Halloween Decor: Boo Banner

A Halloween Boo banner is a simple way to add a festive touch to a room, doorway, or seasonal display. This fabric project uses a dowel for hanging and a fused stabilizer to help the banner hold its shape. Prepare the materials before you begin, and use the project image as a guide for the banner dimensions.

Project by Rubyellen

Supplies for a Halloween Boo banner

Gather the following materials and tools before cutting the fabric:

• 3/4 yard of black cotton fabric
• 3/4 yard of single-sided fusible ultra-firm stabilizer, such as Peltex 71F
• Fabric marking pencil or chalk
• 23-inch dowel; trim it if you have a longer one
• 26- to 28-inch strand of yarn
• Scissors
• Iron and ironing board
• Boo letter template
• Sewing machine

Check that the dowel fits the width of the finished banner before making the casing. If you need to shorten it, measure first and cut carefully.

How to make the Halloween Boo banner

1. Cut the banner fabric. Fold the black cotton fabric in half and cut out the banner using the dimensions shown in the project image.
2. Trim the stabilizer. Cut the stabilizer slightly smaller than the fabric: about 3 inches shorter in length and about 1 inch narrower at the sides. This leaves fabric around the edges for finishing.
3. Fuse the layers. Position the stabilizer on the fabric and fuse them together according to the stabilizer’s instructions. Place it about 2 inches below the top edge so there is room to form the dowel casing.
4. Mark the lettering. Cut out the Boo template, or prepare your own block lettering. Center it on the front of the banner and trace the outline with fabric pencil or chalk.
5. Cut the letters. Carefully cut along the marked outlines. Take your time around corners and curves to keep the lettering neat.
6. Sew the casing. Fold the top edge of the banner down by 1 inch and pin it. Sew along the length, about 3/4 inch from the folded edge, to create a channel for the dowel. If you do not have a sewing machine, secure the fold with fabric glue or hand-sew it.
7. Add the hanger. Slide the dowel through the casing, then tie one end of the yarn to each end of the dowel.

Finishing and hanging tips

Before hanging the banner, check that the dowel is centered and that both yarn ends are secure. Choose a hook or other support that can hold the finished decoration, and keep the banner away from heat sources. The same basic method can be adapted for other short seasonal messages, provided the lettering fits the fabric.

Hang and enjoy the finished decoration. A Halloween Boo banner is an easy seasonal project that can be displayed year after year when stored flat and kept clean. The banner design is by Rubyellen.