DIY Fabric Bunting Garland – Easy Sewing Tutorial Using Scrap Fabric

A delicate fabric bunting garland made from favourite fabric scraps – as decoration for your home, the kids’ room or as a loving gift for a new baby.

If you’ve been with me for a while, you probably know how much I love garlands – and especially fabric bunting garlands. They create a light, cosy atmosphere in a room in an instant and can simply stay up while everyday life continues around them.

In this post, I’ll show you how to sew a DIY fabric bunting garland from small fabric scraps: as decoration for the living room or kids’ room, for summer parties in the garden or as a loving gift for a new baby.

Maybe you also have a little pile of fabric leftovers that feel “too small for anything” – just like I do. This bunting garland is made exactly for those pieces: a simple beginner-friendly project that doesn’t need much material and brings a lot of joy in return.

Why fabric bunting garlands bring so much joy

Fabric bunting is simple and playful at the same time. It doesn’t need much space, yet it can gently transform a corner: above the sofa, along a bookshelf, in the hallway or on a plain wall.

What I love most is that each bunting garland has its very own story to tell:maybe there are fabric scraps from earlier projects – favourite fabrics that have already become a dress, a cushion or a pair of baby trousers. Everything can appear once more, just in a different form.

And once you’ve sewn your first garland, you can keep playing: move it to another room, combine it with other colours, lengthen or shorten it. A bunting garland quietly adapts to whatever you need right now.

DIY bunting as a loving gift for a new baby

Fabric bunting garlands make a beautiful gift for a newborn or a baby shower.

You can, for example, sew them in matching tones with a small handmade set – a wrap jacket, tiny trousers or a sleep sack. All in similar shades, perhaps in blue, green or soft neutrals – or very colourful if that feels right for you.

This way you create a gift that will stay: while the smallest pieces of clothing will be outgrown at some point, the bunting garland can continue to move around the kids’ room – from the changing area to the shelf, later to the bed or the door.

Because it’s so light, a fabric bunting garland is also easy to send by post or to tuck into a gift box alongside other little treasures.

Fabric bunting garland as decoration for a kids’ room

As decoration for a kids’ room, fabric bunting is wonderfully versatile.

You can hang it along a house bed (e.g. Monlitcabane), across a wall that needs a softer feel, or above a reading nook. The bunting frames the space without overwhelming it and gives a sense of “this is a cosy place to be”. You will soon find a post with instructions for the color-coordinated cushions for the crib and the instructions for the moon music box on my blog.

Whether you choose one colour in different shades or mix patterns – both can feel calm and harmonious. What matters most is that it feels good for you and your child.

Bunting as a small reminder for joy and mindfulness

When you decide to hang a bunting garland somewhere in your home, you’re also quietly deciding to give yourself small reminders.

Perhaps it helps you to pause for one breath as you walk past and ask yourself:How do I want to feel today? What could be a little lighter, more playful or more carefree?

Bunting garlands can be a gentle anchor for joy, colour and lightness – and for remembering your own inner spark. Sometimes it’s exactly this tiny visual cue that makes a day feel just a little softer.

Materials for your DIY fabric bunting garland

To sew your fabric bunting garland you’ll need:

• scrap fabric from woven cotton or muslin (ideally not too stretchy)

• bias tape in your chosen length or a long, narrow fabric strip

• sewing machine

• thread matching your fabrics

• fabric scissors or rotary cutter

• cutting mat (optional, but helpful)

• ruler or patchwork ruler

• pins or fabric clips

• iron

Small pieces are absolutely enough: for large bunting flag, a width of about 15–20 cm (6–8") already works well, for mine I usually use even smaller ones like 7 x 10 cm, so you can use up even tiny scraps.

For a bunting garland of about 2–3 metres (2–3 yards), you’ll need roughly 10–20 flags – depending on their size and how much space you leave between them. You can simply adjust the length to fit the place where you want to hang it.

Step by step: how to sew a fabric bunting garland

1. Cutting the bunting triangles

• First, decide on the size of your bunting flags.

• A height of around 12–15 cm (5–6") and a width of 10–12 cm (4–5") often feels nicely balanced. You can cut a cardboard template and use it again and again on your fabric scraps.

• Cut small triangles from your fabrics in the chosen size – two pieces for each flag, so that front and back match later.

2. Sewing the bunting flags

• Place two triangles right sides together – the “nice” sides of the fabric facing inwards.

• Sew along the two diagonal sides of the triangle; the top edge stays open.Backstitch at the beginning and end so the seams don’t open.

3. Turning and shaping the points

• Carefully trim the seam allowance at the tip of the triangle so the point will turn out nicely.

• Turn the bunting flags right side out and gently shape the point with a chopstick, a blunt pencil or a special turning tool.

• Press the flags flat with an iron so they lie nicely and can be sewn more easily onto the bias tape.

4. Deciding on the order of the flags

• Lay all your flags next to each other on a table or the floor and play with the order until it feels right.

• You can sort them by colour (for example from light to dark), mix them randomly or create small colour groups. Let patterns and solid fabrics alternate so the garland looks lively but not too busy.

5. Fixing the flags to the bias tape

• Lay the bias tape in front of you along its full length. If you’re using a simple strip of fabric, fold it in half lengthwise and press the fold.

• Now tuck the open top edges of the flags into the bias tape: the points are facing downwards, and the flags sit in regular intervals along the tape. (photo 1)

• Secure everything with pins or fabric clips so nothing slips while sewing.

6. Sewing the first seam along the bias tape

• Sew along the open edge of the bias tape to hold the flags in place. A simple straight stitch works perfectly here. Take your time – it’s absolutely okay to sew slowly and enjoy the process.

7. Folding over the bias tape and sewing the second seam

• Fold the bias tape over the top edge of the flags so that the raw edges are completely enclosed. (photo 2)

• If you like, press the tape briefly so it lies nice and flat. Then sew a second line of stitching along the edge, this time from the right side of the bunting, so the garland gets a clean, finished look. (photo 3)

• Now all flags are held securely inside the tape, and there are no raw edges left to fray.

8. Tidying the ends of the bias tape and adjusting the length

Finally, take a look at the ends of your bias tape:

• How much tape would you like to leave on each side so you can tie or hang the garland easily?

• Trim the ends if necessary and fold each end over twice, then topstitch close to the edge. This gives you neat, tidy finishes.

Your DIY fabric bunting garland is now ready to hang – in the living room, in the kids’ room, above the changing table or wherever you’d like a little more lightness and colour.

A quiet closing

Perhaps this is your very first bunting garland – or the first of many.

You might notice, while sewing, how good it feels to turn leftover fabric into something new. Over time, you might create little series: for your home, for your child’s room, for people you love and want to make smile.

If you want to save time, take a look at the instructions for an (even) simpler and quicker version of the bunting chain.

If you feel like exploring more gentle sewing projects, you’ll find many ideas on my blog that fit quietly into your everyday rhythm. Step by step, a small handmade world can grow around you.

A warm hug and see you soon.