Hang Out The Bunting - Easter's Here!

Bunting has been a theme here at Hope & Gloria HQ over the past few weeks. Easter Bunting to be precise.

I am a big fan of bunting - it's a very simple form of decoration but just seems to shout out celebration. We've not had a bunting project in our sewing clubs for a couple of years now but Easter seemed like the perfect timing to design a range of motifs that could be used on felt bunting and I had tonnes of fun playing around with the designs - here are just a few....

Designing the bunting for the children in our clubs gave me the perfect opportunity for two of my favourite things - applique and embroidery. The embroidery bug took hold yet again and I have made some Easter themed embroidery to decorate our home this Easter.

What else do you need to sum up Easter other than bunnies, hens and eggs? These are the main designs that feature in my bunting.

When embroidering I love to use air soluble pens to draw my design. You need to be quick as the ink fades within 24hours but they are a great way to ensure your lines are straight and your design will take shape as you wish it to. I began with a basic abstract bunny shape:

I stitched over this outline using backstitch and added a French knot for an eye:

Then had lots of fun adding grass and flowers using lazy daisy stitch, star stitch and French knots to build up the meadow around my Easter bunny.

I was really pleased with the way he turned out and love the way the colours work together. I then moved on to embroider a colourful Easter Egg and a jolly Easter Hen.

So once I had my three embroidered designs it was time to make patterned flags to alternate with the embroidered ones. I opted for polka dots in spring green and Easter yellow and this was the finished result:

Here it is all complete and hanging across our fireplace - Happy Easter Everyone!