Whether you want to use it to guide your guests, decorate your wedding reception or add a focal point to your ceremony, bunting can create versatile and vibrant DIY wedding decorations. In the future, bring out your wedding bunting to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and even Christmas; it will be a permanent and fun reminder of your wedding reception decorations.
Simple Bunting
However skilled you are with the sewing machine, bunting can be as simple or elaborate as you choose. Look out for double-fold bias tape or high-quality ribbon to use as your garland. Recycle fabric or use remnants for the flags.
Rather than sewing each bunting flag from scratch, absolute beginners might want to invest in pinking shears and cut fabric to size using a triangle template. Pinking shears not only make your bunting flags look pretty, the waved edge is less likely to fray, meaning you can create flags with no sewing at all. This is a great option for delicate and stretchy fabrics.
The final stage is to attach the cut-out flags to your bias tape or ribbon. Pin each flag in place first, and then use a sewing machine to attach it to the ribbon or tape. Remember to leave plenty of loose tape at the end for tying your bunting into place.
Bunting With Staying Power
If you want your bunting to last as long as your marriage, then it’s wise to fully finish each flag. Create a template for your flag triangles, allowing for a 0.5 centimetre seam all around and pinning it into place on the wrong side of your fabric. You will need two triangles per flag.
Cut out your triangles and sew them together, right sides facing in, but leaving the top edge open. Turn your flag right-side out and use a point turner or blunt, small knife to point out the corner. Iron each flag flat and repeat.
Lay out your ribbon or double-fold bias tape and pin the flags along at intervals, with the unsewn side on top of the tape. Fold the ribbon or tape over the top of each flag, pin in place, iron the tape over the top and then sew in a continuous line. This has the effect of hemming the top of each flag as you progress.
If you bulk buy tulle in Australia, or any wedding fabric for that matter, chances are you’ll have plenty left over. Remnants like this are ideal for creating bunting and other wedding crafts. Get your closest friends and family involved and ask them to make a bunting triangle each, either from fabric you supply or using any material they happen to have. If you go down this route, you might want to suggest colours for the fabric and provide a template and instructions for each flag. This method is a lot slower than simple cut-out bunting but good-quality fabric, sewn like this, can last for years.
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