Baby Name Pennant
Project and Instructions by Jessica Rich

 

Super-easy to make, this name pennant makes an ideal gift for your own child, your grandchildren or a thoughtful shower gift for moms-to-be.  I’ve made mine for my own baby and since my husband and I are keeping his name a secret until after he’s born, it simply says “baby”.  When he makes his grand entrance this fall, I’ll switch out the letters, adding an extra flag or two if needed, so it has his name on it.

To begin, you’ll need to make a template for the flags.  Start with a sheet of white letter size paper (8 ½” x 11”).  Mark the page as shown in the picture to create an appropriately sized paper template.  (On the bottom of the paper, find the halfway point, 4 1/4".  Draw the dashed line from that halfway point up to each corner at the top of the page.  Following these directions, the long sides of the flags should measure 11 3/4" long.)  Cut along the dashed lines.  The picture shown is not to scale, so please do not try to print it and cut it out, it won’t work.

Use the template to mark out the flags on 12”x12” paper.  Two flags fit on a single sheet of paper by placing them side by side like pieces of a pie.

Next, you’ll need to cut out the wool felt that backs the flags.  A circle template tool makes even, neat concentric circles.  You’ll have to squish them in a bit, but ten 1 ½”diameter circles fit pretty well along one side.  I made a template of the scallops, too.  I lined the paper up on the wool felt sheet, slid the scallop along the edge of the flag and traced with an air erasable marker.

A good quality pair of sharp scissors is important for the next step: Cutting out all those darn scallops.  Without them, you’ll be frustrated with cramped fingers and rough edges.  I used a 4” pair of Gingher Embroidery Scissors.  Like most things in life, you get what you pay for.  They make short work of the tedious scallops.  Sharp and nimble is what’s important here.

Next, attach the paper flag to the felt backing.  Use a craft scraper or credit card to spread a thin, even layer of adhesive on the back of the paper.  Carefully position it on the felt and then weight it down under a small stack of books to prevent it from curling.

Once it has thoroughly dried, attach the die-cut frames to the front of the flag, again weighing them down with books to prevent curling.

The confetti outside the frames is made from felt using a standard hole punch.  Try a few test punches.  If the edges are ragged, you may need to invest in a newer, sharper punch.  There are approximately 24 dots on each flag, 12 of each color.  I used a straightened paperclip to neatly apply glue to the dots.

Since I couldn’t find a font I liked that was already on my computer, I went and purchased one.  There are tons of websites that sell fonts.  Thousands of fonts.  Every conceivable style, from plain basics to frilly scripts and fun novelty fonts.  Just pay for them and download them instantly.  After a quick installation, they are ready to spell out whatever you come up with.

Most single fonts run approximately $10-$40, though you can find “Family Packs” which are variations of the same font in the $50-$75 range.

A Word About Internet Safety and Security:

 Also out there are fonts that will cost you nothing.  While there are a few reputable sites that have downloadable fonts for free (they usually cover their operating costs through advertising on the website), many are less scrupulous.  When you agree to their licensing agreement (which you must do to download), you may also be agreeing to downloading “piggybacked” programs like adware and spyware, or worse, malicious programs that can steal your personal information and allow others to examine and manipulate the contents of your computer’s hard drive.  Once again you get what you pay for.  By paying a little bit of money for someone’s time and hard work to create a font, you’ll help ensure that you download something safe.

Carefully cut out your letters with a craft knife.  Since the paper the letters have been printed on is relatively thin, a dry adhesive will work best.  I used an UHU glue roller.

Finally, punch holes in the top corners of the flags.  This is where you will attach the flags together with ribbon.  While you can string the flags on one long piece of ribbon, it certainly uses a lot more.  I used a small piece for each section and knotted it in back.  On the outside corners, I tied bows to finish the pennant.

The supply list below will allow you to create the pennant with four flags.

Supplies:

~ (2) 8 1/2" x 11" Sheets of Plain White Paper
~ (2) 12" x 12" Sheets of Scrapbooking Paper or Cardstock (we used Wild  Asparagus papers by My Mind's Eye)
~ (4) 12" x 18" Sheets of Wool Felt (we used 2 Pea Soup and 2 Winter Sky, plus one extra sheet in Bright Red for contrast)
~ (4) Die-Cut Cardstock Frames (we used frames by My Mind's Eye)
~ 3-4 Yards of 1 1/2" Ribbon (we used Crinkle Organza Ribbon)
~ Craft Knife such as X-Acto X-2000 Knife
~ Sharp Scissors such as Gingher 5" Knife Edge Craft Scissors
~ Adhesive (suitable for gluing felt and paper)
~ Dry Adhesive such as UHU Glue Roller
~ Air Erasable Marker
~ Hole Punch
~ Craft Scraper