No Sew Bunting

For all you non-sewers out there, I thought I'd share my diy no-sew bunting tips.

Funny thing - I can sew and quite well when I have the inclination, but I haven't in a while and my sewing machine has lived at my mothers since she borrowed it several years ago!! 

I had been toying with the idea of making some bunting for my stall display when I happened to spy some fabulous wrapping paper at the supermarket.... black and white which matches my stall colours, but even better.... a big, bold, floral pattern which was similar to my website header.  I nabbed it...quick!

Next, the problem of how to make bunting from paper - while it was fairly strong looking paper I was pretty sure it would not handle being 'sewn' particularly well and I also wanted it to be weather-proof.  After some thought, I came up with the following and I have to say - it worked brilliantly.

You need: 

• wrapping paper, or other paper of your choice
• cotton binding tape (around 2.5cm or 1" wide)
• clear adhesive book covering - it's called 'duraseal' (brand) in New Zealand and Australia
• scissors
• stapler (ordinary office kind)

1. Prepare a triangle template to suit (make sure you have a rectangle bit a the top so it sits well rather than being a true triangle.  I used this template.
2. Double your paper and have the crease at the top then cut out your triangles.  You will end up with pieces that look like this..

3. Duraseal each double triangle (right side only) leaving a 'border' of duraseal around each triangle so that when you fold it over (wrong side to wrong side) you can seal it  (use your fingernail) so it becomes a single piece with your pattern on both sides of the triangle.  Trim the duraseal to 1-2mm from the paper.  Continue until you have the number of triangles you require.  (If you have a laminator this would work just as well instead of durasealing but would probably work out quite expensive with the cost of laminating pouches and your triangles would be quite 'stiff''  I think duraseal has more movement/softness?)

4. Take your 1st triangle and fold the binding tape over so you have equal binding on either side... staple left, right and middle.


5. Continue placing and stapling until finished. You're done!