How to Make a Reversible Valentine’s Day and St Patrick’s Day Garland

I don’t decorate for Valentine's Day or St Patrick’s Day very much, if at all. I’m not hating on either holiday.  I don’t have much room to store extra decorations that will be up for only a few weeks for Valentine's Day only to take them down and put up new decorations that will be up for only a few weeks for Saint Patrick's Day.

I got a flash of inspiration when I saw the servants hall in Downton Abby decorated with colorful cloth pennant garland in a recent episode. I know I’m a little late to the cloth garland party but a Valentine’s Day decoration I can flip over and reuse as a Saint Patrick’s Day decoration will solve my storage and holiday décor problem nicely.

Let’s get our DIY on!

St Patrick’s Day and Valentine’s Day Garland Decor Tutorial

 

 

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(No dog Project Mangers where harmed in the making of this project.)

 

I am sewing my reversible cloth garland but feel free to use fabric or hot glue as a no sew option.



You will need:

Scrap paper

Ruler

Pencil 

Paper scissors

Red fabric
Green fabric

White fabric – is pretty thin. I had to double it. You might not.

Ribbon or long strip of fabric
 
Fabric scissors

Pattern weights

Straight pins

White or coordinating thread

Sewing machine – If you are making this banner as an indoor decoration and don’t want to sew it, you can use fabric glue to attach the pieces to one another.

Pinking shears

Heart stencil – or you can freehand it. I traced a vintage cookie cutter for mine.

Shamrock stencil - or you can freehand it. I traced a vintage cookie cutter for mine.

Tulip Twilight Shimmer Transfer Sheets

Tulip Primary Shimmer Transfer Sheets

Iron

Pressing cloth – I use a men’s white handkerchief

Optional: Permanent marker

Disclosure: There are affiliate links in this post.
 

Make it:

1. Make a paper pattern for the background flag: Use the ruler and pencil to draw a triangle that is 7 1/2 inches across and 9 1/2 inches down (or however large or small you like.) Cut the large pennant pattern out with the paper scissors.

2. Make a paper pattern for the inside flag: Use the ruler and pencil to draw a triangle that is 5 1/2 inches wide and 8 inches down (or however large or small you like.) Cut the small pennant pattern out with the paper scissors.

3. Anchor the large paper pattern on the red fabric with either pattern weights or straight pins. Use the fabric scissors to cut a large pennant from the red cloth.



4. Repeat Step 3 as many times as needed until you have as many large red pennants as you need for the length of your garland. I cut six.

5. Repeat Steps 3 and 4 with the green fabric.

6. Anchor the small paper pattern on the white fabric with either pattern weights or straight pins. Use the fabric scissors to cut a small interior pennant from the white cloth.

7. Repeat Step 6 as many times as needed until you have as many small white pennants as you need for both sides of the length of your garland. I cut twelve.

8. Use the straight pins to pin a small white triangle to the center of a large triangle and sew it into place with the sewing machine and white or coordinating thread.

This is a great fabric stash bust project!

9. Repeat Step 8 until you have sewn a white insert to every red or green pennant.

10. Pin the top of one red pennant to the top of one green pennant, right sides (the pretty part) facing in.)

11. Use the sewing machine and coordinating thread to sew the two pennants together at the top.

Sew easy!

12. Repeat Steps 10 and 11 for the rest of the pennants.

13. Use the pinking sheers or fabric scissors to trim the pennants evenly to size if necessary.

14. Pin the pennants to the ribbon or fabric strip and sew them into place with the sewing machine.

Stitch! Stitch!

15. Use the pencil, shamrock stencil, and paper scissors to cut six shamrocks from the green Tulip Shimmer Transfer Iron On sheet.

16. Use the pencil, shamrock stencil, and paper scissors to cut six hearts from the red Tulip Shimmer Transfer Iron On sheet.

Halfway through cutting my shapes, I realized I like the black marker outline. That's when I decided to do Step 19.

17. Using a warm iron and a pressing cloth, follow the directions on the Tulip Shimmer Transfer Iron On package to attach one shamrock to the center of each green pennant and one heart to the center of each red pennant.

Easy Valentine's Day decor!

I did not remove the top layer of clear plastic from my shapes per the Tulip directions because I like the extra bit of shine it gives my cut outs and I don’t have to worry about stiffness since this isn’t on a garment I’m going to wear. Feel free to do what you like!

18. Optional: Outline each shamrock and heart with the black permanent marker for an extra pop!

19. Sew or tie a hanging loop on each side of your pennant garland if desired.


20. Hang it up and celebrate!

Lisa's St Patrick's Day decor is my favorite of the two.

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