Lasso The Moon

How to make a pennant banner, pt 2 (the making)

Are you ready to turn this...

...into this?

If you haven't made your template yet, here's the tutorial for that.

OK!  Let's get started.  Here's what you'll need:

fabric or clothing to up-cycle

pen

flag template

scissors

self-healing cutting mat

rotary cutter

clear grid ruler

iron

sewing machine

optional: bias tape maker (or store-bought bias tape will work just fine)

The first step is to make a general design plan. I knew I needed 4 triangles from each of 3 dresses to make 12 flags.  It helps to have a bit of a design plan so you don't cut too many.

If you are making your banner out of recycled clothing,  remove any linings or bulky pockets that might be in the way. 

Turn your piece inside-out and lay it as flat as possible on your cutting mat (right sides together).  You may need to cut the side seams to make this work.  If you had to cut away any part of the fabric surface (like around a zipper) make sure that side is facing up so you can see to work around it. 

Next, use your marker or pen to trace around the template directly onto the fabric.  I don't pin this, because that causes distortion, and this way is much simpler.  The marks will be inside the seam allowance.

Don't move the fabric!  While you have it laid out, cut along the lines with your rotary cutter, using your ruler as a straight edge.  You should be cutting two layers.  Don't separate them.  Just carefully pick them up, and lay them aside.  The right sides are already together, and the triangles are already lined up perfectly. 

Repeat with the rest of your fabric.  Keep each pair of flags with their right sides together.  Even though you used a template and rotary cutter, each pair will be slightly different, and you don't want to try and rematch them later.

Stack all of the triangles together next to your sewing machine. 

Leaving the top of your flag open, sew a 1/4 inch seam allowance around each.  Back-stitch at the beginning and end of each flag.

To save even more time, don't cut the thread between flags.  Just start sewing the next one at the end of the this one, and cut them apart later.

Soon you'll have a whole string of inside-out flags.

Cut them apart and stack them up for the next step.

Now, being careful not to cut through the stitches, clip each flag as shown here.  This will eliminate some of the bulk inside the point when you turn them right-side-out.

Carefully turn your flags.  Use a chopstick, knitting needle, dull pencil, or other blunt thin object to turn the point.  Iron them flat, and trim the little points at the top even with the opening.

Now for the binding.  If you bought your binding, you can skip this step.  Otherwise, cut 1-inch strips of fabric that measure at least two feet longer than your finished banner.

If you have a bias tape maker, pull the fabric through and iron as you go. 

If you don't have a bias tape maker, you can still make your own binding for this project in any size.  Simply fold your strip in half lengthwise (wrong sides together), and press to make a crease.  Then unfold your  strip, fold the edges in along the crease, and iron again.  Done!  So simple.

Now, over to the sewing machine again. 

Stack your flags in the order you want them to appear on your banner.

Starting at the very end of your binding, fold it over and stitch closed for about 12 inches.  I use a longer stitch length for this, a 4 on my machine.

Next insert the top of your first flag into the fold of the binding and sew into place.

Continue sewing all of your flags into place.  I like to leave about an inch between flags, but this is a personal preference.  When you run out of flags, sew about 12 inches of plain binding at the end for hanging.

Take your banner off of the sewing machine and trim so that the ends of the binding are even.  Then use this little trick to make a loop for hanging:

Fold over about 1 inch at the end of the binding.

Loop the binding around to make a basic knot, but leave the end folded when you pull tight. 

The raw ends are hidden inside the knot, and the loop is perfect for tacking to your walls.

And there you have it!  I love this style because there are no raw edges, and the banner is completely reversible.  No front and back! 

Make one today and come back to tell me how it went!  Leave a link in the comments so we can all see what you made!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to make a pennant banner, pt 1 (the template)

A couple weeks ago I got a request from a client to make a pennant banner (or bunting) out of some old dresses she'd been saving. I thought it was a great idea, and I'm guessing that she probably isn't the only one out there who'd like to have a reusable keepsake like this one. 

So.  This tutorial will take you through the process of making your own.  They really are very straight forward and fun.  The skill level is beginner to intermediate.

The first thing you'll need to make is a cardboard template. 

I made a template for a flag that was 5x6 inches, but you can adjust the tutorial to fit any size flag.

Supplies:

cereal box (for the cardboard)

pen or thin tip marker

clear grid ruler

scissors

Start by drawing a horizontal line with the ruler.  This will be the base width of the flag.  Mark the starting point, the ending point, and the exact center of the line.  I marked my line at 0 inches, 5 inches, and 2 1/2 inches.

Then, line up your base line with one of the horizontal lines on your ruler.  Adjust your ruler so that the straight edge intersects with the center mark on your base line.

Measure out the exact length you want for your flags, and mark it on this line.

Mine was 6 inches.

Now, connect the starting and ending marks of the base line with the top mark of this new line to make the sides of the triangle.

This is the finished size of your flag.  But we're not quite done yet.  We still need to add seam allowance.  Line up the edges of the triangle with the quarter-inch line on your grid ruler.  On my ruler these lines are orange.  Mark 1/4 inch seam allowance around the entire triangle.

Notice at the tippy top of the triangle,  I measured 1/4 inch from the point and drew a line across.  This is not totally necessary, but it will save a little time trimming the point, and it makes for a more professional-looking template.

Now cut out your template (outside the seam allowance) and you are ready to roll!

You might want to just jump in without waiting for the second part of the tutorial, and of course that's fine.  But I've made so many of these that I might just have a hint or two that could save you some time and headache.

Stay tuned for pt 2: "sewing your pennant banner".

VrooooMMmmm

 

No time to chat!  I'm too busy making stuff to stock the shop for the holidays.  These felted sweater cars for girls and boys are now in the shop.  Hurry.  They go fast.

lassothemoon.etsy.com

Baby Sling

The blog has been a little bit quiet this week, because I am trying to get some things done.  Like this:

This pretty fabric is the front side of a new baby sling for a friend back in Indiana.

My slings are reversible, non-padded, and so flattering for new mommy.

They are also so simple and satisfying to make, that I was thinking about putting a tutorial together.  I used to protect my sewing secrets like they were national security, but these days, since I don't sew as much, maybe it would be fun to see someone else's take on them.

Would you be interested in learning how to make a baby sling for yourself or a friend?  Leave me a comment, and if there is some interest, I'll put one together.

And if you want, I might even share my secret for making the matching drawstring bag!

XOXO Anna

Baby Blanket Kit

A friend asked me to put together a couple kits for a baby blanket gift.

The blankets are for a pair of twins, one boy and one girl.

Each quilt kit had a dozen 12-inch squares, one yard of coordinating fabric for backing, and some extra pieces for binding.

She whipped these up in a matter of hours and sent me a photo.

So cute!

I love this idea, and I think we may see more blanket kits in the shop in the near future.  Thanks to Abby for the great idea!

 

WIP - again!

It is amazing--incredible--unbelievable--how much longer a simple project takes when you have an infant.  Well, okay.  This isn't exactly the most simple dress I've made.  I did have to actually read the pattern.  And then read it again.  And then squint at the tiny diagrams until I decided they must be wrong.  So I can't blame everything on the baby.  But we are just a few hand-stitches away from completion around here.

Some people don't like hand sewing.  A lot of people don't like it.  But I enjoy the pace.  When I first got engaged to Donnie, I had grand notions of actually hand sewing my entire wedding dress.  But then we set the date--only 3 months later--and I figured it would be alright to use a machine! 

But I love that when you hand-sew an item you are able to contemplate--really think about why you are making this thing.  So here I sit, with some great music on pandora (Nora Jones station!) thinking, hoping, and praying for the little girl who will soon wear this dress. 

This dress that momma made.

Crafty Morning

Yesterday I was able to get to my sister Abby's house for our first project day in a long time.  She has this (infuriating) way of starting an finishing a project in a single session. 

I don't know how she does it. This is a ticker-tape doll quilt.  She didn't get it finished before I had to leave, but she is well on her way.  Adorable, right?

With my new-momma brain I could barely even think of a project I wanted to take, so I took some fabric to process for the shop.

I mostly go for the conversation.  My sister-in-law Emily was there working on some invitations, but I forgot to take a picture.  Next time!

I am making my way (slowly) through the mega-pile of thrifted fabrics I showed before.

Where does all my time go?

Oh yeah.

 

 

WIP Friday - a dress for Emma

Just a look at what's on the sewing machine as we head into the weekend.

What are you working on today?

**WIP = work in progress

An Excellent Year

Although Emma's last day of school was a couple weeks ago, I thought I'd share the gift we made together for her teacher.  We could not have had a better experience this year, and Ms. P was one of the biggest reasons for that.

So I decided to make a bag for her with a bit of Emma's artwork on the front.

Emma made a picture for her and wrote a long note around the edge letting Ms. P know how much she liked her. I took the words, "You are the best techr evr" from this. 

The drawing is as close as I could get to the original, too.  I appliqued the colored parts and used my free-motion embroidery foot to do the outlining and lettering.

A pretty lining and handy pocket inside.

A bit of branding on the back.

I was lucky enough to be there when Emma presented the bag and the drawing to Ms P.  She loved it and said she would make it her official school bag.  Of course Emma was beaming at this. (So was I!)  Honestly, there is no way we could have thanked her enough for successfully teaching 22 6-year-olds for an entire school year.  This was just a small token.

Emma on her last day.

linked to:

homework, bcd, somewhatsimple, momnivores, F&J, MWA, HoH, picketfence, Joyfulstamper,

The End Of Sewing I

These are from the last day of sewing class, late this summer.  We finished our final projects a little early in the class, so I let the girls make finger puppets of their own design.  I had not prepared anything, so I just free-handed a finger shape, and sent them to work.  Sometimes the greatest projects are the ones you didn't plan.  They were so great!  And it was fun figuring out the different designs with them as they worked.

Sara's butterfly is getting spotted wings.

Abby's monkey is all laid out and ready to sew.

I told Grace that she probably couldn't get her jaguar to look vicious.

I was wrong!

These are the final "Collections."  This one is Grace's.  I love how she stayed in the same color family for the entire class.

Anna's.  The puppet is a venomous snake of some kind!

 

Kelsie's.  She kept finishing the steps way too quickly, so I had to come up with more detail for each project.  And notice the bow on the panda puppet!  That was all her.

Sara's.  I let them design the embroidery on the sewing bags, and she was the only one to not stitch her initial.  That's a bug she found in her yard, complete with hairy legs. Love it!

Abby didn't have her bag the day we took pictures, but hers were amazing, too.  Since we finished the class, we took a couple weeks off, and then started another round.  This time I only have 3 students, but we are doing almost completely machine-stitched projects.  Hopefully I'll remember to take some shots of those soon!