Looking for an easy, inexpensive way to remember your vacations? I have a solution for you with this felt banner that you can make with or without a sewing machine!
Several years ago, my husband and I came up with the idea to collect a patch from each place we visited. Not every destination will have a patch in their gift shop, but surprisingly, many places still carry patches. Collecting a pin also works. We usually still allow them to pick a souvenir of their own choosing since a patch isn’t very exciting, but they love the banners hanging in their room showing all of the places that they have visited – from local caves and a roller derby event to Disney Land and Great Wolf Lodge! It will make a great keepsake for my boys as they grow up and leave the nest.
You will need:
- One dowel rod, 15″ in length is ideal and no wider than 1-inch (I used a 12″ rod with a pencil on the other side)
- Piece of felt in any color (mine is 15″ wide and 37″ long; I used blue)
- Another color felt for the letters (or precut felt letters) – I used red letters but I Photoshopped out their names
- Sewing machine or fabric glue
- Thin ribbon (mine is 26″)
- Scissors (I used fabric scissors)
What to do:
- Cut your felt to the size you want it. I cut a downward angle at the bottom, but you could leave it straight too.
- At the top straight end, roll over the fabric about one inch. This will be for your dowel rod to slide into. Sew straight across right along the bottom of the fabric (or use fabric glue).
- Take your ribbon and sew one end to the back left-side of your banner. Then glue the other end of the ribbon to the right side of your banner. This will allow you to hang it on the wall with a nail or thumbtack.
- Using a different color felt, cut out the letters of your child’s name and glue on at the top.
- Slide in the dowel rod at the top (or an extra pencil or two if it needs to be more secure).
- To attach patches, I sew mine on. If you don’t have a sewing machine, I researched other ways to attach patches to felt. Some ideas were to use a hot glue gun, tacky glue, “Gorilla” glue, iron-on tape, and felt glue (I didn’t know such a thing existed!).
Happy traveling!
Amber Tincher and Amy Leckrone
Co-founders Camp Mommawatchi