How to make bunting: Free bunting template, tutorial and video guide
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How to make bunting: Free bunting template, tutorial and video guide
Looking for some beautiful fabric bunting to add to your home? Use our beginner-guide to learn how to make bunting using fabric scraps from your stash.
We’ve got the ultimate mood-boosting make to lift your spirits – learn how to make bunting with our really easy step-by-step guide and video tutorial. Because really, is there any craft project more cheerful than DIY bunting?
In this post we’ll talk you through how to make easy-sew fabric bunting flags, then string them from a length of cotton tape binding to bring instant cheer. This is a lovely, simple craft project for those new to sewing or a great first sewing project to make with children. It won’t take you long, we’ve got a free bunting template to get you started, and the whole thing will take you just a couple of hours to complete.
This is also a nice, easy craft idea if you’re looking for inexpensive ways to brighten up your living space on lockdown.
Don’t worry if you don’t have pre-made bias binding cotton tape at home, you can improvise if you’re not able to go out by making binding strips similar to those you’d use to make a quilt – watch our video to find out how or we also talk you through this method in our how to bind a quilt tutorial.
We’re giving you two ways to learn how to make bunting in this post – watch our video or scroll down to find step-by-step instructions, and to download our free bunting template. This article was first published in Simply Sewing magazine – the UK best-selling magazine filled with projects for everyone who sews or wants to start.
Read on to learn how to make bunting step by step…
DIY bunting: supplies list
Just in case you need to stock up on a few bits, we’ve included some handy links here for you…
Cotton fabric – if you want to try floral bunting, we like the John Lewis haberdashery range
*If a new machine is a bit out of your price range, you can hand-stitch your bunting using a simple running stitch too, it will just takes a little longer.
Fabric (Cotton fabric - 25 x 40cm (10x16in) for each flag)
Sewing machine
Scissors
Iron (For pressing your work)
Pins
For the binding
Cotton tape (2.5cm (in) wide cotton tape, or)
Fabric (to make your own)
Total time:
Calculating the fabric
Step 1
Are you ready to learn how to sew bunting? Let’s start with some maths! How much fabric do you need? This depends very much on how long you want your bunting to be. Your finished bunting flags will be 15cm (6in) wide with a gap of 10cm (4in) between them. So, divide the length you want your finished bunting to be by 25cm (10in) to work out how many flags you need to make.
Step 2
Buy cotton tape to the length of your finished bunting plus about 30cm (12in) extra at either end for hanging it up, or watch our video guide to how to make bunting above, as we show you in it how to make your own from white cotton fabric.
Cutting out
Step 1
Download, print out and cut around our free bunting template (above).
Step 2
Cut the fabric in half then place the two pieces right sides (RS) together with the template pinned centrally on top.
Step 3
Cut around the template then pin the two triangles of fabric together.
Stitching the flags
Step 1
Stitch the two triangles together, but leave the top straight edge open.
Step 2
Trim the seams at the lower edge and bottom point to help the flag lay flat.
Step 3
Turn the triangles RS out and press flat. Repeat this process to make the other flags.
Assembling the bunting
Step 1
Fold and press the cotton tape in half lengthways with wrong sides (WS) together.
Step 2
Pin one flag inside the tape up to the fold, leaving some tape at the end for hanging.
Step 3
Pin the rest of the flags inside the tape, positioning them 10cm (4in) apart.
Step 4
Topstitch along the the tape to keep it folded and hold the flags securely in place.
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Now you’ve mastered the art of how to make bunting, use your new skills to make bunting for all those weddings, birthdays and post-lockdown parties that are awaiting us once lockdown lifts! This is a lovely wedding craft project or simply make bunting in your favourite fabrics to brighten up your living space.
If you enjoyed learning how to sew bunting, we have some more fun bunting patterns for you to try!
6 bunting patterns to make today
1. DIY happy birthday banner
Planning a celebration? Learn how to sew bunting for a special occasion with this free bunting template designed by Rebecca Reid. Learn how to sew a happy birthday banner today.
2. Free Christmas bunting sewing pattern
Get ready for the festive season with this charming Christmas tree bunting sewing pattern created by Anna Alicia! It’s a great way to use up leftover scraps of fabric and can be reused again and again.
3. How to make a Halloween garland
Set the mood for a party with this fabulous Halloween garland. Use our free bunting template to stitch your own spooky bat decorations to celebrate in style.
4. DIY honey bee patchwork banner
Make this cheerful DIY honey bee patchwork banner to brighten up a room in your home. This bunting pattern uses quilting techniques to create its lovely bee-inspired design.
5. Patchwork flag banner
This rustic patchwork flag banner would be perfect for a celebration or to add some style to a room in your home. This bunting pattern is a brilliant way to make use of fat quarters or leftover scraps of fabric in your craft stash.
6. Denim scraps bunting
We love an upcycling project and this denim scraps bunting is a great way to salvage some worn-out jeans. Add your own appliqué designs to take this sewing project to the next level.
Zoe is the launch Editor of Gathered.how. She has over a decade of craft publishing experience under her belt. She's a quilter and sewist who works with the UK’s best-selling craft magazines including Today’s Quilter, Love Patchwork & Quilting, Simply Sewing and The World of Cross Stitching. Zoe loves being immersed in Gathered’s quilting content, tweaking our tutorials and publishing new patterns. Zoe has previously written for radiotimes.com, Simply Knitting and The World of Cross Stitching and was previously Deputy Editor of Papercraft inspirations magazine. She has guest-lectured at Bath Spa University. She’s a keen quilter with 5 projects in progress at any one time and another 12 or so planned.
