How to Make Your Own Praise Banners & Flags
Praise banners and flags add a colorful note to a sanctuary or meeting room. Appropriate themes used on the banners help reinforce the lesson being taught or the reason for coming together. The result can be simple or elaborate. With adult supervision, children can create inspirational banners. Pre-cut decorative shapes and letters and child-safe glue make the process safe and fun.
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Things You'll Need
- Banner fabric
- Fabric paint
- Letters
- Inspirational figures
- Trim
- Glue
- Iron-on adhesive
- Waxed paper
- Needle and thread
- Sewing machine
- Iron and ironing board
- Wooden dowel, metal rod or plastic pipe
Instructions
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Simple Shepherd Banner
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Cut felt in the desired color to size. Solid colors work best to focus attention on the message of the banner. Use colors suitable to the season such as green at Christmas, black or deep purple for Lent, white or sunshine yellow at Easter. Cut a piece of sky-blue felt 2 feet wide and 4 1/2 to 5 feet long for a finished rectangular shepherd banner measuring 2 feet wide and 4 feet high.
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2
Fold the fabric to finished length. Place it face down on a flat surface. Run a bead of glue along the edge of the short flap, and then press it into place along the back of the banner to create a tunnel for the support rod at the top of the banner. Place a piece of waxed paper over the edge, and weigh it down with books or other heavy objects to keep the seam secure as it dries.
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3
Remove the weights and waxed paper. Run a broad bead of glue along the edge of the flap where it meets the back of the banner. This bead assists in preventing lifting along the seam. Allow to dry thoroughly.
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Attach felt shapes and letters to the banner with glue. Glue felt figures of a shepherd and sheep, and letters spelling "The Lord is My Shepherd" on the banner, or use fabric paint to write the verse on the banner. Add any desired decorative trim. Dry thoroughly.
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Slide the finished banner onto the support rod.
Elegant Trinity Banner
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Cut royal purple brocade or satin to the desired size, allowing extra fabric for hems and support rod channel. The color represents the kingship of God.
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Hem all four sides of the brocade panel with a finished hem. Turn under the narrowest fold that is feasible with the fabric and iron the fold. Turn under again and stitch, either by sewing machine or by hand. Sew gold braid around the edge of the hemmed panel.
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Form the channel for the support rod by turning the top of the banner down and back and stitching along the edge.
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Draw an equilateral triangle on paper. Measure each side to approximately two-thirds of the finished width of the banner panel. Draw a circle on paper with a diameter matching the length of the triangle sides. Cut out the inner part of each of the shapes, leaving a 1 1/2-inch-wide frame of each. Use these paper shapes to cut out a gold triangle and a white circle from brocade or other heavy fabric. Alternatively, use flat braid or ribbon to form the shapes, but do not close them.
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Position the triangle centered on the banner. Place the circle on the triangle and weave the two shapes so they are intertwined on all three sides. Attach the design elements as appliqués for fabric. For braid or ribbon, secure them with glue or iron-on adhesive . Add the text of Galatians 4:6, "God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." Use cut-out letters or fabric paint to add the words. Other potential phrases to use include "Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - the Great Three in One," "In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen" or "The same yesterday, today and tomorrow."
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Place the finished banner on the support rod. The three sides of the triangle represent the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The circle shows the love of God, with no beginning and no end.
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Tips & Warnings
Use decorative binding along the edge of the banner in lieu of hemming, if desired. Make a simple children's praise banner with a Bible verse using a 6-inch by 10-inch piece of felt and alphabet macaroni to spell out the message. Decorative elements can be purchased if a lack of time or skills dictates. Choose soft, flowing fabric for flags. Use a stiffer fabric with more body for banners. Figures used on praise banners include a dove, crown, cross, triangle representing the Holy Trinity, grapes, tablets of the Ten Commandments, chalice, lamb and shepherd's hook. If you prefer, create an original design interpreting a Bible story. Don't feel limited to a rectangle. Experiment with other shapes for variety.
Use decorative elements with cleaning requirements similar to the basic fabric of the banner to facilitate care of the banner.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit church image by martini from Fotolia.com coloured shapes image by Leslie Batchelder from Fotolia.com
