Gingerbread People Bunting for Christmas

I wanted a bunting (banner) of gingerbread men/women, and so I made one. I have a small alcove where I put up my very small tree and that was the perfect place to hang it. All of the gingerbread people are cut from different browns. The pennant itself is a recycled Christmas gift bag that a friend had made and given to me. The ribbon is left over from a long ago Christmas fabric. The embellishments are all leftovers. I have a small clear container of ribbons and doo-dahs with a Christmas theme.

My gingerbread pattern was found by using Google to search for gingerbread men coloring images. I found the general shape I wanted and tweaked it to the size of the pennant I intended to use. I used pinking shears to cut the pennant pieces and then stitched the gingerbread onto them, just a straight stitch, close to the edge. You could use a Wonder Under application rather than the stitching if you like.

Then I used a satin stitch to do a the final applique stitching around the edge of the gingerbread. I sewed on a few buttons for decoration or eyes, used a snowflake embroidery stitch for some of the eyes, stitched a mouth on a few, used a red piece of ribbon for the mouth on another, and well, here they are a little closer so you can see what I did:

Green ribbon, gold rick rack, and a piece of ruffle on the left.

Buttons, Santa applique, bits of white edge trim, and a piece of leftover red satin for the mouth on the right. (My friend noticed I had sewn the red thread on the white buttons in an X shape and reminded me that this is how you know a cartoon character is dead - the X shaped eyes.)

Flocked red glitter ribbon and machine embroidery on the left.

Red Christmas lace and embroidery on the right. 

Machine embroidery for eyes and mouth, leftover pearls, scrap of Christmas fabric, and green ribbon on the left. 

Buttons for eyes, candy cane button, and some gold rick rack on the right. 

I had fun making these and could have gone on and on, but the bunting got to the length I wanted and that was where I ended it.

I think I'm done decorating for Christmas. I like the way this looks and will use it again next year and then on for as long as it lasts. It makes me smile, and that's a good thing!

Christmas is coming. Are you ready?

I've become addicted to folded fabric and Styrofoam. I have made pine cones galore for myself and others, and I have plans to make some ball shaped folded Christmas fabric ornaments. Can't wait to start those. In the meantime, I had some piping hanging around that was screaming to be wrapped on Styrofoam. I started at one end, wrapping and using glue on pins where needed, adding a touch of glue here and there, and then added a button at each end with glue and glue on pins to match and secure. One has a single ribbon hanger and the other got some bows. It started as a hostess gift for a tacky Christmas sweater party. Here's the sweater (I'll had candy cane pants with the fabric shown below the sweater!):

 I bought the sweater used from the good folks at RustyZipper.com. Great price, better than great customer service, and I highly recommend them. They even has a cheap section for sweaters, vests, and sweatshirts that might have a little flaw. I mean, really, do you need a super quality piece for one party? :)

I searched high and low for a candy cane fabric that I used to have. That's it on the left. I found one yard of that. Then I found the fabric on the right which is an awful lot like it except for spacing, and I figured I could use both to make the pants to go with my sweater. I have some red Mary Janes to go with and will probably put ribbons in my hair somehow.

Not shown is my bottle of Elmer's glue and my pins. I prefer applique pins, but sequin pins will do. They're a little harder to work with because they're so small. Dritz sells both and you can get them online or at a local fabric store. As I started the wrap, I used glue dipped pins on the top and then intermittently as I wrapped the piping. The Styrofoam egg is about 2-1/2", but you can use bigger or smaller ones. You don't need to spend top dollar on the Styrofoam and prices vary wildly, so shop carefully. The piping came as shown. It was in a goody bag I was given way back when. It spoke to me, so I put it to work.

The one on the right was my first. I learned more about how to do the ribbon by doing the one on the left. This is the top. Leave one piece of ribbon long enough to use as a hanger for your Christmas tree. 

This is a view of the bottom. The purpose of the button and pins on the bottom is to hide the piping ends and to anchor it with glue under the button. 

And here it is on the tree. I have a 2' tree and all the ornaments mean something. Now I have one that I made for myself this year. I recommend this as an easy craft to do over chit chat and coffee or with a Girl Scout Troop or an art class or just by yourself to spend some time with yourself and get out of your head for a bit. 

I think it fits in just fine!

In case I'm not back before the holiday, Merry Christmas to all of you. Keep stitching and reusing those scraps.

Psst, one more picture showing the button sewing form sculpture. She's been decorated for the holiday too!