Fill My Pockets Bunting - Spring Party Garland Tutorial with free template

Spring weather here in the north of Italy at last! After all the rain… Makes you want to stay outdoors and celebrate! Here’s a quick idea for making colourful bunting you can use for a birthday party or even in a child’s bedroom to decorate and tidy up at the same time: Fill My Pockets Bunting (Spring Party Garland!). Download the free template to make your own!

Here is what you need to make the Fill My Pockets Bunting

•  8" x 10" of fabric for each side of the pocket that makes one flag (if you like, you can use a favourite print on the front and a solid for the back of the flags)
• Scraps of fabric for the appliqué
• Ready made bias tape, 1" wide and at least 75" long (minimum length of the bias tape for a bunting with five flags)
• Heat and Bond or other fusible web if you want to appliqué on the flags
• Any other embellishment you’d like to use: buttons, crochet flowers, trims or ribbons…
• A water soluble marker

Start by printing the template for the flags. You can cut out this paper template and use it to trace out the flag shape on a piece of cardboard. In this way you can make a cardboard template to use over and over again. Click on the image of the template below or here to download.

Place your flag template on the print fabric and trace around it with a water soluble marker. Repeat on the fabric you’ve chosen for the back of the flag. Cut out the two pieces of flag using your rotary cutter or a sharp pair of scissors.

If you’d like to add some appliquéd letters (or shapes) on your flags, then use letters printed in the right size as templates or draw them freehand on your scraps of fabric. Iron the scrap of fabric on Heat and Bond or other fusible web, following the instructions of the producer. Remember to use baking paper between the iron and the fabric to protect both! Now cut around the letter (or shape). Peel the paper off the back of the fabric and iron into place on the print flag fabric, making sure to leave at least ½” from the edge of the fabric for the seam allowance. Sew around the fussy cut fabric using a matching (or contrasting, if you prefer) thread. Try to stitch as close as possible to the edge of the fabric.

Fold the print fabric (front piece of the flag) along the wavy line indicated in the template and sew at ½” from the folded edge to hem.

Place the two fabric flag pieces right sides facing, with the points and long sides matching. The piece of fabric for the back of the flag will be longer than the front piece. Now sew around the two long edges. Sew backwards and forwards a couple of times at the beginning and end of the pocket edge to reinforce the opening of the pocket.

Cut off the excess fabric on the point of the flag, cutting diagonally and not too close to the stitches. This will make the point of the flag sharper.

Turn the flag right side out and iron. Repeat to make another five flags (or the number of flags you need). 

Take your ready made bias tape and iron in half, wrong sides facing. Start sewing the bias tape from one end, folding in the end first. This will hide the end of the tape and stop it from fraying. Sew the bias tape folded in half as close as possible to the open edge. Sew the tape closed for at least 15" inches (you will need this part to tie the bunting when you hang it up).

After sewing about 15" of the bias tape closed, insert your first flag. You will be inserting just the back piece of the flag into the folded bias tape. Continue sewing the bias tape making sure not to sew on the front piece of the flag. 

Leave at least 1/2" space after your first flag before inserting a second flag and continuing to sew the bias tape. Continue for all the flags you've made. Sew the last 15" of the bias tape as you did at the beginning, folding and sewing in the end to stop it from fraying.

Now hang up your bunting and fill the pockets!

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