How to Make a N0-Sew Boho Banner From a Drop Cloth
I am SOOOO excited to share this project with you today, and that’s a huge step up from last week, when I was staring at my editorial calendar with the looming “Spring banner/garland hop” jotted down for today. The events of the world left me feeling uninspired and not super creative. I’ve been absolutely loving putting myself in motion with projects I had already planned, but I could not for the life of me think of what I could make for this one. I thought about making a Justin Timberlake banner that said, “It’s gonna be May,” but I didn’t think I could look at his meme face for too long right now. I had just purchased a 4×5 drop cloth from Amazon for a different project, but was feeling uninspired to tackle that as well. Instead, I pulled out the drop cloth, told me teenage daughter to have fun with it and paint me something we can hang on the porch. Once it was dry, I’d take care of easily turning it into a banner. She did her part by painting all day, and I did my part in all of 5 minutes… that’s teamwork, my friends. 😉 In the end, I am absolutely chuffed (I just want to sound British) with the results! Today I am going to share how to easily create your own no-sew boho banner from a drop cloth, and I hope you’re inspired to come up with something fun, too! Commission your own child… you never know what they’ll create. After you check out my post, be sure to visit all of the other unique Spring banners and garlands linked at the bottom. (This blog uses affiliate links. Thank you so much for your support which allows me to continue serving you!)
Let’s dive right in to how we created this no-sew banner, shall we?
Materials
- small drop cloth (I used this one which is less than $7 for a 4×5)
- acrylic paints & brushes
- macrame fringe (mine is thrifted vintage, but similar to this)
- yarn
- 1/2″ thick dowel (I used a 4 foot length and trimmed to the size I needed. If you plan to use the entire drop cloth, you need a little longer than 4 feet in length.)
- hot glue
Instructions
Lay your drop cloth out on a flat surface to paint. We used our driveway because it was large, flat, and the weather was beautiful. Of course, I recommend (in retrospect) that you put another drop cloth under the one you’re painting. Just trust me here. 😉
Using a pencil, sketch out your design. I was just grabbing photos with my phone while Emmy worked, but you can see she sketched out a hand making a peace sign in pencil before painting.
Using acrylic paints, paint your design. Emmy knew she wanted to paint a sort of rainbow order working from the outside of the hand in. She got a little help from this one, too.
Note: During this time of social distancing, which is incredibly hard for an extroverted teenager, it was SOOO incredibly wonderful to see Emmy outside in her element, getting creative, listening to music. She spent the entire afternoon outside painting, and didn’t come in until evening with paint all over her hands and a smile on her face. Just like me, she’s happiest when she is engaging her mind and her body, and creating something. It was a joy for my heart to see how filled her cup was that day. I asked her to paint this as a favor to me, but it turned out I also did her a favor.
Once the design is painted, allow it to dry.
After it has dried, lay it flat on a surface, and trim it down to the size you want. This drop cloth was a little too large to for my porch wall, so we knew we were not going to use it all. I simply used scissors to trim away the excess, and didn’t worry about raw edges since I don’t plan to ever wash it.
After it is trimmed it to size, cut the dowel down to 2″ longer than the top of the banner so that there will be excess on either side. Cut the macrame fringe to an inch longer than the width of the banner. While everything is being prepared and trimmed, heat up your glue gun.
Flip over your drop cloth and fold over the top of your banner about 1 to 2 inches from the top, creating a crease at the top.
Open the fold and apply hot glue to the back side of the very top of the drop cloth.
Fold it back over and you will have a nice loop for the dowel to slide right into.
Once you’ve slide the dowel all the way through, cut a piece of yarn about 8″ longer than the dowel, and tie it to each end securely. This will give you something to hang your banner with.
Finally, run your hot glue along the bottom of your banner, and apply the macrame fringe. I found it was best to do a few inches at a time. Trim any excess. Also, eew my glue gun is dirty.
Finally, it’s ready to hang!
Please ignore my half dead spider plant that didn’t survive the top shelf of my office space…. I would forget to water it there. It’s in remission on the porch. And do you notice that bald spot on the pansies in the big planter? That’s where Wilder ripped several flower heads right off. Someone might want to call the society for the protection of plants on us.
This peace sign banner adds so much happy color to our porch, and I love that anyone walking by can see it, and I hope it makes them smile.
These days we tend to spend so much time out here, desperate for conversation with people who walk by. Do you feel me? I sit in that chair while the kids play, and wave to anyone who looks at me. 😉 Even Snowball looks sad and lonely in the window.
This banner says, “Please talk to us! We’re fun! We’re kind! We wish you peace!” without having to add, “We’re desperate for human connection!” A colorful peace sign us much more positive and much less needy. I am so incredibly proud of Emmy for painting this beautiful piece that I could make into a banner, and I am extremely grateful that she jumped in to help me so I could bring you a fun project today.
Now head on over to check out all of the beautiful and special Spring garlands and banners everyone else has created.
11 Spring Garland & Banner Ideas
Simple Spring Garland – Twelve on Main // Easy Tissue Paper Garland DIY – Happy Happy Nester // DIY Wood Bead Garland – My Sweet Savannah // DIY Botanical Paper Banner – Today’s Creative Life
Spring Banner Craft for Kids – Finding Lovely // Spring Easter Garland Ideas – The Happy Housie // DIY Spring Wood Bead Garland – She Gave It A Go
How To Make A Garland For Spring – My 100 Year Old Home // No-Sew Boho Banner – Cassie Bustamante // Spring Flower Garland – Craftberry Bush // Spring Garland – Life Is Better At Home