The No-sew Party Bunting...

Made in under an hour and for less than 1 franc (.90c US)!

I think the key to decorating for a kid's party with a theme like "Hello Kitty" is to have a few plain, non-branded decorations alongside all your branded stuff.  This also helps to keep the costs down (especially here in Switzerland where Hello Kitty tat is inordinately expensive!)

Adorning the fire place.  I love our 1960's Swiss fireplace!

Last night I finished Miss S's goody bags off, and as I sat there triumphant, my eyes happened upon a roll of paper tablecloth I had bought to cover the table on the day.  Then it dawned on me.... "bunting!"

Bunting is an old-fashioned decoration that has made a huge comeback for parties of every kind.  This season it is making appearances at the most stylish summer weddings, fêtes, as well as kiddie's birthday parties. 

I had wanted to make some for the party, but hadn't had the time to sew the proper stuff.  I made some beautiful pink fabric bunting two years ago but can't remember for the life of me where I have put it.  Perhaps I gave it away...  Anyway, it matters not as then I whipped up this no-sew bunting in under an hour, using only half a metre of the 5 metres of paper table cloth I had.

And here's a how-to if you'd like to make some:

You will need (for a 3m metre length of bunting):

* A piece of fabric-feel paper table cloth about 50cm long and 120cm wide*

* 3m of paper gift wrap ribbon

* A large cereal box (to make the triangle template)

* Glue stick

* Scissors

* Ruler

* Pencil

* Sticky tack (Blutac), to hang

On one panel of your cereal box draw a rectangle 15cm wide and 20cm deep.

Measure 7.5cm (halfway) along the bottom edge of the rectangle and make a mark.  Now join this mark to the two top corners to form a triangle.  Cut this out.

Lay the triangle on the back side of the paper table cloth as pictured and trace around.  Cut out the triangles.  (14 of these triangles will make your 3m length, but cut as many or as little as you need).

Make a line of glue across the top of the triangles, (on the "right" side of the paper), and glue under the ribbon at 4cm intervals, being careful not to twist your ribbon.  (I did, so I just cut the ribbon, undid the twist and sticky-taped it back together again!)

Leave to dry for at least a few hours or overnight, just to make sure that it all holds together.

Hang to your wall using sticky tack.  If your paper table cloth came in a roll, you might find that your triangles curl up a bit.  If this is the case, just put a tiny piece of sticky tack under the bottom point and fasten to the wall.  

Enjoy!

Update as at 23rd August '10.  It occurs to me (with my newfound obsession with oilcloth) that you could make this bunting using oilcloth instead of paper tablecloth.  It won't fray, it comes in some really fantastic prints and would also be great for if the bunting needs to be used outside where it could possibly get damp. I'll experiment and get back to you!  LM x