Spring, finally! Here in New England, though, spring is like office birthday cake - not quite as good as you hoped. The dreary gray and cold hangs on way too long. What to do? Ignore it and make these Outdoor Banners! They will make your outdoor space festive and beautiful whatever the weather. They are so easy to do - and a great way to reuse colorful plastic fruit or frozen food bags that can’t be recycled. Print out the simple pattern then trace, cut, and staple your trash into better-than-bought garden treasure. Because it’s going to be nice out someday.
Made with plastic bags - the kind you can’t recycle
Turn your garden (or balcony, porch, driveway…) into a party zone
Weatherproof to last all season
Easy to make using stuff you already have
Steps At a Glance:
Ready? Here’s how:
1
You’ll need:
A heavier-weight plastic bag, such as oranges come in, or a frozen food bag
Scissors
String or twine
Stapler
Ball point pen
This pattern, printed and cut out
2
Cut about a 6-foot length of twine and tie a loop at each end.
3
Place the pattern along an edge of the bag - any edge but the open one at the top. You’ll be cutting banners that are two layers joined at the top (that’s the fold).
Trace the pattern with the ball point pen. Then move the pattern along the edge of the bag and trace again. Trace more banners on the opposite edge.
You have already figured this out, but you don’t want the shapes to overlap.
Also, if your bag has a stiff mesh portion like this one you can definitely use it. It’s colorful and adds a nice texture.
4
Cut the banners out, leaving the two layers attached. Cut slowly if you need to, to keep the plastic from sliding around - it’s slippery. Also, your cutting does not have to be perfect for the banners to look good.
If your scissors have any trouble, try another pair.
5
Open one of your banners and place the prepared string inside the fold.
6
T
7
Staple the two layers of the banner together in five (5) places:
put one at each of the upper corners, leaving space for the string
put on in each side about halfway down
and put one near the point
Seems like overkill, but the wind and rain will turn these inside out if the are left open.
If the plastic gets bunched in the staple, no worries. Smooth it as best you can - it will look fine.
8
Repeat until your string is as full as you want. Arrange the spacing of your banners, then put one last staple into the top of each banner, right through the string inside. This stops the wind from bunching them all up.
Your Outdoor Banner is ready to hang!
Questions
Can I use plastic shopping bags to make Outdoor Banners?
It depends on how heavy they are. If it’s a bag that is sturdy enough to reuse, then it should work. That’s a great way to re-reuse a plastic bag that has torn or broken. Those lightweight bags that end up in treetops are not good for this.
Are these weatherproof?
Yes! First, because they are plastic, and second, thanks to all that stapling. Wind and rain won’t hurt them, but bright sun will fade the printed colors over time. If that’s a concern, hang the banners in a shaded location. If you’re hanging these in a windy location be sure that the end loops can’t slip off whatever you hang them on. Secure them with a wire twist-tie or something similar.
Thank you for reading! If you have questions, please drop me a line.