How to make a scraps of fabrics garland

I think it is not a secret that I absolutely love garlands (in fact I'm a bit obsessed with them, always have), and I really like coming up with new ideas to make them.

Recently I've been thinking about a present I needed to make and thought of this garland which I'm sharing with you today (a garland born out of necessity). I'm also selling them on my Etsy shop just in case you don't feel like making any. (wink, wink).

Either way, I would also like to touch (lightly) on a subject that I find a bit frustrating; I don't mind a bit sharing my ideas, also that you make these or the other things that I've made for the blog to share with friends or family, is the reason why I share my ideas in the first place. But from this to actually find someone selling the exact same things on Etsy is quite annoying, frustrating, maddening … In the end people will do whatever they want, and I think this is a battle I will never win. I just needed to get  that out of my chest (sort of)!! ok, pheewww!!!

These are quite easy to make once you decide on the fabrics and colors you'll choose, which is always the hardest part for me.

What you'll need:

• 7 pieces of fabric
• 2 ribbons or lace
• 1 piece of thick thread
• button, safety pin and charm
• threads in your favorite colors - I used 2 different ones per garland
• a favorite word, and some glue

How to:

-Cut a 65 cms piece of thread and start from the lower part.
-Attach a charm so it gives weight to the string.
-Embroider the first piece of fabric directly to the piece of thread so it won't allow any sliding or
 moving. Each piece of fabric measures 1x1 or 1x2 cms (aprox).
-Glue your favorite word to the first piece.
-Leave between 3 or 4 cms of space between each piece.
-I embroidered a word on the next piece, but you can omit this part
-Then add a piece of lace
-Followed by another piece of fabric, then 2 bias bindings, then a ribbon, and 2 other pieces of fabric
- I attached a button and a safety pin
-The final piece is a piece of old paper with a type written word

There is not a right or wrong way of doing this, which ever way you prefer to place or add things, will look great (I think). I simply followed the same pattern in all the garlands as I didn't want to think too much.

So what do you think? Do you think my friend will like the one I made for her? I surely hope so.

These end up being really light and would be perfect as snail  mail gifts. Even if I say so myself, I think they are quite happy garlands.

I wish you a very creative week ahead,
Giova