If you’re going to make yourself a bunch of badges, you’ll need to collect them somewhere. The sash is classic, and if you’re having a bad day you can put it on, strut around the house, and remember all the ways you’re awesome. Or you can make a banner to hang on the wall for all to admire.

To make the sash you’ll need the following:

• Fabric
• Sewing machine and coordinating thread
• OR heat-set hemming tape, like “Stitch Witchery,” and an iron
• Measuring tape
• Cutting mat and rotary cutter (optional, but highly recommended) or scissors
• Ruler (the clear plastic quilters rulers are great)
• Pinking shears (optional)

Measure yourself from your shoulder to your hip, diagonally across your body. Add 6 inches to that measurement. Cut 2 rectangles of fabric to that length and 6 inches wide if you’re using the hem tape or 7 inches wide if you’re sewing.

Lay the two rectangles down on a cutting mat right sides together. Using a ruler and rotary cutter, measure from one corner on one side of the short end to one inch down on the other side and trim on the diagonal. (Or use the ruler and a pencil to mark and cut with scissors.) This is the shoulder of the sash.

Separate the two panels. On one panel, fold the edges over twice (approximately 1/4 inch) toward the wrong side and sew around three sides, leaving the shoulder unhemmed.  Repeat with the second panel.

With right sides together, sew the sash at the shoulder using a 1/2 inch seam allowance. Use pinking shears to trim the shoulder seam. Iron the seam open and stitch flat. Because the seam is at an angle, you’ll have to tuck the end of the seam allowance under so it doesn’t show on the right side.

[Iron-on hem tape method: Separate the two panels. On one panel, fold the edges once toward the wrong side and and heat set the tape with your iron, leaving the shoulder un-hemmed. Repeat with the second panel. With the right sides together, heat set the shoulder seam. Press the seam flat. Use a second piece of hem tape to set the seam to one side (optional).]

Try on your sash and pin the ends together at your hip. Tack it in place, or pin it with a safety pin and call it a day.

If you’re not the sash wearing type, you can easily make a banner instead. To make the banner you’ll need the same materials and tools as above and also a wooden dowel and some string.

Decide how big you want the finished banner to be and add three inches to the length and one inch to the width. Cut the fabric in those dimensions. Fold over the edges twice and stitch around all four sides.

Fold over the top edge toward the wrong side two inches and stitch, creating a channel. Insert dowel into the channel, tie some string to each end of the dowel, and hang up your lovely new banner.

If rectangles are too boring for you, try out some different shapes – maybe a curved bottom, or a triangle. And you don’t have to choose a busy toile print like I did, either. You can go as plain or as garish as you like. You do you, my friends. (Yes, that’s a knitting needle instead of a dowel in that picture. I couldn’t find an appropriately sized dowel at the time.)

There you go. A super simple method for making a sash or a banner upon which to display your lovely badges. Feedback is always welcome, and I’d love to see photos of your projects! Happy crafting!