Classroom bunting
At the beginning of the school year Miss A’s lovely teacher asked if I could make some bunting in school colours to decorate Miss A’s classroom. I said ‘yes’ but then procrastinated for a VERY long time.
The week before last, with the end of our school year only a eight weeks away, I decided that I must take action now. My brief was to involve the girls, but ensure that their involvement didn’t detract from the finished project. I therefore decided to do the sewing, but I involved Miss A’s classmates in the sequencing of the bunting flags.
I’m no expert at bunting, and there are heaps of online tutorials with detailed instructions, but I will give you my essential tips:
- Ensure you have access to a rotary cutter, cutting mat and an object you can use as a point turner (for me, a knitting needle!)
- Make a flag template (I used a cardboard box) and remember to include seam allowances
- Trim the seam allowances at the ‘tip’ of each flag as close to the stitching as possible
- Iron open the seam allowances (my sleeve board was invaluable) before pressing each flag on the right side
Over the course of last week I sewed up 66 flags! The sewing was surprisingly enjoyable and therapeutic. There might be a quilt in me yet!
I divided the flags into three piles with a variety of the eight different fabric in each one. I then spent some time with Miss A and her classmates. Firstly the girls selected a flag from one of the piles and then arranged themselves in height order, with the added difficultly that they couldn’t talk. They then did a similar thing (with words!) and arranged themselves in alphabetical order by first name and then in birthday order. The outcome was a random arrangement of bunting flags that tells the a story of a classroom at a snapshot in time.
I then went home and spent a few hours attaching the flags to metres and metres of bias binding before returning to the classroom after lunch for the big reveal. The girls and the teacher were delighted with the bunting, and so was I, and it now hangs at both ends of the classroom. I might add, a very light filled classroom that makes taking photographs very difficult.
And in other news… we have been given a date to move into our soon to be finished renovated/rebuilt family home. I have lots of non-sewing things to do in the next five weeks…
Oh this bunting is precious! I love the girls helped with the order! And yay for moving- that must be so exciting!
Thanks Amanda. Moving is exciting and daunting all at once. We’re calling in the professionals (packers and removalists) to try and make the process as stressfree as possible. Needless to say, there is still lots of organising to be done!
I’m impressed! I usually duck & run for cover when people ask me to sew for them… even when they offer cash LOL
I find it really hard to say no to my girls teachers, actually I find it hard to say no at the best of times. Think of me next Friday when I’ll be in the kinder classroom sewing costumes for the end of year concert. I don’t even know what the costumes are, but I’ve been promised it will only take an hour or so… famous last words I think!
Yep, you are a legend. I love my daughter’s ballet school because it includes all outfits for eisteddfods!
Good luck with the move. Cool bunting love the colours not to girly.
Thanks Louise. Must confess my head is spinning with things to do, but I’m ticking some things off my list. BTW loving your recent Japanese Patterns makes. Oh for some selfish sewing… but teacher presents to make first!
Extremely gorgeous! And I love the colours too – so nice not to see maroon, bottle green or purple!