the thread between flags when you have finished sewing them all. Remove pins.

Step 5 Cut away excess fabric at the point of each flag, making sure not to cut through the stitches. Now you can turn the flags the right way. You can use a pencil to gently push the point out fully. Press the flags with an iron to make them neat.      

      

Step 6 Cut 140 cm of bias binding.  Fold it in half lengthwise (you may want to press it with an iron).  Pin your first flag 20 cm from the start of the binding & space the flags out leaving approximately 6 cm between each flag.

Step 7 Sew from the end of the bias binding to just before the first flag, through both sides of the binding – this will form a channel to hold the flags as you sew along.

Next slot the top edge of first flag into fold of binding. Sew through binding and flag and stop, needle down, when you have sewn all along the top edge of one flag. Repeat with all the flags until all are secure. Make sure the flags face the right way with all the embellishments facing the front. [Try to sew as close to the edge of the binding as possible making sure that the top fabric of the flag is secure.] Now sew to the end of the binding – you should have approximately 20 cm either side to tie the bunting . 

Now hang your bunting & admire with pride !

Larger bunting with different design. 

You can make larger bunting using a larger template & longer bias binding. 

I usually use a template of 15 cm across by 20 cm drop & 3M of binding with 8-9 flags.