Upcycled Fabric Bunting

Buntings are decorations made by stringing together multiple flags made up of cloth or paper. Their origin can be traced way back to the 1600s when they were used on ships. Today, they are used as handcrafted decorations at celebrations or as room decor to spice up a space. Though the traditional shapes of the individual flags were triangular, they can be any shape or size you like. In this instructable, we will be using leftover upholstery fabric samples to create the flags which are strung together without any sewing involved!

You will need:

• Fabric Samples from creative reuse centres such as ReCraft or furnishing stores/designers
• Fasteners such as Decorative Brads, Safety Pins or Paper Clips
• Fabric scissors or Large Craft Scissors
• Miscellaneous decorations from your craft stash such as Buttons, Faux flowers, Other Embellishments
• Thick White Craft Glue such as Glue All
• Thin Jute String, Ribbon or Raffia that can be used to hang the flags

Select a group of fabric samples of desired colors, textures and patterns (See note about Prepping Fabric Samples at the end of the article )

- To create square flags, simply fold one corner of the rectangular sample to meet a spot on the opposite side. Make sure that the two sides paced together are perfectly aligned with each other. This results in a right triangle and an extra rectangular piece of paper. Cut away the rectangular piece. Unfold the triangle to reveal a square!

Here's an additional article that explains this process:

https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Square-from-Rectan...

- To create triangular flags, complete the steps above to create a square piece of fabric. Then fold the fabric in half along the horizontal or vertical axis. Make sure that the sides places together are perfectly aligned. Cut along a straight line joining any two opposite corners. Unfold the fabric to reveal one larger isosceles triangle and two smaller right triangles. Use the larger triangle as a flag.

-Decorate individual flags with embellishments from your craft stash. Buttons, faux flowers, sticky back foam, washi tape and old imitation jewellery has been used in the examples in the picture.

Choose the order in which the flags will appear from left to right. Decorative brads, paper clips or safety pins can be used to join two flags together

- Lay the first and second flags on a flat work surface in such a way that the top left corner of the second flag slightly overlaps the top right corner of the first one. Make sure the top edges of the flags are aligned.

- When using brads: Pierce a hole through the layered flags using the pointed end of the brad. In case of thick fabrics, use a hole punch. Insert and affix the brad. Et voila, we have our first unit ready.

Safety pins or paper clips can also be used to join two pieces together.

- Continue joining all the remaining flags together to form the main body of the bunting.

-Cut string into two equal pieces approximately a foot long. Alter length according to required final size of bunting.

-On one end of each string, form a small loop and double knot the end of the string at the base of the loop.

-When using brads:

1. Pierce a hole through a point on the the top left corner of the first flag and the top right corner of the last flag. Use either the pointed end of the brad or a hole punch in case of thicker fabrics. Insert a brad in through the top of the first flag. Turn over the corner of the flag such that reverse side of the flag and the prongs of the inserted brad face upward.

2. Using the non looped end of one piece of string, tie a double knot over the base of the brad's prongs. Push in the knotted string so that it sits flush over the back side of the fabric. Then splay open the prongs of the brad to complete the assembly.

3. Repeat the same process with the other string and the last flag.

-When using safety pins or paper clips, follow the process described in section Step 4

- The bunting is ready to hang! Push pins or small hooks can be used to hang the bunting.

This section describes optional methods of attaching strings to flags using either safety pins or paper clips.Skip this section if using brads to attach the string.

1. Attach the non looped end of one piece of string to the safety pin by tying a double knot over any horizontal portion of the pin

OR

Attach the non looped end of one piece of string to any portion of the metallic loop of the paper clip by tying a double knot.

2. Attach the safety pin and string assembly to the left corner of the first flag by looping it through the fabric in such a way that the portion of the pin holding the string is hidden behind the fabric

OR

Attach the paper clip and string assembly at a point on top left corner of the first flag in such a way the attached knotted string is hidden behind the fabric.

3. The bunting is ready to hang! Push pins or small hooks can be used to hang the bunting.

Upholstery fabric samples purchased at creative reuse centres are usually a part of a booklet made by a manufacturer or fabric designer. They may be available to crafters as an intact booklet or as a group of separated, individual fabric pieces.If acquired in a booklet form, large staple pins that hold individual samples together need to be carefully pulled out. Individual fabric samples can then be pulled apart from the top glued binding.

Also, each piece of fabric from these booklets may have a descriptive label glued on to the top edge. These need to be removed without leaving a residue and can sometimes lead to a "sticky" situation (pun intended!). One workaround is to cut out the portion with the label and use the remaining fabric to create the flag.