No-Sew Kid's Bunting

Here's another of my tentative forays into interior decorating - I'm really not a natural at making the house cute, nor do I have the budget to buy, well, anything. Thinking about redecorating is so overwhelming that I end up frozen in fear, so I've taken to thinking of things in terms of walls. This time I turned my attention to the "wall above the dressers," which has been an ugly area for a long time. Next I figure out what problem I'm trying to solve, which in this case is the fact that there are two completely different dressers crammed right next to each other and this corner is kind of dark. My solution: add color and fun to distract from the dresser situation and bring a feeling of brightness. Enter the banners: I didn't have any money to spend on new decorations, so I decided to make something. I had fabric (of course) and some of this great baker's twine, so I made several strands of bunting to add some color and whimsy.

Next I chose fabric and cut out triangles. I kind of winged it from this point on. I chose fabrics in bright colors that worked in the boys' room but weren't too matchy-matchy. I cut out 3 different sizes of triangles, keeping them pretty small, though you could make them any size you want depending on the space you are hanging the bunting.

The last step is stringing the triangles on the twine (I should really call these low-sew bunting banners since you do have to sew, but no machine is needed and you basically just need the ability to thread a needle and have decent aim). I used the biggest embroidery needle I had so that the twine would fit through the eye. I used lengths of twine about 5 feet long but of course you could make them any length you want. After cutting the twine, I poked my needle through the front upper-right-hand corner of a triangle and then back through the back of the upper left-hand corner. This way the twine runs along the back of the fabric and you don't see it when the bunting is hanging.

I made about 7 different banners using different shape and fabric combinations because I like the circus look of having a big bundle hanging together. Here's the new look - of course I didn't take a before picture because I'd rather forget how this area looked when it was piled with dusty lego cars and orphaned socks.

I had originally planned on hanging these more straight, but I used some pre-existing nails in the wall (seriously, this area was a disaster) and really like how it looks hanging skewy (is that a word?). The street signs are courtesy of my brother's rebellious phase as a teenager, and the button bouquet is something I made a few years ago as a baby shower decoration. The lamp and clock were purchased from Target a few years ago.

I'm pretty excited that I managed to tackle this difficult space without spending any money. Let me know if you decide to make some of these banners - I'd love to see pictures! I'm seeing bunting everywhere in kids room lately and I don't picture myself ever getting tired of it. :)