Cry Baby Bunting

So i have neglected my Blog for a few weeks, but i have my reasons, and no not being lazy, if only.

I have been busy with birthday celebrations and i went away for a long weekend to Spain, but normality is resumed this late on a Sunday night and i have today completed the bunting that i started as my project a few weeks ago and mentioned in a previous post.

So as a novice and with a new sewing machine for my birthday i thought what could i try to make that wouldn't take too long and would have good visual effect and that nobody would have to look too closely to see my mistakes...............bunting! 

I first sourced in a charity shop a few weeks ago some lovely chair back and arm covers for 80p, and when looking at them noticed that if i put a triangle template on them i could keep the embroidered pattern and use as the main focus for the bunting and still giving a vintage feel.

Charity Shop Finds

Bunting Template - Large

I then downloaded a bunting template from www.housetohome.co.uk which had 2 different sizes on the template, i chose the larger flag as this allowed for the floral pattern, but i have since cut smaller bunting in a striped fabric. and then pinned onto the chair cover. As i had 7 covers i cut all 7 and then as they were too thin for bunting i then cut another 7 for backs and then another 4 in plain to make up 2 extra, 1 for each end to make the bunting longer. I used pinking shears that i had bought at Hobbycraft. Of course your bunting can be any length and any assortment of materials, but i wanted to keep the theme of the vintage chair backs. Once i had all the triangles i then pinned all of the backs to each one.

Next it was time to get sewing with my new Brother LS14 sewing machine. I must admit i did have a few problems 

with this machine and the bobbin kept sewing loose stitches so a few swear words were thrown into the equation, 

but after a bit of practice and finally sorting out the bobbin i was well away and sewing the triangles in a matching 

green thread as a contrast  against the white material and picking out the green from the flower stems.

Brother LS14 Sewing Machine

I was going to use ribbon that i had bought previously from Aint Too Shabby who you will find on Facebook and 

Instagram, but it was 2.5m long and not long enough for the amount of flags i had made, so i went to my local 

haberdashers in Coulsdon - www.artandcraftvalley.com  and bought 4m of 13mm bias binding. This is a tip i will

remember for future use and i will probably keep the bias binding in my stock as it was easy to use and comes in 

longer lengths than a reel of ribbon and isn't too expensive. 

I then ironed the bias binding in half and placed each flag 4" apart, pinning as i went but you can do them closer, its

up to you, but they must be evenly placed, i also left 40cm at each end for tying to trees etc, but again you can 

extend on this. Once i got going with the sewing machine and remembering to take out the pins before they went 

under the foot of the machine i was well away and the bunting was completed, not to perfection, but not bad for a 

first attempt.

Triangles ready to Go

Pot - Waitrose
Pinned, ready to Sew

The Finished Product