I tried to incorporate scallops in subtle ways throughout Etta’s first birthday party. I’m not sure it really came through in the photos, but the scalloped banners were right there front and center. Huge impact for just a few dollars worth of materials.
I used the cheap felt made from recycled plastic (not pricey wool felt) and got most of it on sale for 2.99/yd. I also added in a few of the 9″x12″ felt sheets in some additional colors. I ended up using maybe two-thirds of my 1/4 yard pieces. All in all, maybe $5 worth of felt.
I created a template from a cereal box by tracing a bowl about 8 inches in diameter, 7 7/8″ to be exact. (Psst… I made a downloadable template too! More on that below.)
The key to the scallop shape is going bigger than a simple half circle. It ends up looking too thin and needs just an extra bit of height. I used about 2/3 of the circle and then squared off the flat edge. (Of course, this is just what looks good to my eye, so do what you will!)
I used a fine-tipped Sharpie marker to trace around the template, and then cut the felt carefully with a sharp scissors, making sure to cut away the marker line.
After I cut out all my scallops, I sewed them onto a piece of grosgrain ribbon. This went quicker than I expected, and I had all three of my banners done in under an hour. Yes, really!
Simple straight line stitching goes really fast!
Want to make one too? I made a PDF template for the shape of the scallop. You’ll need approximately a 8.25″ x 5.25″ piece of felt for each scallop.
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