Torn Flannel Christmas Banner | Oh, That Mrs. Greene!

When all things plaid became the biggest decor trend this season, my friend Jessica over at Mad in Crafts got pretty excited. Long before plaid became all the rage, she was already planning a plaid-clad Christmas this year!

When she asked if I would like to participate in her Mad for Plaid Christmas crafts week, my mind immediately went to flannel. Nothing says warm-and-cozy quite like flannel does! Maybe it’s because I live in the Great White North where flannel shirts are a wardrobe staple, or maybe it’s the nostalgia of my teen years listening to all of the Seattle bands in the mid-90s, but for one reason or another I have a soft spot for plaid flannel. So, I used some to make a Christmas banner!

So off to the craft store I went. I originally had a Christmas-y tartan in my head, but I was limited by what my small, mom-and-pop local craft store had to offer. While they didn’t have any plaid in red and green, they did have a nice black and white buffalo check and a cute yellow windowpane plaid with a bit of red in it, so I threw in some solid red and green to make it more Christmas-y.

Besides your fabric, the only other supply you will need is some twine or other string to knot the fabric around.

I knew that I wanted to work in 18″ strips, so I ordered a half a yard of each of the fabrics I chose. So all of my fabric came pre-measured in 18 inch wide panels, saving me a step!

Tear the fabric into strips. You can use a pair of scissors to make notches along the edge to start your tears and it should rip pretty easily after that. I made my strips varying widths, between about 3/4 inch wide up to about 1 1/2 inches wide. By tearing the fabric, rather than cutting it, you end up with sightly frayed edges that add an extra-cozy, rustic touch to the finished product.

Fold the fabric strips in half and knot them around a length of twine. This will take a while, especially if you are making a long banner, so you might want to pop in a movie. Maybe even one that has a sequel. (Sleepy kitty optional.) Trim or pull any stray threads off of the fabric strips as needed. You can tie the strips in a pattern, or alternate between different fabrics randomly.

I also tied loops at the ends of my twine to make the banner easier to hang. Drape it across your mantel or on a wall for a warm, whimsical Christmas-y touch to your decor!