How To: Sew Some Easy Letter Bunting!

Today I'm sharing a tutorial for sewing pretty bunting!

I designed this project to re-use the WELCOME lettering templates from my rainbow wreath tutorial. I think some welcome bunting would look lovely in a hallway, but you could easily adapt this tutorial by drawing your own letter templates to spell out any word(s) or name(s) you fancy.

This would be a lovely sewing project for a birthday party, wedding, or other special occasion, or for making a decoration for a child's nursery (make sure to hang the bunting well out of reach of little fingers!).

This tutorial was originally designed for The Village Haberdashery's blog - visit their shop for lots of crafty goodness!

You will need:

* The bunting template from my easy papercrafts post.
* The template sheet from my rainbow wreath tutorial.
* Quilting cotton (I used “Posies in Aqua” from Sugar Pie by Lella Boutique for Moda).
* Felt in two contrasting colours (I used a pretty aqua blue and a candy pink).
* Coordinating ribbon, ricrac or mini pompom trim.
* Sewing thread to match the felt lettering and the ribbon / ricrac / pompom trim.
* Coordinating stranded embroidery thread, to contrast with the inner felt circle.
* Sewing needles and pins.
* Sewing scissors.
* Embroidery scissors (these are ideal for cutting out small or fiddly felt shapes!).

To make the bunting:

1. Use the bunting template to cut out seven triangular “flags” from your chosen fabric (one per letter). If you're adding more than one word to your bunting, remember you'll need an extra flag for the gaps between the words.

2. Use the lettering and circle templates to cut out the felt pieces.

3. Sew each small circle to a backing large circle with whip stitch and your chosen embroidery thread (use half the strands only – so for six-stranded thread just use three strands). I used cream embroidery thread to match my pompom trim.

Then add the letters, sewing them in place with running stitch and matching sewing thread.

4. Position each letter on one of the bunting flags, just below the centre of the flag (remember you’ll be adding the ribbon or trim later!). Sew each letter in place with running stitch in matching (pink) sewing thread, sewing flush with the edge of the smaller circle so your stitching is hidden.

5. Add the bunting flags to your chosen ribbon or trim. Leave a length of ribbon/trim unstitched (so you can tie the bunting in place when you come to display it) then add the flags one by one. Pin or hold the ribbon/trim along the top edge of each flag then sew it in place with running stitch and matching sewing thread.

Leave a length of unstitched ribbon/trim at the other end of the bunting then cut away any excess. If you’re using ribbon, cut the ends at an angle to help prevent fraying.

And you're done! Now you just need to hang the bunting up and go put the kettle on and admire your work.

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