DIY Sweet Vintage Upcycled Cloth Baby Book Buntings

Recently I came across a couple of lots of adorable vintage cloth baby books. They were well loved and a few of them had crayon marks in them, but I knew they would be perfect to upcycle! I have wanted to make a bunting for my screen porch for a while now, and when I saw these books I knew they were just what I was looking for! Buntings are really easy to make and they are a great way to add a little fun to your decor!

Here’s What You Need:

*Vintage Cloth Books

*Paper (Cardstock or chipboard works nicely) and Pencil

*Ruler

*Scissors

*Bias Tape (I bought mine Here)

Instructions:

The first thing you need to do is measure and make your template. Measure the width and height of the book. Draw the width and height of the book pages onto your paper or cardstock. You should have a rectangular shape to match your page. Then, mark the center point on the width at the top and bottom. Measure up from the bottom about a third of the way up on each side of the length. Draw a line across. Mark the center on that line. Then draw a line from the center of the third line to the bottom right corner and then from the center to the bottom left corner. You should now have your flag bunting shape. Cut out the cardstock. This is now your template to cut your flags.

Now, use the template you just made and trace the flag onto one side of each page in the book. Cut out your flag pieces.

Lay out your pieces and decide how you want to assemble the bunting. Stack the flags in order.

Now you are ready to sew your bunting. Sandwich the first bunting flag about 5 or 6″ in from the end of your bias tape. If you are new to sewing, you may want to sandwich and pin all your flags to your bias tape before you sew. I sandwich and sew as I go, but that’s the fast and lazy way, not necessarily the proper way. Edge stitch about 1/8″ in down your bias tape. Sew a little in between flags. I will sandwich a flag, and then when I get close to the end of that flag, sandwich the next flag in leaving a little gap between the two, then continue stitching. Sandwich and stitch down all the flags in your bunting. When you are done stitching your bunting closed, clip the excess threads.

I absolutely LOVE my new buntings! They are going to look so fantastic on my porch! I may keep the kitty book for my craft room though as that one is my favorite and I spend the most time in there, so I’d get to see it everyday. You can use this simple process to make your own bunting out of any kind of material you fancy. If you have some old cloth books, upcycle them. Or, give it a try with your favorite fabrics. You’ll love it! You can make several of them in under an hour, and they are simple and fun to sew. They really add a lot of charm and fun to a space too! Definitely one of my favorite things to make! I’ll be back next week with another retro DIY. Until then…

Happy Crafting!