Bright & Funky Bunting!

The origins for today's post are based wholly in functionality.  We have a bit of an issue with Mynah birds here, they like to come in on our patio and do their business on our outdoor table. Over Christmas we had these spirally hanger things that did a great job at keeping the birds away, but alas, they didn't live through cyclone Yasi.  I thought I'd try my hand at making some fabric bunting, in the hope that the flags waving and flipping in the breeze might scare the birds off. 

To make this, I folded my fabric in half, and cut a large, skinny triangle of fabric through both the layers.  My triangles were approx 20cm across, and 30cm long. Repeat this as many times as you like, I ended up with 12 pairs of triangles. I also cut a really long strip of red fabric, which was about 10cm across, and about 4m long.  If you don't have such a long piece of fabric, you could either use premade bias binding, or make shorter lengths and stitch them together.  I ironed the long piece of fabric in half, then opened it out again, and then ironed each "half" down in half again into the middle, similar to bias binding. 

I then stitched 2 triangles together (good sides in) on the two long sides.  To make the tip neat, I mitred the tip (cut the pointy bit off just after the last stitch so it isn't bulky when you turn it in), and then turned them in the right way.  I decided that to make it neat, I'd press the triangles at this point, and I'm glad I did.  It just gave the bunting that crispness that I was after. 
Assembly time : I measured in 50cm from the end of the red fabric, and pinned in my first triangle.  I measured 10cm, and pinned in the next, and so on and so forth.  I then ran a line of stitching along the bottom edge of the red binding fabric, making sure I was catching both sides of the binding as I went. 
And before I knew it, I was done! 
I think I might be making these a bit more often!!!

Besides the binding, this 4m string of bunting used less than a metre of 120cm wide cotton fabric.  So it's not too expensive either! 
Now I don't really care if it doesn't scare the birds away, it just looks so bright and fun.  And as soon as it gets a bit grubby, I can throw it in the washing, give it a rub with the iron, and it'll be good as new again :)
x Rita