Yesterday I posted about a great dinner party I hosted on my rooftop patio that included a few DIY decor projects that I promised I would share. These projects were especially great because it was a chance to be creative with what I had around my place. I made three decor elements; some bunting to go with my great string of lights, a table runner made from doilies, and name holders made from super cheap forks. These elements really added to the atmosphere and upped the wow factor.
First up is the bunting. I looked through my bin of scrap fabric and found this collection which worked together. As you know, I’m not a fan of matchy matchy so just make sure if you’re going to mix patterns that you stick with the same colour family.
Next step is to cut out a bunch of triangles using a template for size. Then we get to the sewing part and I’m going to come out and admit that this is the lazy girl’s technique. You could give it a more finished look by adding a strip of ribbon that would cover the edges. But if you’re ok with it looking a little more handmade you can just keep sewing in one big line going from one piece to the other (with a touch of overlap).
Then you’ll get something like this (above) which looks pretty sweet when it’s hanging.
The next project was the doily table runner. There really isn’t any steps to show for this. I found a ton of great doilies during one of my thrift store trips and I didn’t really have a plan for them. I had seen this idea before and thought I would try myself. I laid them out first to decide placement then I took a good ol’ needle & thread and added a few stitches where the points met. It seems daunting at first but it went by pretty quickly. This large runner (this pic only show about 75% of it) took me about an hour to stitch.
And lastly I made name holders out of forks. It’s key to buy inexpensive forks because you want them to bend easily. Take pliers and just got at it. Depending on the base of your fork, it may or may not stand on it’s on but once you put the napkin in, it should stand. Then stick the name tag in between the fork prongs. I cheated (again) and just printed out the names in a font I loved and then traced in gold market.
There you go – three steps to kick up your dinner party wow factor. It can definitely be some work but it really makes it extra special, and makes great Instagram content :)
See more DIY projects here.
That doily table runner is genius! Might have to give it a shot for a bridal shower I’m planning.
@Kathleen do it!! it really wasn’t too difficult.
The doily table runner was a great use for those doilies sitting in the linen closet. Looks beautiful on a red tablecloth for the holidays!
Did you make one? That’s so great! I picture it on a red tablecloth….great idea.