Got a bunch of enamel pins or buttons lying around, that you’d like to display? Just make this easy DIY pin banner, and you’ll have a great new home for your growing pin collection.
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Years ago, I used to collect shot glasses everywhere I traveled. It started when I was 12 at the Grand Canyon… I figured they were cute, and plentifully available at most gift shops everywhere I went. But oh boy, did they take up space! Not to mention, a nice shot glass display case would set me back $50 or more.
So, a few years ago, I quit collecting shot glasses and switched to lapel pins instead. Big improvement!
My growing enamel pin collection doesn’t take up nearly as much space, and it’s easy and cheap to make a new DIY pin display whenever I run out of space on the current one!
After our recent family vacation (to Washington and Oregon), I came home with a bunch of new pins, and needed a new felt pin banner to display them. So I figured, why not show you how to make one? It’s so easy!
How do you display pins?
Even if you don’t travel, chances are you have some enamel pins lying around. Maybe you’ve collected some at local events, gotten them as freebies, or your kid has a bunch of sports/academic/other-school-related pins just sitting in a box.
There are lots of great enamel pin display ideas you could use, to give your pins a proper home. I used to put some on my school letter jacket (on the collar). You could also put them on a denim jacket, or on a hat. You could even stick them in an odd spot, like on your bedroom curtains! But then, what do you do when your enamel pin holder is literally covered in pins and has no more space available?
You could always get a new jacket or hat, and start adding your enamel pins to that one…but, you can’t wear both at once. Then what?
That’s what I really like about putting my pins on a DIY pin banner—not only do they have a great home hanging on the wall, but it’s super easy to make another pin display when I’ve run out of room on the first one. Just a few dollars and 30 minutes later, I have a brand new DIY pin display for my newest enamel pins. And they can all hang together on the wall side-by-side (hopefully it’ll be, like, 50 years before I run out of wall space LOL!)
How to Make Your Own DIY Pin Banner
Like I said, it’s SO EASY to create your own hanging pin display. So, gather up all those random travel, school, work, or other pins that are just sitting in boxes and drawers around your house, and give them a proper home with this easy DIY pin banner!
SUPPLIES NEEDED:
Really, you only need a few basic supplies to make your own DIY pin display. First of all, you will need a sewing machine (or access to one—thanks Mom for letting me use yours!). Other than that, all you need is…
- A piece of 9”x12” felt (I got mine at Hobby Lobby)
- A 1/4”x12” wooden dowel
- Sturdy cord, rope, or ribbon to hang your pin banner (I used suede leather cord, and also decorative trim rope, both from Hobby Lobby)
TIP: Once your felt banner is fully covered in pins, it’s going to be heavier (1 oz. without pins, vs. 16+ oz. with pins). For that reason, I chose the ‘premium’ felt at Hobby Lobby, since it’s a bit thicker. And I recommend using cord that’s thick enough to hold the weight without stretching or breaking (both cords/ropes I used are about 1/8” thick).
INSTRUCTIONS:
To make your DIY pin banner, place the wooden dowel at the edge of the felt, and fold the felt down over it. Pin or clip the felt in place, remove the dowel, and sew along the edge to secure it in place.
After sewing, re-insert the dowel into your newly formed ‘pocket’. Then, all that’s needed to finish off your DIY enamel pin banner, is to tie your cord on each end of the dowel. You can see in the photo, I cut my cords at varying lengths, and tied them in place with a square knot on each side.
And that’s it! Your new DIY pin banner is ready for action.
So, now that you know how to display enamel pins with this easy and inexpensive felt banner, what kind or pins (or buttons!) are you going to put on it?
Hi! Thank you so much for visiting Divine Creative Love. I’m a Jesus-lovin’ girl, lettering artist, designer, and general creative-at-heart. And, I have narcolepsy. I blog about faith in God, overcoming challenges, and creative topics such as Bible journaling. If you’re new here, be sure and subscribe to my list so you won’t miss anything!