Red, White and Blue Bunting

Patriotic Bunting for the 4th

Ignite your Fourth of July festivities with a fresh stars and stripes theme. We played out our patriotic style by updating traditional bunting with crisp polka-dot and stripe fabrics, then covered cushions in more stripes and checks to amplify the fun. Here’s how you can make your own bunting.

What you'll need: Fabrics in red, white, and blue. (For a bunting to fit a 72-inch wide window opening, you'll need 3-1/3 yards of fabric in each color.) Spring-loaded tension rod To make the bunting: 1.      Measure the width of the window or other opening where you plan to hang your bunting. This will be the total width for your bunting, and the drop will be half the width measurement. (Example: 72 inches wide divided by 2 = 36 inch drop.) To determine yardage, multiply the drop measurement by 3-1/4 + 2 extra inches to finish ends. Example:  36 x 3-1/4 = 117 + 2 = 119. So for this width, you will need 3-1/3 yards of fabric (119 divided by 36 = 3-1/3 yards).    2.      You will cut a total of 5 strips of fabric for bunting: two red, two white, and one blue. To determine the width of each strip of fabric, divide 5 into the drop measurement, add 1 inch to each white and blue strip of fabric for seam allowances, and add 1-1/2 inch to each of the two red outside strips for seam allowances and hem/finishing. (Example: 36-inch drop divided by 5 = 7-1/4 + 1 = 8-1/4 inch width strips for both white and blue fabrics.  36-inch drop divided by 5 = 7-1/4 + 1-1/2 = 8-3/4 inch width strips for red fabrics.) Cut out strips.   3.     Sew strips together in color sequence as per photo using 1/2-inch seam allowances. Clean finish or serge the seams. Narrow hem the bottom edge of one of the red strips.   4.       Mark the center of the top red strip of fabric and box-pleat toward center about 5 times to take up the fullness. Gather the pleated fabric at center, if needed, to take up more fullness, keeping piece smooth.    5.      Rod Pocket:  Cut a strip of red fabric to encase the spring tension rod, adding 1 inch for seam allowances. Encase raw ends of top of bunting/pleating into the rod pocket.     6.      Insert pressure rod into casing for hanging. *Option: Add grommets along casing for hanging.

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