One of the easiest and cheapest home decor additions you can make is a DIY fabric scrap no sew bunting from your old clothes, sheets, scarves etc. A fabric scrap bunting also makes a beautiful decoration for holidays and birthdays.
All youโre going to need is some cord, rope or thick twine (whatever youโve got lying around the house), some scissors and old fabrics that you can cut up.
How to make a bunting from old clothes:
- Gather fabric scraps, scissors and cord
- Cut a length of cord
- Cut a paper template
- Use the template to cut up your fabric strips
- Arrange the pattern so itโs aesthetically appealing
- Knot the fabric strips onto your cord
- Tie loops in the end of the cord
- Hang and admire!
Essentially, youโll be cutting out strips of fabric and knotting them onto the cord in a pattern of your choosing.
Itโs really as easy as that, so letโs get into it!
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How to Make a Fabric Scrap Bunting
Supplies

To make your fabric scrap bunting, youโre going to need some fabric that you can cut up into strips. Think old clothing, table covers, scarves, sheets and so on.
I rustled up a t-shirt that my daughter had outgrown, an old holey silk scarf, an Op Shop skirt that Iโd never worn, plus some lace offcuts, which I had.

Along with the fabric, youโll need something to knot the fabric pieces onto. Rope, cord, ribbon or whatever youโve got laying around will do. I couldnโt find anything appropriate, so I bought a 12m length of macrame cord for $5, which will come in handy for future projects.
Donโt forget some scissors to cut the fabric strips.
FABRIC BUNTING SUPPLIES:
โ Scrap fabric
โ Length of cord, ribbon or rope
โ Scissors
STEP 1: Cut a template

The first step for getting your fabric strips fairly similar in size is to cut out a paper template.
The size of your strips is entirely up to you, but to give you an idea, I cut a strip off the side of a piece of A4 paper to use as my template.
Remember, the fabric strips are not going to be perfect and theyโre not meant to be. This is just to help give you a guide for the sizing as youโre cutting.
STEP 2: Cut your cord length

The next step in your fabric scrap bunting is to cut your cord length to however long you want to have it.
If you want it to hang between two particular points, measure it out, including how far down you want it to droop. Donโt forget to allow for a loop at each end to be able to attach or hang the bunting.
My cord length was about 1.3 metres (51 inches) long.
Once youโve cut your cord, tie a loop in each end so that you can hang up your masterpiece as soon as itโs finished!
STEP 3: Cut the fabric strips


Now you can use your paper template to start cutting up the strips of fabric that youโve chosen.
Place the template on top of the fabric and loosely cut out the shape.
Remember, this bunting has nothing to do with perfection and everything to do with rustic! Donโt worry about jagged edges and odd shapes, theyโll go completely unnoticed once itโs all put together. Anyways, the imperfections all add to the charm.
The bunting pictured in this post has 6 different fabric variations, using 12 strips of each different fabric โ thatโs for a 1.3 metre length cord.
How long you want to make your bunting will determine how many strips of fabric youโll need. Once you get going, youโll soon figure out if you need to cut more as you go.
STEP 4: Arrange your pattern

Once youโve got a pile of strips cut for each piece of fabric that you want to use, itโs time to arrange them in the order that you like.
Play around to get a nice combination of colours, without having anything clash with its neighbour.
STEP 5: Knot the fabric strips onto the cord

To knot the fabric strips onto the cord, you need toโฆ
- Fold a fabric strip in half and lay it underneath the cord
- Pull the two โtailsโ over the cord and push them through the hole at the top of the fabric
- Pull on the โtailsโ to tighten the knot
- As youโre tightening the knot, hold the cord out straight to stop it from bunching up (pic below)

Then move onto the next piece of fabric in your line-up of colours and continue until your cord is almost full.
After you add each new strip of fabric, simply slide it along the cord to butt it up against the previous piece.
Alternatively, you might like to leave a little gap between each fabric and space them out.

Some people also like to leave a gap of cord at each end, while others prefer to take the fabric scraps right up to the loops.
Whichever way you like, there is no right or wrong here.
And thatโs it, now youโre ready to hang your bunting!
How you hang your bunting is totally up to you. Mine isnโt too heavy and is hanging easily with a thumb tack through each loop. You could also hang it off hooks.


Uses for Fabric Scrap Buntings
The number of uses for fabric scrap buntings is really as limited as your imagination.
You can tailor the patterns and colours to suit certain occasions and holidays (such as a Baby Shower or Christmas party).
Maybe you want to spruce up the kids bedroom or cubby with a bunting or two without having to spend much money.
Fabric buntings also make great gifts, especially for those who appreciate handmade items.
Here are some ideas for when and where to use fabric buntings:
- Baby showers
- Holiday decorations (e.g. Christmas & Easter)
- Graduation party
- Birthdays
- Spruce up the living room or bedroom
- Kids rooms and cubbies
- Outdoor living areas
- GREAT Handmade gift idea!
