Dear friends,
I know spring just sprung and all, but I spent Saturday feeling all summery.
It was sunny and 70 degrees. Mr. Mom and I went for a long drive near the Big Piney with our sunroof open and our windows down. We stopped after an hour and ate two big platefuls of pan fried chicken at a truck-stop diner, then found an antiques store where we whiled away another hour. It was the best Saturday afternoon I’ve had in a very long time (and I’ve got two gorgeous, pink china plates to prove it). Lordy, lordy my soul needed the sunshine and the quiet time with my favorite companion.
You know what other summery thing I did? Before we hit the road, I made an adorable red-white-and-blue pennant banner. It will be Memorial Day before you know it and I’ll be itching to remake my Easter-decked buffet.
Here’s what my newest banner looks like in full.
It was super-simple, thanks to this tutorial from my new favorite fabric source. I modified the instructions a bit, opting for a rod pocket instead of muslin ties on my flags, and I machine stitched everything rather than hand stitching. The pennants were easy enough to figure out on my own. I simply cut out hand-drawn triangles, stitched around the edges (so I could fringe them), stitched ric-rac across the tops (leaving room for a fold-over pocket to hang them by), stitched the pockets, then glued on fabric letters that I traced and cut out. (Before cutting out the letters, I ironed fusible interfacing on the backs to give them a little more stiffness.) From start to finish, I made the entire banner in about three hours.
All in all, it was a great way to spend a day, a pretend-summer day in April.
With gratitude {for adventures on the road and at the sewing machine},
Joan, who’s insistent on getting her money’s worth out of her new sewing machine
Debt of Gratitude 
I made my first jar of sun tea the other day and as I put it out in mid-80 degree temps, I was thinking to myself, “Summertime, here we go!”.
I do with paper something a bit similar to what you do with fabric. We put pennant banners of varying sizes in certain windows to attempt to keep the local doves from colliding. At certain times of day the reflections off the glass fools the birds into seeing them as openings and they fly full speed into the windows with predictably dire results. The banners help break up the reflections to warn them off. I know it doesn’t sound nearly as festive as what you are up to, but I insist anything hanging in our windows has to be visually pleasing and potentially seasonal as well so I have fun with them.
I love to read about summery days in April since I’m still dealing with 33 degree temps here in eastern WA. Thanks for sharing! Great banner, too!
I love your banner! Super cute! And what a great way to spend a gorgeous day!!!
Road trip, lunch and antiquing — a trifecta!
I love this banner! How come no photos of new china plates???
Kathleen, you are right, that’s indeed an oversight!