TUTORIAL: Be Married Burlap Wedding Banner

My littlest sister is getting married at the end of the month, hooray!  And over here we are getting so so so excited for them! She will be the last one in our family to tie the knot...and she couldn't be doing it with a nicer guy (hi Nathan!)  Since I can't really be over there (all the way in Seattle) to help them in person I asked if there was anything I could do here and mail out before the big date...you know I love wedding planning and decorating!! 

Little sister's wedding is going to be in the colors gray and yellow.  I can't wait to be out there at the end of the month to help her set things up, every time I speak to her it is sounding sweeter and more awesome than the last! Their plan is to make it a rustic wedding with cute signage, twinkle lights, and a donut wedding cake--be still my heart!  One of the things she asked that I make for them is a "Be Married" banner made out of burlap flags that will hang behind their table at the reception.  Hello!  I can totally do that!!

Here's the 411 in case you need one of these sweet signs for a wedding in your future!

"Be Married" Burlap Wedding Banner

1 yard of burlap

rotary cutter and mat

ruler

twine

sewing machine and thread

stenciled letters (I used my Cricut Mini but you could print of the computer too!)

acrylic paint

brush

marker for tracing letters

wax paper

First cut out a template for the burlap flags.  I made my flags to the dimensions above as I thought that allowed for nice sized letters you will be able to see from afar in a pretty large reception hall/banquet area.  The flag size will allow the words "Be Married" and a Heart shape inbetween to hang on about 9 feet of twine with room on each end for tying up.

Cut out 10 flags using your template and cut on the fold.  You should have enough burlap if you get one yard of it...you may want to get a wee bit more burlap if you think you might mess up!

Then using my Cricut Mini and their free basic font I cut out the letters "BE MARRIED" and a heart shape sizing everything to 5 inches wide by 6 inches long.  You could also use any font on your computer as well.  Just use an x-acto knife to cut out the letters for your flags if you do.

I traced each letter onto the flags with a marker like so...making sure to have ample room at the top of the flag so I could stitch a casing for the twine.

If you cut a piece of wax paper and place it behind the flag before you paint the letters in it will help protect whatever surface you are painting on.  The wax paper peels away nicely once the paint is dry too!

Then grab your paint and a brush and thoroughly paint in each letter (I used Martha Stewarts Satin Finish Craft Paint!) Once it is dry, fold your flags in half.  Using your sewing machine, make a casing for the twine by sewing a line about 1/2 inch from the fold.  I also stitched all around the side of the flags and the bottom as well to keep the flags as one unit.

And there you have it...

BE MARRIED!

Now I just have to get this and a few other things I made for them out into the mail today :-)

I hope they like it!

Thanks for stopping by today!!

XOXO,

Burlap Silverware Pouches-TUTORIAL

Need a cute way to present your silverware at your Christmas Day dinner this year...or really for any event or party for that matter!  These little burlap pouches are so simple to make and such a lovely way to liven up your place settings instead of using the standard Emily Post set up. 

{PS.  See placemat tutorial here!}

I made a a bunch of these sweet little pouches for our Ladies Advent Tea table (see more on that here!) The burlap was great for adding another element of rustic charm to our table and the organza ribbon tied around each pouch offered just the right touch of softness to balance out each place setting.

Burlap Silverware Pouches

1/3 yard of burlap (makes 8 pouches)
rotary cutter and mat
sewing machine and coordinating thread
spool of organza ribbon

 First off cut 8 (or more if you need it!) pieces of burlap sized 4 x 9 inches.

Fold each piece of burlap in half like so. Note that you may want to double check that your silverware fits in it the way you like before you cut into your burlap too much.  I'm assuming most silverware is pretty standard in size but there might be a few antique sets that may be smaller in size.

Then just sew along each side (leaving the bottom the fold) using a 1/4 inch seam allowance.

Then cut strips of the organza ribbon in long enough lengths that you can make a nice-sized bow.  Fill the pouch with your the silverware and then tie the ribbon near the top 1/3 of the pouch....easy peasy!

Pretty. Simple. Rustic.

LOVE!

Thanks for stopping by today!

XOXO,

Burlap & Lace Placemats-TUTORIAL

Today I'm going to show you how I made the Burlap & Lace placemats I shared with you here.  They are an easy way to add some rustic charm to a place setting and would work so well for just about any holiday dinner party or wedding event. 

Burlap and Lace Placemats

Burlap (1 1/2 yards will make about 8 placemats)

Lace Trim

Wondertape

Sewing machine and coordinating thread

These are so easy to make, I swear!  Even if you are the most beginner sewer out there you will be able to whip up a table full of them in no time, really truly!

First start by cutting rectangular pieces of burlap measuring 13 x 17 inches.

Next cut 13 inch sections of the lace.  I loved this vintage trim I had in my stash for this particular project.  It's about 4 inches wide and has the loveliest scalloped edge on one side.  I placed a 13-inch strip of wondertape near the scalloped edge to keep the trim in place while I sewed it down.

And if you didn't already know, wondertape really is wonderful!  It is basically double-sided sticky tape that washes away when you launder your project.  You can usually find it in the quilting notions section of your local fabric store.

Once your trim is taped down, sew around all 4 edges of your lace trim and you are done!  How pretty is that!

I just love the little bit of lace that peeks out from underneath the plate.  

Now hop to it and make yourself a set of 6, 8, or 12 for your next dinner party, you will love how fast these are to whip up!

Thanks for stopping by today!

XOXO,