Embroidery Hoop Bunting Wall Art

This project was actually really easy to make!  I bought an embroidery hoop from Michael's for only a couple dollars and I had all the fabric.  I used my rotary cutter and mat to cut little triangles for the bunting.

I used a pencil to faintly make lines and then I used my sewing machine to sew the two lines.

Then I used a q-tip to put a small dot of  Mod Podge on each flag, to keep them in place during sewing.  Then I sewed over the top of each flag.

I positioned it in my embroidery hoop and then cut off the excess fabric.

Bunting on a Cake

I've seen this idea around (like here or here, which turned out amazing) and thought Mother's Day would be the perfect time to try it out myself.  I didn't look up any tutorials before embarking on this project, because it seemed so simple.  It was pretty much a total fail.

I got a triangle punch and colorful paper; and I had straws, washi tape, baker's twine and letter stickers on hand. 

Here's what I learned: 

1. Happy Mother's Day is too many letters to deal with - I think on tiny cake bunting, less is more.  So many letters ended up being too heavy to stay in place, so for the picture, my mom and dad had to hold it. 

2. Washi tape as the top "binding" doesn't work. It's too stiff and doesn't curve, like you want bunting to.  Other tutorials I've seen either punch two holes in each flag and weave the string through the top or punch the flag so it's connected at the top and fold it over the string.  I think both of those methods would have worked better.

3. It's really hard to attach the string to the straw (and three strands are triply difficult).  The heart tutorial above uses mini clothespins at the top of the straw and that seems like a good idea.  Or some people use dowel rods rather than straws and maybe that is easier to tie a string around.

4. Sometimes real life gets in the way of picture perfect blogging.  The cake just came out of the oven, we were supposed to gather everything and get to my sister's house, the cake was still too warm to frost, but I did it anyway, because I wanted to get a picture. 

So...this was a learning experience!  I love the look of bunting, so I'd like to try it again and hopefully next time it'll be better!

Colorful Bunting for a Backyard Bash

You work hard, try to provide for the family, and then, for one minute, everything´s good. Everyone´s well. Everyone´s happy. In that one minute, you have peace.

-While You Were Sleeping

Every once in a while, I catch a glimpse of that one minute of peace.  Often it's at the wedding receptions I photograph, right after dinner.  People are full, happy, enjoying the decorations and atmosphere, surrounded by friends and family with just the right music playing in the background and people are exactly where they want to be at that moment in time.  A summertime, backyard party with friends usually evokes the same feeling.

 

To create those moments takes planning, sometimes!  Last weekend my friend Amanda had a backyard barbeque to celebrate her new house and birthday and I got to help decorate!  I looked at pictures online for inspiration and was drawn to colorful bunting and fun lighting. 

To make the bunting I pulled out all my scrap fabric and used this fantastic blog post from The Longest Year.  Start with a fat quarter, fold in half.  Measure six inches in from the top left corner and continue making triangles from there. 

Cut the pieces with pinking shears.  Sew the two long sides of the triangles together with a long stitch. 

Then I made my own bias tape, which I still find kind of confusing, but this blog by Made and this video helped me.

Then I just laid out the bunting, to make sure I liked the color/fabric order.  Don't look at the mess!

Then I sewed the bunting flags about 3 inches apart, making sure to leave several inches at each end to tie.

I loved the colorful, happy vibe the bunting added to the backyard party!