https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/grocery-bag-bunting-and-sandcastle-flags • Posted by Ryland Peters & Small
Transform any mound of sand into a castle and any outdoor space into a carnival with flags and bunting made from grocery bags. Chances are you already have a vibrant collection of colored bags in a cupboard or hanging behind a door. Reusable and recyclable, solid or patterned, if they’re plastic or vinyl, they’re waterproof, so cut them up and bedeck your outside spaces!
Transform any mound of sand into a castle and any outdoor space into a carnival with flags and bunting made from grocery bags. Chances are you already have a vibrant collection of colored bags in a cupboard or hanging behind a door. Reusable and recyclable, solid or patterned, if they’re plastic or vinyl, they’re waterproof, so cut them up and bedeck your outside spaces!
Start by creating a template from a sturdy piece of paper. Fold it in half and crease well. Mark and cut a triangle shape with the fold as the bottom edge, so that when opened you should have a diamond shape to use as your template. Make a small diamond template for the sandcastle flags and a larger diamond template for the bunting (approximately 4 in/10 cm high).
Cut the sides of your plastic grocery bags to open them up and create larger pieces. Fold sections in half and crease well or use existing creases. Slip your template over the crease and trace with a pencil. Then cut out.
For the bunting, cut as many diamonds as needed, lay them out flat and open and apply craft glue to the wrong side, making sure to cover the edges. Lay baker’s twine along the inner crease and close the diamond along the string, making sure the edges are lined up. You may need to hold pieces closed until the glue has set, either by weighting down with something heavy or securing with clothespins.
For sandcastle flags, lay the small diamonds flat and apply glue as before. Slip a toothpick into the fold, positioning it toward the top. Close the diamond along the toothpick, press to smooth as needed, and allow to dry. TINKER TIPS Keep a supply of sandcastle flags in your beach bag so that you are always ready to festoon a fortress. The sharper your scissors, the easier it will be to cut up plastic grocery bags. FANCY THIS Make extra flags to pitch in sandwiches and turn a picnic into a party.