Tutorial Tuesday: Noel Christmas Banner

I have been going over and over in my head different ideas for Christmas banners. This is the first one I have created and I cannot wait to make more! It was fun, easy and I love how it turned out. I played around with a few different fabric choices from my fabric bin and finally settled on burlap mixed with this cherished, (I have been saving it because I only have about a yard) sheet music fabric from my sister.

Let's get started!

First, I made some patterns of the basic shapes from newspaper.

Then, I pinned the patterns to the fabrics and cut the shapes out. I pressed all the pieces and ironed a half-inch flap on the flag for later.

Next, I stenciled the letters on the little burlap hearts using my vintage brass stencils and black fabric paint. I embellished the letters a bit with a tube of glitter paint. If you do not have brass stencils laying around, you can print clipart and cut out stencils like I did for this number project.

After the paint dried, I pinned the burlap heart to the larger sheet music heart and sewed it on with a small zigzag stitch (my first attempt at applique).

I also sewed the edges of the burlap flags with a zigzag stitch because burlap tends to fray excessively. I, then, attached the hearts to the burlap flag by sewing a straight stitch all the way around the sheet music heart.

I used hemp twine and connected the burlap flags by folding, the already pressed, flaps over the twine and pinning it in place, removing the pins as I sewed. The flags are adjustable and can easily slide along the twine.

I love the musical fabric and, on a side note, I found stacks of really, really old sheet music at a garage sale over the weekend in Orange county. I had to pay a whole 50 cents, but it was worth it...heehee. I am trying to decide what I want to use it for first....so many projects, so little time!

Joyeux Noel!

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