3 Ways to String Together a Party Banner
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One of my favorite party decorations is the…. party banner. It is the one party decoration that can make any celebration come to life.
And I’m excited to say that we have moved way beyond the shimmery block letter buntings of my youth. Do you remember those? The ones where you punched out the letters and strung them together to spell a word.
Now, by using party printables, your party banner can match your decorations, spell a special message and be made easily at home. Although my favorite is constructed from paper, I’ve seen party banners also made from felt, fabric or even knitted.
They also come in all shapes and lengths, which makes them the perfect decoration for everything from the cake to the dessert table.
How to String Together a Party Banner
When I sat down to make my first party banner, it wasn’t as easy as it looked. I thought I would just string the pieces together. Instead, I couldn’t get the twine to go in and out in the same direction. Also, the paper pieces kept clumping together and wouldn’t stay straight.
After a couple of practices, I learned a number of tricks to string together a party banner. Here are 3 simple and easy ways.
You Will Need:
Printable Banners – Check out our shop for some of my favorite printable banner designs
Scissors or Paper Trimmer (affiliate)
Circle Hand Punch, 1/8 Inch (affiliate)
Baker’s Twine or Narrow Ribbon (affiliate)
Pencil
Ruler
Clear tape
1. Print out the pieces of your party banner. Carefully cut out each piece using scissors or a paper trimmer (affiliate). A paper trimmer is the best way to cut lots of straight lines fast.
2. Measure out the placement of the holes. I usually aim for 1 inch down and half an inch in on each side. Mark each hole with an X.
3. Punch each hole with the paper punch. I use a 1/8 Inch Circle Hand Punch because the hole fits the ribbon and twine better and doesn’t show as much.
4. Measure out a length of the baker’s twine or ribbon. When choosing a color of baker’s twine (affiliate), I select one that will coordinate with the banner. The twine or ribbon will be seen when hanging, so it will become part of the final decoration.
Usually when I string together the party banner, I use 8 to 10 yards of baker’s twine. If your bunting is longer, then measure more baker’s twine. As a standard guide, measure the length of your banner piece and add an extra inch to each side. For this party banner design, I used solid red baker’s twine. (affiliate)
And remember. It’s better to measure longer than shorter. Once you have the length cut you can’t make it longer.
5. Start stringing together your party banner. There are three ways to strung it together.
The first is to string the twine or ribbon underneath each banner piece. This will result in it being hidden. As you string along, add a piece a tape to the twine on the back of each card to hold it in place.
The second is to string the twine or ribbon in front of each banner piece. To secure the twine or ribbon, add a small piece of clear tape to the edge of each piece.
The last is to string the party banner with both, using an inside out pattern. Secure the twine or ribbon on the back or edges of the banner pieces with tape.
6. Trim each end of twine or ribbon to your desired length. Hang up as a party decoration on a wall, in front of a serving table or even along a mantel.
Don’t Make this Mistake
After making dozens of party banners over the years, there is one mistake that I still sometimes make. Spelling the words backward.
It’s an easier mistake to make than you think. To prevent this from happening, just be sure to flip over the banner pieces and line up the letters backwards as you spell the word. String the banner together in this order. This way when you hang the party banner, the letters are arranged in the correct order.
I made this “Love is Sweet” party banner for our recent fifth year anniversary. It was fun to add a little romantic touch to our fireplace mantel. I can’t wait to put it up again for Valentine’s Day. Knowing me I’ll come up with a new design by then!
Love Printable Party Banners?
I have designed a variety of printable party banners over the years. Here are a few of my favorites.
Free Printable Let It Snow Banner
Love these ideas to string your party banner and want to save for later? Be sure to pin it below!
Happy Celebrating,
Natalie
Bunting adds such a ‘happy’ touch to any occasion or spot!