How to make your own Vintage Hankie Bunting
I have a weakness for decorative buntings and banners. I love to string them up everywhere for no particular reason, all year-long. For years I have collected vintage handkerchiefs and doilies, and occasionally I pull them out and find a way to display them for a week or maybe a month, but the majority of the time they have just lived stuffed in drawers, hidden from view. For this party I decided the time had come to use my hankies and doilies to create a party bunting, fluttering with my most favorite hankies.
Materials Needed
Quantity of vintage or new doilies and ladies’ handkerchiefs, approximately 24
Sufficient grosgrain ribbon (¾ inches wide) to stretch across your bunting area
Sewing needle and thread
Directions
Measure the area you want to hang your buntings on (I made 2, each 8 yards long because I wanted them to make a big impact in the outdoor space. )
Cut your ribbon to the length (or lengths) of the area you just measured.
Next, gather your hankies and doilies. Cut medium and large doilies in half. (I have not found that the edges of mine fray. I don’t wash them, but you could always use a product such as Fray-Chek on the edges if you are concerned about the unraveling.)
Next, stretch your ribbon out across a long flat surface. (I used my living room floor.)
Alternating colors, patterns, and styles, arrange your hankies and doilies along your ribbon, leaving about 1 inch in between each item.
Once you have placed your hankies and doilies and you are happy with your pattern, pin each one to your ribbon. Finish by sewing your hankies to your ribbon with a simple topstitch.