A Paper Lantern DIY

There’s nothing like a good crafting session to raise the spirits. It’s fun to create one-of-a-kind home decor items, and this paper lantern DIY will help you do just that. Whatever crazy colour you’ve painted your living room/nursery/front porch, it doesn’t matter – you can make a fantastic paper lantern with adorable bunting to match it perfectly!

The first thing you’ll need for this paper lantern DIY is, not surprisingly, a paper lantern! :) These plain paper lanterns are very common – you can find them on Amazon*, in all different sizes and even colours.

IKEA bunting lantern hack - a tutorial by Kirsty at Bonjour Quilts

My plan was to decorate the paper lantern with some wee-little bunting. I had a very clear picture of the end product in my mind and started out full of exuberance one night.

I needed binding to attach my little flags to – so long 2 inch strips of fabric were ironed into binding. (For those unfamiliar with making binding, iron the material in half long ways, open up and fold each edge into the centre and iron again, then fold the whole thing back in half on itself. Keeps all the messy cut edges folded inside.)

If you’re not interested in making your own binding, you can buy it pre-made in 3 yd lengths. It comes in lots of colours – there’s a selection here*, including one in gold lamé*, which is very fancy.

IKEA bunting lantern hack - a tutorial by Kirsty at Bonjour Quilts

 Then to make all those little flags. I layered 4 or 5 strips (1.5″ wide) on top of each other and see-sawed my little ruler along it to cut triangles. See my new little ruler*? Cute huh?

IKEA bunting lantern hack - a tutorial by Kirsty at Bonjour Quilts

 This was a great stash-buster BTW.

IKEA bunting lantern hack - a tutorial by Kirsty at Bonjour Quilts

Anyhoo, after cutting what seemed like a million little flags, I started to wonder why I’d thought up this hare-brained decorating scheme. But it was all worth it when cute little lines of bunting popped out the back of the sewing machine.

IKEA bunting lantern hack - a tutorial by Kirsty at Bonjour Quilts

I gave it a quick pressing with my iron and it came up beautifully.

IKEA bunting lantern hack - a tutorial by Kirsty at Bonjour Quilts

 Then came the best part. The hot glue gun. This was a recent purchase, not yet used. Where have you been all my life, little glue gun*? This is the best invention ever! I know, I don’t get out much.

paper lantern DIY - a tutorial by Kirsty at Bonjour Quilts

After all that cutting, ironing and sewing, this was a breeze. I just glued the bunting down following the lantern’s framework. All done.

Then I released my bunting lantern into the wilderness. Here it is in it’s new home:

Paper lantern DIY - a tutorial by Kirsty at Bonjour Quilts

Another project ticked off my list.

If you enjoyed this paper lantern DIY, good news, I have another paper lantern decorating tutorial over here.

Happy DIYing my friends!

A paper lantern DIY - tutorial by Bonjour Quilts to create a beautiful decoration for the nursery, weddings, etc

*affiliate links

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