Pointed Banner Tutorial

Do you have a majestic finish that deserves better than a frame? This is your sign to try something new! In this tutorial I'll show you how to create a pointed banner finish in a few easy steps. It's the perfect way to give some extra flair to your finished project: It's sturdy, looks polished, and has a great feel to it. What more could you want? 💫📜

Works For Many Designs!

I created this tutorial for my Wild Horses pattern, but you can use any design you love! It works especially well with patterns that have some kind of natural border built in - the purple border in Wild Horses is perfect for this, as it gives you a clear reference point to measure all your edges from.

This tutorial works equally well with my Art Nouveau Fox pattern:

Materials

Fabric with your stitched project. For the Wild Horses pattern, I used Zweigart 32ct Belfast linen in the color Navy Blue (nr. 589).
Ruler
Scissors for cutting fabric
1-3 sheets of felt or batting/wadding. For a large finish like this, I've used 3 sheets of extra stiff polyester felt.
Backing fabric - I used regular black cotton.
Thread to stitch the edges with. Don't worry too much about the color here, as it won't be visible after you're done.
Pins
Pencil. For dark fabrics, consider using a white chalk pencil for visibility. Chalk pencil marks can also be easily erased and redrawn.
Embroidery needle
Dowel. The one I used is 30cm/11.8in wide (excl. round ends) by Wichelt Permin.
Rope or ribbon to create a hanging cord. I've used a regular satin ribbon.
Beads/decorations of your choice

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Heads up: Make sure you have plenty of fabric around your stitching before you start. Aim for at least 20cm/8in of margin all around. This gives you enough to work with when constructing the banner, especially at the top, where the fabric needs to wrap around the dowel!

Measuring & Marking

Determining Margins

Before we do anything, we need to decide on our margins: In other words, how much empty fabric you want to show around your stitching. This is a personal choice, so take a moment to fold your project and play around with it until you're happy with how it looks.

Drawing Stitching Lines (On The Backside Of Your Work!)

Once you've settled on a size, mark your stitching lines with a (chalk) pencil on the backside of your work (very important!). I like to mark the edges roughly first, then go back with a ruler to draw the full lines cleanly (see images below).

For the the Wild Horses pattern, I've added 5cm/2in along the sides and bottom of the purple border, including the slanted edges. For any other pattern, look for a natural or visual border and use it as your reference point, marking an equal margin along the sides and bottom.

One important thing: skip drawing the top line! That fabric needs to stay long so it can wrap around the dowel later.

Pinning

Time to pin your fabric! This is the step where you'll need your backing fabric for the first time: Place your stitched fabric wrong-side-up on your backing fabric and slide the pins through both layers, along the insides of the lines you just drew. This will make sure neither fabric shifts whilst you're stitching in the next step.

Stitching The Edges

With your pins in place, stitch along the lines you drew to join the two fabrics together. A running stitch or backstitch both work well here. You can remove pins as you go. The color of your thread does not matter, as it won't be visible later on.

For perfectly straight lines, use the holes in your Aida/evenweave/linen as a guide to keep your stitches perfectly even. For the slanted bottom edges, just follow your drawn lines as neatly as you can - the fabric holes won't be much help here!

As with the previous steps, ignore the top edge of your work. We leave this unstitched so we can add our padding and use the excess fabric for our dowel.

Cutting Excess Fabric

Once your sides and bottom edges are all stitched and all pins are removed, you can go ahead and cut off the excess fabric. You can get quite close to the stitching line here.

Again, be sure to leave the fabric at the top alone, as we'll need this!

Inserting Your Padding

Ironing

Now for the fun part: Turn your work right-side out and take a moment to admire it! Doesn't it look so good?🤩

This is also the perfect time to give your work a good iron on both sides. The edges may be standing up a little from the stitching inside, and ironing now will flatten them out nicely. It's also your last chance to remove any creases, since ironing after the padding is inserted isn't recommended - not all padding handles heat well!

Cutting & Inserting Padding

Cut your padding to size. I recommend trimming slowly, placing it on your banner every now and then to check the fit. You'll want a snug fit that won't stretch your fabric! Don't trim the top edge too short: The padding should extend as far up as the sides and bottom margins, so it fills the banner all the way to the top.

For my version of this banner I used 3 layers of extra stiff polyester felt, but any padding will do: Regular (wool) felt, or batting/wadding all work great!

Once your padding is the right size, slide it into your banner and flatten it out, making sure it sits neatly into all the corners.

Adding The Dowel

Folding Time!

Time to take care of that top edge you've been so patiently leaving alone!😉 If you have enough fabric at the top (which ideally you should) you can fold it over just like you're wrapping a present! Have a look at the image to the left. Fold one corner in, then the other, so a neat diagonal point forms in the middle. Then fold that point down and over - but before you do, slip your dowel into place.

Securing The Edge

Looking good, but we still need to secure everything! Take a thread of your choice (I used 2 strands of DMC 939) and whip stitch along the folded edge, piercing both your Aida/linen/evenweave and the backing fabric as you go (see image below). A blanket stitch works here too. Work your way around the edge and voilà, you now have a neat, secure back that'll last!

Creating A Hanging Cord

Now for one of the most exciting parts: Time to create a decorative hanging cord! This is where you can let your creativity run free!🐎

For my Wild Horses finish I went with a regular purple satin ribbon. A ribbon like this is a great choice because you can snip the ends into sharp little points, which makes threading on beads and decorations super easy!

To get started, cut your cord to whatever length feels right and play around with it a little: You might be surprised how much the length changes the overall look! Tie your cord to both ends of the dowel, leaving enough on each side to dangle freely. Those dangling ends are yours to decorate however you like - I added 3 beads on each side and finished with a feather. Once you're happy, nudge the knots inward so they hide behind the banner.

A Simpler Cord

If you don't want to add decorations and just want to add a simple hanging cord, you can wrap a length of cord around both ends of the dowel and tie them into a neat little bow at the back. That is what I did for my Art Nouveau Fox banner.

Your Finished Banner

You did it! You've created a beautiful, timeless banner that's majestic as heck!🪡 Go hang it somewhere it can be properly admired - your work deserves to be shown off!