Here’s a DIY banner to welcome you home (because you deserve it)

September is a month of travels. Maybe you’re heading back to college, or getting in one last summer adventure before fall sets in. Or maybe you’re moving somewhere completely new—that’s what I just did!

I’m still settling in to my new place in Los Angeles, but I (of course) couldn’t resist making a little something to help the apartment feel more like home. This week’s DIY is an easy-to-make banner perfect for a housewarming party or a surprise homecoming celebration. And if travels aren’t currently on your horizon, you can even follow these same steps and add your own custom message!

Materials:

• Fabric
• Thread in a corresponding color to the fabric
• Sewing machine or basic sewing needle
• 7/8-inch wide ribbon
• Colorful permanent markers
• Scissors
• Ruler
• Piece of paper
• Ballpoint pen
• Safety pin
• Iron and ironing board

Craft away:

Fold the piece of paper in half, short end to short end. Draw a rectangle onto the paper, 4-inches long by 2-inches wide, with the center of the rectangle on the fold. Add a 1-inch long triangle to the bottom of the rectangle. Cut out the shape and unfold it; this is the template for your fabric pennants.

Iron the fabric. Trace the template twelve times onto the fabric, and cut out all of the shapes.

Fold the top portion of each pennant in 1-inch, towards the back of the fabric. Iron the folds to set them in place.

Using a sewing machine or a needle and thread, sew the folds down on each pennant. Keep your stitches close to the edge of the fabric.

Write “WELCOME HOME” on the pennants using the permanent markers. For an extra-fun look, make the letters using little dots of ink. Draw a heart on one of the pennants too. A tip: cover your work station with scratch paper in case the ink bleeds through the fabric.

Measure and cut six feet of ribbon. Attach the safety pin to one end.

Using the safety pin as your guide, thread the ribbon through the stitched channels on the back of each pennant. I found it easiest to spell the phrase backwards!

Remove the safety pin from the ribbon, and make sure your pennants are evenly spaced.

Display your pretty new banner at your friend’s (or your own) housewarming party!

Check out even more super-fun DIY projects right here.