Why make a fabric banner?

Making a good fabric banner takes time, concentration and very often an aching back and pricked fingers, so why do it when you could easily get one printed or painted on paper for less time and expense?

Perhaps the best reason is that they look so good. A decent effort shows: people can tell how much time went into it and will often spend more time looking at it in order to spot the little details that stitching allows (or maybe just to nit-pick the neatness of your sewing!). Sewing a banner links you with a long tradition of making fabric wall hangings, from Mediaeval tapestries that covered whole walls, to Nineteenth Century samplers that fitted in a small frame. They are a part of popular memory that recalls more of the opulence and detail of the past, while printed or painted banners more frequently conjure up images of the village fete or the local council meeting.

Fabric Banners are durable, attractive and fun to make. Done well, they can put across a message, provide a focal point for a room and alleviate the dullness of a bare stretch of wall all in one go. They are ideal for clubs and societies, churches and schools, as well as for big events like weddings and birthdays. They can be as traditional as regimental flags or as abstract and bizarre as your mind can cope with. With a little practise and patience, anyone can make one. There are no good reasons left not to try, so let's get on with it.

Planning the banner

It is very important that you decide on the basic design of your banner before you start. There is no point in getting half way through the sewing, only to realise that it would have looked everso much better in red and besides, it isn't wide enough.

Consider what the banner is for, where it is to go and what the theme is. You may wish to try out several ideas for images, layout, shape and so on, on a piece of paper, before deciding which elements to work up into your final design. Even then, you may add or remove elemeents once you are working on it, but the major pitfalls should have been eliminated. There are a number of basic elements to consider on any banner:

• Size Relates to where it is going and the sort of visual impact you want it to have. If it is to be carried, be aware of the height of the bearer
• Colour Relates to the theme of the piece as well as the environment in which it will be seen. A bright pink banner may fit the bride's taste perfectly, but check the venue for orange walls first
• Shape Relates to the theme and the space available for hanging it. For instance, a long thin piece of wall by a window will need a differently shaped banned to one hanging on the front of a table or lecturn
• Image Relates to the theme and is linked closely to the shape of your banner, look at the ratio of width to height and take care to choose images that are readily replicated in fabric
• Text Will be entirely dictated by the reason for the existence of the banner, but may well be totally unnecessary. Be aware of the amount of space available and the width of the banner. In most cases, any wording must be fairly large to be read from a distance, so long words may have to be expunged for a long, thin banner
• Fabric choice This is not usually an issue, but be aware that in certain conditions your banner might require washing or may be under very bright lights that could shrink or fade some fabrics. Also check on the way you will use your fabric:choose non-fraying fabric where hemming is not going to be possible

With these basic points to consider, you can design for any occasion. Take particular care with the colour choice, this can be the only difference between a fabulous banner and a hideous one! If in doubt, go for simple colour palettes with only two or three colours. Unless it is very child-oriented, avoid a rainbow palette. Opt instead for a scheme that fits your theme, such as blue and silver, red, blue and gold, or pink and white. It is almost always worth having a metallic colour in there somewhere, as these catch the light well and make your banner stand out.

Finally, consider your own skill. If you are making the banner with a group of people, there may be people with differing abilities who can work on different parts of the banner. However, in general, start simply and explore what you can achieve by adding to the basic design. Don't get carried away with a design that calls for intricate drawing out and stitching when you know that sewing on a button sometimes wears you out.

The fabric base

Whatever design you choose, you will need to create the fabric base or background on which it will be stitched.

Fabric choice

Your background fabric needs to be strong and not too stretchy, otherwise you will encounter many problems with pinched and warped fabric and may also suffer from rips, creasing and a lack of co-operation from your fabric. Choose the colour carefully and go for a tough calico, cotton or linen. Avoid man-made fibres which can behave very poorly, and steer well clear of elastic fabrics.

The frame

Any banner you make must be stretched on a frame. The precludes the use of a sewing machine for the actual design, but is absolutely necessary if you want your banner and it's design to end up straight and un-wrinkled.If you are making a very small banner, it may be possible to stretch the fabric on a tapestry stretcher, or even a large embroidery hoop. If your banner is larger, however, you will need to construct a special frame.

You will need: Timber, screws, tenon saw, measuring tape, pencil, T-square, drill, screwdriver, sandpaper.

For a banner about 6'x3', the best frame is made from lengths of 3"x2" planed timber from your local DIY shop. Cut the lengths so that the measurements of your banner are the interior measurements of the frame, that is, with the timber lying on the ground with its 3" side facing up, you need to measure the two side pieces and the two end pieces at the length or width of the banner plus 6". This means that when the corners are overlapped, the loss of 3" at each corner is accounted for. If you forget this and make the lengths the same as your banner, it does not matter too much, but will make the design harder to sew at the edges. For larger or smaller banners, you may wish to change the size of timber you use, so adjust the overlap accordingly.

To make the frame, measure back 3" (or the appropriate amount)from each end of the four pieces of wood you have cut. Using a T-square, mark right round the four sides of the wood at this level. On the thinner side within this end section, mark the half way point across the wood (i.e. at 1" on a 2" side), and continue this line round, across the end of the timber, down to the 3" line on the other side. Using the tenon saw, carefully cut from the end to the 3" line along the halfway line, and from the 3" line on the face down to your first cut. This will remove half of the depth on this end section. Repeat this on all four lengths, always removing the wood on the same side at both ends.

Using the drill, make two holes large enough for your screws in the thin ends of the side pieces only. Position these holes diagonally, but not too close to the edge of the timber. Next lay out your frame, so that the screw holes are on top. The corners should slot neatly together with no overlap. If they do not line up perfectly, adjust them so that the outside of the frame is smooth, even if it leaves gaps in between. Once they are in position, weigh them down so they cannot move, and using a very thin drill bit, drill through the centres of your screw holes again to create pilot holes in the timber below. This will stop it splitting. Place a screw in each hole and tighten them up. At this point you may wish to label the corresponding corners on the wood with a permanent marker, so that it will fit back together easily if you take it apart to store. Before you finish, sand off all the edges so there is nothing snag on the fabric.

Stretching the fabric

You will need: Fabric, fabric scissors, staple gun with 6mm staples.

Cut your chosen fabric so that it is about 6" wider than the finished size on every side. Place it on top of your frame on the floor or a table where you can get to every side. Starting at one end, make sure the right amount of fabric overlaps the frame and staple it along the side or back of the frame, starting at the middle, pulling the ends taut and stapling at the corners, then putting in extra staples approximately every 2"-3". Move to the other end and repeat, being careful to pull evenly to keep the tension the same all the way along. A good way to check your sideways tension is to look at the threads in the weave, if they are wiggly, you've gone wrong. Don't pull too hard or you will stretch the fabric and it may rip on the staples. Once the ends are secure, repeat the process along the sides. When you have finished, the fabric should form a tight 'drumskin' over the frame, but still have some give in it when you touch it. If there are any wrinkles, extra staples will usually sort them out, but never staple into the wood on the face of the frame.

Oddly-shaped banners

If you are making a banner that comes to a point or is any shape other than a square or rectangle, make your frame to fit around the greatest measurements of the shape. Then mark out the shape within that frame on the stretched fabric with a marker pen or tailors chalk depending on how you intent to edge it, sew it as normal, and simply cut out the shape when it is taken off the frame. Do not attempt to make your frame to fit the shape. Unless you are a master joiner it is doomed to failure.

Sewing the design

You can use many techniques to decorate your banner. Never be afraid to experiment, but think carefully about what you are trying to achieve before you do anything rash. Using fabric paint to create a sunset may be a better idea than trying to recreate it in strips of fabric, but when you decide to make a burst of starlight out of beads, consider whether you really have the time and patience to do it before you start.

Appliqué

This is probably the best known method for getting your design onto a banner. Cut out shapes, preferably from non-fraying fabric unless you wish to spend hours overlocking, and stitch them onto the background. You can either make these stitches very tiny, hiding the thin cotton by doing tiny stitches on the face and longer stitches on the reverse; or you can make the stitching a feature. One of the best ways to make your banner look really finishes is in fact to go round everything with black 2-ply wool. Using a half-backstitch will give an arts-and-crafty look, while a chainstich can be used to outline, the stitch coming up in the appliqué patch and going down in the background.

Appliqué can be used to make the whole design, or may only form a part of it. It may be padded out to make it more 3-dimensional, or left flat and added to with beadimg or embroidery.

Painting

Fabric paints, and even normal acrylic paints if it is not to be washed, can be used to create naturalistic effects like clouds, the sea, sunsets and rises etc. They may also supplement other elements in the design, for instance, to add depth to embroidered grass, or shadow to an appliqué object. Spraying over a masked off area can create wonderful effects. Try out the paint effects you wish to use on some spare fabric stretched on an embroidery frame first, as paint does not behave in the same way on fabric as it does on paper.

In addition to paint, there are some wonderful 'paint on' products available which give depth and sparkle to a banner. One of the best is a metallic paste, available under various names from art and craft shops. It comes in a tube and is designed for gilding picture frames and similar projects, but it works well on fabric, especially painted fabric. The tubes are quite expensive, but a little goes a long way and will really make a difference to your banner.

Embroidery and beading

If your knowledge of embroidery is limited, it is worth learning a few from a stitch guide. Learning backstitch, chain stitch, seeding and blanket stitch will enable you to do almost anything. Extra knowledge will only increase the range of showing off you can do! Use specialist threads in contrasting colours and metallics, or wool. You may find that a larger embroidery or sailmaker's needle is required for some of these threads. Do not use ordinary cotton, it is a waste of time as it will not be seen from a distance. Don't forget that overstitching applique with a pattern or shading an object with stitches for a 3-D effect can look great.

Beading works well on banners, chose large wooden or plastic bead to form an integral part of an image, or small glass beads to catch the light and highlight areas of an image. If you have the time and patience, you can create amazing, shimmering effects with thousands of tiny glass beads. Use silver or gold thread to sew them on for added effect.

Lettering

Lettering should always be done in a non-fraying fabric. Photocopy, enlarging to the size you want, letters you have drawn or printed from a particular typeface or calligraphic style. Don't go for anything too ornate or you will have trouble cutting it out. Bold, sans serif faces work well, as do Gothic and Uncial letters. Make them big enough to read from a distance, around 5" high is usually a good size on a 6' banner. Cut out the paper letters and pin them to the fabric. Cut out these letters and either sew them to the banner as appliqué shapes, or use iron-on sheets to stick them to the banner once it is off the frame.

Be creative with your text, it doesn't have to run in a straight line right to left. Experiment with positions that complement the design. In some cases the text may form the design. Just be careful that letters intended to be in a straight, horizontal line, actually are. Measure them into place, then stand back and check by eye.

Finishing off your banner

When your banner design is complete, using a pair of long-nosed pliers, carefully remove all the staples around the edge of the banner, taking care not to catch the threads and rip the fabric. At this point you will need a backing fabric, a weight and a stiffener. Haberdahers and fabric shops sell different grades of woven hessian by the metre in various widths. Choose a width near to that of your banner, and of a medium stiffness. You should be able to bend it without it creasing, but it should start to spring back when you let go. The backing fabric need not be quite as strong as the front, but should again be made of a natural material and the colour should be chosen to either complement the front or blend in to the wall if it shows. Second hand throws are often a good cheap solution for the backing. If you have made a rectangular banner, it is worth finding a metal or wooden pole slightly below the width of your banner, this will lie in the bottom and weigh it down so it hangs better.

Cut the backing to match the front and lie them good side to good side on the floor or table with the front piece on top. It should be easy to see the edges of the banner shape: draw these lines in using a measuring stick and tailor's chalk. Now pin the two pieces together down the side lines, making sure that the pins face towards your sewing machine needle (unless you are going to be a martyr and do this bit by hand as well), and lay the hessian stiffener on top. Check that the stiffener is no wider than the banner and pin it across the banner size-line at the bottom. Sew round these three pinned edges and trim off the excess fabric. Turn the banner inside out and lay it flat again, making sure that the hessian is behaving itself inside. At this point, give the banner a good pressing, making the seams lie flat, but avoiding any shrinkable fabric or paint in the design.

Insert the pole if necessary before closing the top. This may be done leaving an extra lenth of material which is then folded down to make a channel through which a pole can be fed. Alternatively, the edges may be turned inside, over the hessian, and tubes of fabric, ironed flat and folded in half, may be inserted and pinned at regular intervals before the whole end is oversewn. This will create a row of tabs through which a pole may be inserted. Other hanging methods include strings threaded through eyelets or sewn to the back, or velcro or press-studs to attach to a corresponding set on another surface. In these cases, tuck in the top edges, over the hessian, and oversew before adding the fastenings.

Oddly shaped banners may require a little more care in the finishing and hanging. Some may have to be oversewn all the way round, but this can be made into a feature and is not necessarily a bad thing.

Enjoy banner making!

Never let banner-making become a chore. It is fun and just looking for new fabrics and accesories to use can become a great pastime. Your ideas should come easily from the situations for which the banners are being made, but if you get stuck, look for inspiration in books, or adapt ideas from paintings, illustrations or photographs.

Try to make sure that banners are stored flat in a dry place when not in use, or permanent creases will develop and stuck-on pieces may become detached. Watch out for direct sunlight, which may fade your banner, and dampness which may mildew it. Finally, make sure everyone knows you did it. If you've done it well, it's probably taken all your spare time for weeks and you deserve the recognition!

Have fun!