Birthday Party Fabric Garland DIY

I love handmade, personalized decorations for birthday parties. Garlands and banners are my favorite! If you hang up a little swag of garland of paper flags – you have an INSTANT PARTY!!! So today I’ll show you how to make a very easy birthday party fabric garland DIY project.

I have often made pennant banners (here and here), but this year I wanted to try making a fabric garland with all my scrap fabric strips. The great thing about a fabric scrap garland is two-fold: 

a) you can match any party theme or color scheme because you pick the materials!

b) it’s a great way to use up fabric scraps! 

For our Farm / Tractor birthday party, I hung this on our TV cabinet at first. But later I moved it to the dining room over the dessert table, where I thought it fit better! 

Fabric Garland DIY Project Tutorial

Making this fabric garland could not have been easier, and you can make one too in a jiffy! Here’s what you’ll need:

Materials:

1. One length of ribbon or twine (1/2″ wide or more) for the base of the garland. Make sure this is at least as long as you want your garland to run, plus extra length for hanging.
2. Fabric strips in your party theme colors. Cut these strips between 1/2 to 1 inch wide.

• • The length depends on how long you want the strips to dangle down! Mine were about 18 inches long and formed an uneven edge for a more rustic look. You can always cut edges even after you’re done
  • Use a variety of shades and prints, or keep it limited to a few – it’s up to you!
  • You will need a lot – minimum 75-100 depending on how long you want your garland to run.
  • VARIATION: Instead of fabric strips, you could ALSO use wide ribbon, which can be super easy to cut and work with. A mix of grosgrain and satin ribbons, printed and solid works so well for this type of project!

Assembly Instructions: 

1. Gather your fabric and cut into strips (if not already done)
2. Tie the fabric strip onto the ribbon. There are two ways: 
   • “Slip knot” it on by folding the fabric strip and pulling the two loose ends UNDER the ribbon and through the folded loop. Pull to tighten. This creates a garland that “hangs” down a bit more.
   • Or, simply tie a regular knot around the ribbon. This version will lead to a garland that has more “sticking out” pieces. 
3. Continue adding fabric strips until you fill up the ribbon length, leaving about a foot on either end for hanging onto hooks.
   • You can space out your fabric strips or pack them tightly together to create a look you like!

Here’s a picture tutorial of how to assemble the strips into a garland:

You can get fabric scraps a number of ways:

• If you already sew, I am sure you have a bundle in your craft storage! I know I do!
• You can purchase fabric at any craft store – some sell it by the yard (on bolts) or you could look for what’s called “fat quarters,” which are quarter yards of fabric folded up neatly into squares. These can be perfect for small projects because you don’t have to buy a lot. However, they can get expensive if you want a lot of colors. 
• I’ve even called on friends and family or put a post on freecycle sites to see who has leftover fabric they want to get rid of. This is the perfect project for upcycling!

Here’s a few supplies I found on Amazon – you can search Amazon further for specific colors or themes: 

328 Feet Natural Jute TwineCute Animals Print Fabric, Pre-Cut Fat QuartersMystery Fat Quarter 20 PieceIsland Batik Kaleidoscope Fat Quarter Fat Quarter Bundle – 20 pieces60 Yards Grosgrain RibbonsDIY Assorted 20 Yards Grosgrain Ribbon4 Rolls Sheer Chiffon RibbonPolka Dot Satin Ribbon 40 yd (20×2) 3/8″

Use your Fabric Garland in many ways!

What could you use this kind of garland for besides parties? I was thinking a window valance? I have often hung the party garlands in my kids’ rooms or the playroom for a while after the party. 

Have fun creating this fabric garland DIY project for whatever party you’re planning. The beauty of this type of garland is you can match your party theme either by color or by motif (or both). 

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