Easy DIY Burlap Banner for Fall
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This easy DIY burlap banner is such a simple way to add a little fall color and texture to a mantel, shelf, or entryway. My friend Britni from Play Party Plan originally shared this project here on The Crafting Nook, and I love that it uses just burlap, glitter cardstock, twine, and glue.
The whole banner comes together pretty quickly, and you don’t need to sew a thing. Britni made hers with a simple “HAPPY FALL” message, but the same idea can easily be changed for Thanksgiving or another season.
Table of Contents
A Simple Fall Burlap Banner
Hi everyone! My name is Britni and I blog over at Play Party Plan. My blog is full of fun party ideas, crafts, recipes, and family activities. I’d love for you to stop by and say hi.
Today I’m sharing an easy DIY burlap banner. I made mine for fall, but you could easily change the cardstock colors or letters to make one for Thanksgiving or another holiday.
I especially love banners like this because they can fill an empty mantel or wall without adding a bunch of extra decorations. And if I hadn’t been interrupted by my baby multiple times while making it, this probably would have taken me less than 30 minutes!
Why You’ll Love This Fall Banner
There isn’t anything complicated about this project, which is part of what makes it so fun to put together.
- Easy to store. When fall is over, the banner takes up almost no space in your seasonal decor bins.
- No sewing required. Everything is assembled with fabric glue and twine.
- Easy to customize. Change the letters, cardstock, or twine and make it fit your own fall decor.
- Simple supplies. You only need a handful of basic craft materials.
- Quick to make. Once your letters are cut, assembling the banner goes pretty fast.
How to Make a DIY Burlap Banner for Fall
The simplified instructions are in the how-to card below, but here’s how Britni put her banner together step by step.
Supplies
- Burlap fabric
- Glitter cardstock
- Clear fabric glue, such as Fabri-Tac
- Baker’s twine, jute twine, ribbon, or string
- Tape for hanging
Tools
- Fabric scissors or shears
- Silhouette Cameo or letter stencils
- Scissors if cutting the letters by hand
Instructions:
Step 1: Gather Your Supplies
Start by gathering everything before cutting the burlap. It’s helpful to have the finished cardstock letters ready first because their size will determine how large each burlap piece needs to be.
Step 2: Cut the Cardstock Letters
Cut the letters for your banner from glitter cardstock. Britni used her Silhouette Cameo to make the letters for “HAPPY FALL,” but a cutting machine isn’t necessary.
You can also print or use letter stencils, trace them onto the back of the cardstock, and cut them out with scissors.
If you’re using a Silhouette with glitter cardstock, Britni recommends taping the cardstock securely to the cutting mat. Glitter paper can shift while cutting, and that little bit of extra tape helped keep everything in place.
She used the glitter cardstock cut setting on her machine with good results.
Step 3: Cut the Burlap Pieces
Place one cardstock letter on the burlap to decide how much fabric you want showing around it.
There are two ways you can approach the sizing. You can cut every burlap piece exactly the same size, which will give the banner a very uniform shape. Or you can size each piece around its individual letter so there is a similar amount of burlap showing around every letter.
Britni chose the second option.
Place each letter on the burlap and cut a square or rectangle around it, leaving enough fabric visible to frame the letter. Repeat until you have one piece of burlap for every letter.
Don’t worry if the pieces aren’t absolutely identical. Burlap already has a relaxed, rustic look, so tiny differences won’t stand out once the banner is hanging.
Step 4: Glue the Letters to the Burlap
Center each glitter cardstock letter on its burlap piece and attach it with clear fabric glue.
This is one step where protecting your work surface is worth the extra minute. Burlap has an open weave, so glue can seep through the fabric.
Britni recommends working over cardboard, newspaper, scrap paper, or another surface you don’t mind getting glue on.
Allow the glue to dry according to the instructions for the adhesive you’re using before handling the pieces too much.
Step 5: Thread the Banner
Carefully make a small hole near each upper corner of every burlap piece.
Don’t make the holes too close to the edge. Burlap can unravel easily, and if there isn’t enough fabric around the hole, the threads may pull apart.
Thread baker’s twine, jute twine, ribbon, or string through the holes.
Try to thread every piece in the same direction. For example, if you bring the twine from front to back through the first hole, continue doing it the same way for the remaining pieces. This helps the individual flags sit more evenly once the banner is hanging.
Slide the pieces along the twine until you’re happy with the spacing.
Step 6: Hang Your Fall Banner
Once everything is dry and threaded, your banner is ready to hang.
Britni displayed hers across the fireplace mantel, but it could also work across a shelf, doorway, entry table, or party table.
Adjust the spacing between the letters after hanging it, then step back and make any final little tweaks.
That’s it!
Crafting Tips
This is a forgiving project, but a few small details can make assembly easier.
- Cut the letters before the burlap. This makes it much easier to judge the right size for each fabric piece.
- Protect your table when gluing. Fabric glue can work its way straight through the open weave of burlap.
- Leave room around the threading holes. Cutting them too close to the edge makes it easier for the burlap to unravel.
- Don’t obsess over perfectly matching burlap pieces. A little variation works with this type of banner.
- Let the glue dry before threading. Moving the pieces around too soon can shift the cardstock letters.
- Secure glitter cardstock when machine cutting. A little tape around the edges can help prevent the cardstock from slipping on the cutting mat.
Hope you enjoyed this cute and easy tutorial.
Easy Ways to Change the Banner
The basic construction is simple enough that you can use the same idea for other seasons and celebrations.
Make it for Thanksgiving. Replace “HAPPY FALL” with “THANKFUL,” “GIVE THANKS,” or another short message and use warm fall cardstock colors.
Skip the glitter. Kraft cardstock, patterned scrapbook paper, or solid cardstock would all give the banner a different look.
Change the string. Baker’s twine gives it a casual feel, while jute twine keeps everything more rustic. A narrow ribbon could dress it up a little.
Use it beyond fall. Once you know how to make the individual burlap pieces, you can change the letters and colors for Christmas, birthdays, showers, or other celebrations.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. A Silhouette makes cutting the cardstock letters faster, but you can use letter stencils instead. Trace the letters onto your cardstock and cut them out carefully with scissors.
Some fraying is normal with burlap. Use sharp fabric scissors for clean cuts and avoid making the holes for your twine too close to the edges. If an edge starts to loosen, trim the stray fibers instead of pulling them.
A clear fabric adhesive such as Fabri-Tac works well because it is designed to bond fabric and other craft materials. Whatever adhesive you use, test a small amount first and protect your work surface since glue can pass through burlap.
Absolutely. Britni sized hers around the individual letters so the amount of burlap surrounding each letter looked similar. If you prefer a more uniform banner, cut identical burlap rectangles and center each letter on them instead.
Yes. Once the glue is completely dry, loosely fold or roll the banner and store it somewhere dry. Avoid putting anything heavy on top of the cardstock letters so they don’t bend.
More Fall Projects to Try
If you enjoyed this Fall Burlap Banner DIY Tutorial, you might also love these other Fall DIY projects too:
Thanks again to Britni for sharing this sweet little fall project here on The Crafting Nook!
If you make your own burlap banner, I’d love to see how you customize it. Leave a comment below with a rating star and tag me on Instagram so I can check it out.
✂️ Tutorial
Easy DIY Burlap Banner for Fall
Tools
- Fabric Scissors
- Silhouette Cameo or letter stencils
- Scissors, if cutting letters by hand
Supplies
- Burlap fabric
- Glitter cardstock
- Clear fabric glue
- Baker’s twine jute twine, ribbon, or string
- Tape
Instructions
- Cut the letters for “HAPPY FALL” from glitter cardstock using a cutting machine or letter stencils and scissors.
- Place each letter over the burlap and cut one piece of fabric for each letter, leaving a border around the cardstock.
- Center each letter on its burlap piece and attach it with clear fabric glue. Let the glue dry according to the adhesive instructions.
- Carefully make a small hole near both upper corners of each burlap piece, leaving enough space from the edges to prevent unraveling.
- Thread twine or ribbon through each burlap piece, keeping the threading direction consistent.
- Space the letters evenly along the twine and hang your finished banner.
Notes
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