How to Craft a Recycled Paper Flag Bunting

Dec 07, 2020

A recycled paper flag bunting is a perfect way to decorate a room for a celebration or to spruce up your space. Creating your own recycled paper flag bunting gives new life to old paper and is easy to make. You can most likely find all the materials needed around your home with no need to go to the store! Below is everything you will need and graphics to help you along the way.

The idea and directions for making a recycled paper flag bunting were created by artist Anne Cecil. Thank you for the wonderful idea, Anne!

Crafting a Paper Flag Bunting

Here’s What You Will Need:

1. 3-5 sheets of any 8.5” x 11” paper

Magazines – Magazine pages are great because they have a large variety of colors, shapes, objects and text. They are a great option because they provide an excellent opportunity for design considerations.

Wrapping paper – A flag bunting is a great way to upcycle wrapping paper to create a festive theme.

Maps or Atlas – This is a wonderful way to recreate a trip you have taken, plan one you will take, or create an imaginary vacation. You can even intersperse photos or drawings of stops along the way!

Book pages or newspaper – Using book pages or newspaper allows you to focus on words that can tell a story. You can include illustrations or photos from the books or newspapers. You can even intersperse photos and drawings of your own! Comics can be used to create a Graphic Novel bunting. Note: Newspaper can be quite fragile. You will need to handle with care.

Personal photos – Print your own photos.

Drawings – Use your own drawings.

2. Hanging Line

You can use jute, twine, string, rope, ribbon, yarn, cable, wire or anything you can use to hang.

3. Cutting Implement

You can use anything you have on hand. Examples: Scissors, utility knife, Exacto Knife, Hole punch or anything that can pierce paper.

4. Reinforcement (Optional)

You can use tape, packing tape, duct tape or notebook paper hole reinforcements to reinforce your cut.

How to Create a Paper Bunting:

Step 1: Starting with paper held portrait, fold the paper in half from top to bottom. Flip and repeat along the same crease (so the inside is now outside).

Step 2: Hold folded paper with the crease pointing upward and the open flaps at the bottom.  Bring the left side to meet the right side.  Fold in half and crease.  Flip and repeat along the same crease.

Step 3: Open paper (which is now divided into 4 quadrants). Hold paper portrait.

Step 4: Take the right edge of the central crease and fold it inward stopping along the mid crease between quadrant 1 and 2.   This will create a triangle.  Press and crease top and bottom folds, then repeat with the left side.

Step 5: Holepunch the open side of the triangle (top) in 3 places: the center, left, and right side.

Step 6: Thread the string through and repeat to create your bunting banner!

 

About the Instructor:

Anne Cecil is a seasoned educator and professor who has worked with children and adults for over 40 years, both in person and online. An artisan and entrepreneur, she has offered a variety of workshops using a variety of materials, often offering projects featuring sustainable practices of upcycling common waste materials into useful and beautiful new lives.