EASY DIY HALLOWEEN FLAG BANNER || MAKE IT IN AN EVENING

This diy halloween flag banner is the perfect way to lend some festive flare to your space this holiday season. Hang it on your front porch to greet visitors. Or drape it indoors over a window, along the edge of a shelf, or across the top of a doorway.

No matter where you hang it, you’ll find it raises the holiday spirit in you each time you look at it. And it adds the perfect touch to your decor.

You may know this simple decoration as a bunting. Which is a string of colorful flags, made from fabric, paper, or plastic, that can be draped or strung for decoration.

I prefer to use fabric when making a bunting, as it stores better and lasts longer than other materials.

Choosing Material For A DIY Halloween Flag Banner

Sifting through the halloween themed material at the fabric store, to make my diy halloween flag banner, was almost as fun as actually making it.

I must have had a dozen different fabric combinations in my cart by the time I was done looking them all over. So, narrowing it down to just one was kind of hard to do.

I knew from the start that I wanted to go with a simple cotton fabric. The fabric that you choose is important, as it can pretty drastically change the look of your flag banner.

Fabrics of different weights and thicknesses will hang differently. A basic, inexpensive cotton fabric offers a light decorative touch, in my opinion.

And it’s a big bonus that there are a sea of basic cotton fabrics, in holiday prints, to choose from at this time of year.

It’s also imporant to choose patterns that have similar image dimensions in them. For instance, if you choose something that has 4″ skeletons printed all over it, you probably don’t want one of your other fabrics to have 1″ pumpkins on it.

The difference in the proportions of the images will look pretty awkward.

It’s also pretty important to consider how ‘busy’ the pattern is on the fabric you choose. If you go with the ‘busy’ look, as I did, it’s best to keep all of the fabrics that way.

If you choose to go with something a little less cluttered, then go that way all around.

Supplies and Tools Needed For This Project

The supplies and tools needed to make a diy halloween flag banner are pretty basic. You likely have them around the house already.

If you don’t have a sewing machine, then you can absolutely sew your banner by hand. This will take a considerable amount of time. But, on the other hand, there is something rather satisfying about creating a beautiful piece without machinery.

So, for some, it may be time well spent. I went with the ease and speed of a machine.

Here’s a list of the materials I used to make this project …

• Material – See above, for information on choosing material for this project. You will need 3 different halloween themed fabrics to make your banner.
• Thread – A mid-grade sewing thread works well for this project. It will need to match your fabric choices and your ribbon. I went with black. I think it’s probably safe to say that black will go with just about any halloween themed fabric and/or ribbon out there.
• Ribbon – Grosgrain ribbon is a great choice for this project. It’s basic simplicity doesn’t take away from the printed fabric. Yet, it lends it’s own decorative element because it is textured. I used a 7/8″ wide ribbon. You may want to consider how the size of the ribbon you choose is going to pair with the size of the flags you’re going to make.
• Paper – An 8 1/2″ x 11″ sheet of paper will allow you to make a template for your flags in many different sizes.

Here’s a list of the tools I used to make this project …

• Ruler – You will need a measuring tool for a few different parts of this project. I suggest a ruler, as you will need a rigid edge to make your flag template.
• Marker – I use sharpie markers. They’re great. But any marker will do.
• Scissors – A sharp pair of fabric scissors works very well for this project. You can probably get by with just about any scissors if you have to.
• Sewing Machine – A sewing machine will make this project go quickly and easily. As mentioned above, it can be done by hand if you don’t have a machine. Or if you prefer to work with your hands instead of a machine.
• Sewing Pins – A few good sewing pins go a long way when making this flag banner. I suppose you could get by without them, but they make the project so much easier that I don’t see why you would want to.
• Iron – It is necessary to iron your flags and your ribbon when making this project. Otherwise, they will not hang in a way that fosters eye appeal.

How To Make A Pattern For The Flags

The first step to making a diy halloween flag banner is to create a template to make the fabric flags. You will have to decide what size you want the flags to be.

They can be any size that appeals to you, but if you’re going to make your template using the intructions in this post they can’t be any larger than 8 1/2″ x 11″.

Once you decide on the width for your flags, take an 8 1/2″ x 11″ sheet of paper and cut it to that width. I found it was simplest to cut the paper in half length wise leaving a 4 1/4″ wide piece for the top of the flag template.

Then fold that piece of paper in half to create a crease down the center of it, use that crease as the guide for the next step.

Decide how long you want your flags to be. I wanted my flags to be 6″ long. So, I measured 6″ from the top of the paper directly down the crease and marked the spot with a sharpie.

I used a ruler to connect that spot with the upper left edge, and then the upper right edge, of the paper. This completed the flag template. There was nothing to left to do but cut it out and get to making fabric flags.

How To Make A DIY Halloween Flag Banner

Once you have made a pattern for the flags of this diy halloween flag banner, the rest of the project comes together quickly.

You will fold each of the fabrics you chose for the project in half, with wrong sides together, and cut the flag pieces from them using the pattern. Be sure that you are not cutting on the fold of the fabric.

Use the template to cut 5 sets of 2 flag pieces from each different fabric. Then iron each set so that it lays flat.

Working with 1 set of 2 flag pieces at a time, sew down the long edge of the piece. Use the edge of your sewing foot as a guide to sew a straight line.

Stop the seam just above the center point of the tip of the flag, raise the foot, turn the fabric to line up the other long side of the flag, and sew up the other side.

Take a minute to trim the strings from the top of the flag, so that they don’t find their way into the finished piece.

Iron an 84″ piece of grosgrain ribbon in half, and then attach it to the top of the flags.

Place the first flag 6″ in from the end of the ribbon. Place each flag after that 1/2″ apart, rotating the colors/patterns of the flags as you go.

Finally, measure the two ends of the ribbon and cut them so that they are both the same size. Fold the tip of them over 1/2″ and sew it to form a loop. This is how you will hang your banner.

Eliminate The Raw Edges On Your Banner

I chose to make my diy halloween flag banner with raw edges. I like the look, it’s got a rustic charm to it. And, if you’ve been around the blog a bit, you know that I do love rustic charm.

Besides, it’s quick and easy to do. And while I realize that over time the edges of my flags may fray a bit, I’m not all that concerned about it.

It will probably look pretty great when (and if) it ever happens. This is a seasonal decoration, so it won’t be getting a lot of wear and tear.

However, I recognize that not everyone will share my sentiments in this area. And they may want a more finished look for their flag banner.

If that someone is you, never fear, it is crazy simple to make this piece with finished edges.

Simply sew your the edges of your flag pieces with right sides together, and then turn them wrong sides in. Use a blunt, pointed object (think things like a crochet needle) to define the tip of the flag. And then iron the flags to give them a finished look.

Where To Hang Your DIY Halloween Flag Banner

There are just about as many ways to decorate with a diy halloween flag banner as there are fabrics to make them with. Well, maybe not quite that many, but you get the point.

You can drape them along the edge of a porch rail, or hang them on a decorated window box. They look great hanging along a walkway too.

I like to hang them in archways in the house. They work really well above any doorway really. And they dress up the top of a window rather nicely too.

They make great party decorations. You can tack them along the edge of a table, or hang them above the table draped on the wall.

The only thing limiting you from finding new places to use your flag banner is your imagination. So, unleash it, and go for it! They look great just about everywhere.

If you catch the flag banner making bug, go ahead and make a few for each holiday and use them all throughout the year.

They also make great decorations for events, such as; bridal showers, baby showers, retirement parties, graduations, and promotion celebrations.

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