Burlap Banner Tutorial

My sister, Brittany, has been nagging me daily to get this tutorial up on my blog :).  Since I've been MIA on here for 4 months now, I figured maybe this will get me going again (No promises!).  This is super easy and the burlap is perfect for decorating all things FALL.  My favorite time of year!  Here you go...

Supplies you will need:

Burlap (Amount depends on how many triangle pendants you want)

Freezer Paper (Found in grocery stores by saran wrap)

Acrylic paint

Foam brushes (The round ones in the picture work best)

Hemp cord, ribbon, or twine (to hang the banner)

Optional:

Mod Podge

Extra fine Glitter

Around the house:

Iron

Scissors

Ruler

Glue gun

Exact-o knife

Construction paper

Cut  Burlap:

1. Take a piece of construction paper and fold in half (hot-dog way).  To make a triangle, use a ruler to trace each side down to meet at the bottom point.  

2. Cut out your triangles, and  use as stencil to cut out  each burlap pendant.

*There is a trick to cutting burlap--Cut an 11-inch strip so you can stagger your triangles and conserve more material.  Also if you take out a string of burlap from the top and bottom of your 11 inch strip, it helps make a cleaner/even line.  Just follow the natural grain line of the Burlap to do this.  I will post pictures soon if this sounds too complicated.

Create Stencils:

1. Decide what you want your banner to say.  In WORD, choose font and set size at 320.  (You may need to adjust depending on font).  Print out all letters you will need. 

2.Cut out squares of freezer paper to trace your letters on.  Make sure to leave enough room around the edges-- this is what you will be painting on.  Place the freezer paper glossy side down with your image right side up and trace all of your letters.  If your font has straight lines-- a ruler is helpful.  Also tape it down so it doesn’t move.

3.  Move your freezer paper stencil to a safe surface to cut through.  Using an exact-o knife or razor blade, cut out the middle of your stencil.  It will look like this:

*This is where it would be really helpful to have a Cricut cutter machine!  It can cut out the stencils right on your freezer paper for you!  I really need to get one, it would save soooo much time.  

Paint Burlap:
1. First you will need to iron stencil directly to the burlap.  It will adhere to it.  Make sure the glossy side touching the fabric.  

2.  Paint in stencil with color of your choice.  Be sure to do it on a safe surface, the paint will seep through!    

3.  Let paint dry.  Burlap is great because it dries super fast. 

 

Glitter coat (optional):
1.  After paint is all the way dry,  apply a light coat of mod-podge with foam brush.
  
2.  Sprinkle glitter generously over glue, and let dry for a minute or so.  


3.  Turn over pendant so excess glitter falls off onto a piece of paper.  I like to conserve all of my glitter so I put it back in the bottle.  

4.  Carefully peel off freezer paper so it doesn’t fray burlap threads.  Pull from top and inside works the best and hold edges while peeling.  

Finish and hang: 

1. Once all letters are painted to burlap, you are ready to glue gun pendants to the hemp cord.  Turn pendant right-side down and fold 1/2 inch to 1 inch of the top edge over the cord.  

2. Cut off excess part of burlap that sticks out on the sides.  

3. Space each pendant however far apart you wish.  One right next to the other looks great too.  Just be sure to leave enough twine on the beginning and ends of banner to use for hanging. 

4.  Continue with each pendant until they are all secured on cord.  Hang all over your house!  On fireplace mantle, over window, on a wall, from bedposts, and so many more possibilities!  

 *When glueing pendants to cord, make sure your letters are in the proper place so when you turn it back over, the saying is not spelled backwards!!!  I know this from experience :).

Pictures of some of my finished banners to come in another post soon!