For the past 15 years or so, I’ve made personalized gifts for friends and family that commemorate special events like weddings and births. These embellished felt banners combine two of my favorite things, hand embroidery and handwriting. You can see this and other banners by scrolling through the archives here.
Now, I finally had the opportunity to make a banner celebrating a birth in my immediate family! Last month, our son Ian and his wife Liz became the parents of our first grandchild! Little Elias was born on Jan. 18th, 2023, 100 years to the day after my father.
We are all completely in love with with this little guy! I just love watching my son interacting with his son. As an extra bonus, the new family lives practically across the street, so we get to see Elias all the time. I can already feel my focus shifting into Grandma mode, which is a welcome change. Hopefully, there will be room in my heart and daily schedule for both art and being a Grandma.
Naturally, I quickly got to work making a banner for Elias. After picking out the basic color scheme, I wrote his first and middle names in cursive handwriting on paper. Using that as a template, I made a 3-dimensional copy with memory thread. That way, I knew what length of wire to use.
I wrapped the memory thread (or wire) with 3 strands of embroidery floss.
UPDATE: I misspelled Laszlo, which is the baby’s maternal great-grandfather’s name! Watch this video to see the remake.
I usually use variegated floss to wrap the wire, which can look like stripes on the 2nd pass. The wire ends are bent over and wrapped, so that no raw ends are hanging out. It’s similar to the technique I use to make doll limbs in my how-to book Felt Wee Folk.
When I finished wrapping Lazslo and positioned it on the felt background, there wasn’t enough contrast, so I gave it a candy stripe to make it pop more.
I use an ironing board as a work surface. Here, you can see what I’m working on in the middle. On either side are printouts of banners I’ve made in the past, which I used for reference.
I had to wrap the numbers a couple of times because the size was off.
I edged the green felt panel with blanket stitches, using variegated pima cotton thread from the Caron Collection,
I wrote out the birth weight in green first and then did it over in yellow to create more contrast, which seemed to be a recurring theme with this banner.
After sewing the lettering onto the green background panel, I chain-stitched a vine to fill the open space between the names.
Out of my stash, I selected bone beads to make a decorative separator between the names and birth date.
I then sewed the green panel to the lavender background felt.
To make the banner rigid at the top, I made a sleeve and inserted a piece of wood.
I looked through my driftwood collection and found the right sized stick that would work as a hanging bar. I drilled holes big enough to thread cord through.
I fed cord through the holes and a metal bead separator, hiding the tail threads on the back.
This banner will soon hang on Elias’s bedroom door. Welcome to the world little one! We look forward to getting to know you!
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SALLEY MAVOR 
Congratulations to you!!!
This is the beginning of another beautiful journey. I am so happy for you.
It is the most wonderful time of life!
Love,
Susie
All beautiful! The baby is the best♥️
Both the baby and banner are beautiful. Enjoy being grandma to this sweet little man.
I love that your bead selection included a Tibetan endless knot, a symbol of eternity! Auspicious choice, Grandma..💓
You’re work is absolutely exquisite! Congratulations Grandma! Lisa Sent from my iPad
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Dear Salley: Elias is adorable! The birth banner you sewed for him is lovely, and looks great! You are lucky to have a new grandson to love and spoil. God bless you, and your family! Sincerely, Janet MacDonald (in Canada)
Simply exquisite! What a precious keepsake
Congratulations! What a beautiful little child. Nothing more wonderful than being a grandma! enjoy every minute with your little man, you’ll be so surprised how fast his first years zips by!
Thank you for sharing. The great news and pictures of your family and new grandson.
How adorable. And a blessing he appears healthy
You r so inspiring with all the creative work / art that u do.
Congratulations. You’ll love being a grandmother. Beautiful banner and a beautiful child.
A beautiful baby! You are so blessed ❤️. Thanks for the pictures.
The banner is simply exquisite! And so is your precious little one- congratulations!
Congratulations on becoming a grandmother! What a blessing that your son and daughter-in-law live close by so you can see Elias frequently. Seeing the world through a child’s eyes changes everything.
Babies are a beautiful thing. Spend as much time as you can with Elias. So blessed. Soooo happy for the whole family.
Congratulations Sally! Isn’t it something to fall in love again? And oh to witness your baby playing with his baby… Enjoy it all! 🥰PamelaPS. My grandkids all call me Sweet Mama
Your work is so warm and inviting that I often want to shrink myself down and join the fun.
This post was so personal with your handsome new little grandson.
Thank you for sharing your memory marking tribute to his birth. It’s all the more special being shared by your father 100 years earlier.
Amazing!
Thank you so much for sharing your world with me and especially the newest member. You are a blessing.
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Such wonderful news Salley! I’m thrilled for your family and hope to meet Elias someday soon.
Congratulation to the new parents and grandparents!
What a lucky little boy!
He will bring you all so much happiness.Enjoy every minute as time flies !
Love your beautiful creations for Elias. They will be special and he will always have and hold them dear.
as he grows into this world.
Congratulations to you and Rob Best, Jay
A true labor of love. And I very much enjoyed seeing photos of your creative process.
Congratulations! There is nothing like being a grandma. And your banner is so happy and such a reminder of the love of family.
Congratulations Salley!
Beautiful baby! Congratulations
Source for memory thread/Wire, please:-)?!
It’s DMC memory thread.
Seeing this now, as we are ready to begin anew with a New Year. In a few weeks, your adorable grandson will be one and I am wondering what lovely gift you are preparing for the great occasion? I love the birthday banner you made and seeing the detailed steps you took to create it. Elias is a lucky lad to have you as his grandmother and you are blessed by his presence as well.
I don’t think I ever remember seeing your son’s last name and wonder if you are familiar with a great Hungarian painter from the late 1800’s and early 1900’s named Phillip de Laszlo? The spelling is a bit different but close enough that I wanted to ask. Have a blessed New Year as you look ahead to many more works of heART, especially, having time to share with your family. Pam