Decor Fix

Simplify + Style Your Home With Intention

DIY: Make A Fabric Banner

| by

Remember my 30th birthday brunch?  I got an email asking about the fabric banner used for decoration, and I thought it would be a good idea to show you how to make a fabric banner like mine. I’m not saying it was quick. Cheap and easy? Oh yes. (Poor girl, I’m gonna’ get her bad a reputation on Pinterest if I keep talking like that.)

I purchased this piping/chord (don’t really know what it is?) at the fabric store for under $2 a yard. Luckily, the fabric was on sale for $3.99 a yard. I chose fabrics that looked the same on both sides. This is key for this project. I got 1/2 yard of each color.

1. To begin, cut the strips about one and a half inches wide. This was the most time consuming part. (I suggest watching an episode of Mad Men or two episodes of Modern Family to help pass the time.) The width of each strip will vary some. Several of mine were crooked, but this doesn’t really  matter in the long run. Don’t get hung up on making it perfect. You’ll drive yourself crazy, and this cheap project will end up costing you your sanity.
 
2. After you’ve cut all the strips, I laid them in piles by color. I wish I had taken a picture of all the little piles; they looked like pastel “hay” stacks across my living room.
 

3. Next, tie a  knot connecting the fabric strip to the chord starting in the center of the chord.  Continue adding and knotting fabric strips to each side. You could go for a pattern, but I kind of picked from each stack randomly. I wanted it to feel a bit whimsical.

I had to show you guys the following pics…I asked Stu to pose while I took test shots for the banner pic. Consider this the gag reel.

Can you tell how happy he is to be doing this? After about five minutes he asked, “How  much does a tripod cost?”
Signature

Related Posts

Comments

  12. Jamie says

    Very cool! I’m working on nearly the same thing as a window covering for our master bath. The cording is a good idea… I was going to try to use twine!

    Liked you on FB. 🙂

  15. ❥ Alison @ bringingbeauty.blogspot.com says

    I just stumbled upon your blog and I love your ideas! This one is so cute for a party or you can even hang it from a window in a little girls room! The fabric cutting would go a lot faster with a rotary cutter I bet. If you get a chance come check out my blog Bringingbeauty.blogspot.com

  18. Katie says

    Love the banner!! So cute & the color combo is just perfect!

    The piping cord is what they use when the add piping to pillows or upholstery. You sew it between fabric so you can match or compliment your upholstery. Anyway, never tried it but have thought about it. Love the idea for using it with this!

    Once again you amaze me, so cute!!
    -Katie Mc.

  19. Heather {The Lovely Cupboard} says

    Alison, yes. Next time a rotary cutter will be purchased! Katie – you’re too sweet-OK, now I think I’ve seen the piping before just covered in fabric on a pillow. There’s so much about the sewing world I DON’T know!

    Thanks Michelle, Rachel, and Jasanna:)

  20. Yby5 says

    Love this banner. My daughters 8th birthday is next week and she would love this…especially if she can choose the fabric. Thanks for the idea!

  21. Tan says

    I love these. I’ve been thinking of ways to incorporate one into our wedding decor. Glad to know they’re so cost effective!

  25. Ann from Sumptuous Spoonfuls says

    I saw this and thought it ought to be a skirt, but I LOVE the idea of using it for bathroom curtains! The shade in my bathroom has died … it won’t go “up” anymore … and this would be so cool … you could use a tie to pull it aside when you want to let the light in. Love it! Tell your model he’s awesome! 🙂

  31. Anonymous says

    This is so cute!!! I now have a cheap decoration to make for my guest room/playroom. Now to decide on a color scheme!

  37. Jamie says

    Love this just got done making one for my son’s first birthday! I have a few things to add too!

    First I bought the fabric before referencing this article again and bought some fabric that was polkadotted and not the same on both sides. I found that when knotting the fabric on the rope if I did a slipknot I could control it and show the fabric facing outward. This also made it easier to add fabric between colors to make it more even and slide them over to make it evenly on my rope
    Second when I was cutting because I have sharp scissors I was basically able to slide the scissors up like you might do with wrapping paper saved a lot of time !

  39. Sarah says

    How would you suggest hanging this on a wall? I made one following your tutorial for my 30th birthday and loved it! I tried taping it up, but it was just too heavy and kept falling down. Now I’d like to use the same one to hang in my daughter’s nursery. Any suggestions? Thank you!

Styling Class

READY TO SIMPLIFY?

Save Time. Shop Online

Back to Top