WELCOME and thank you for your interest in joining the Bunting for Peace project! By joining this project you’ll be helping to create a 50-metre-long community bunting installation for the War Time Variety Show on Friday 29th August 2025 at Erewash Museum.
Inspired by the spirit of VE and VJ Day street parties and the 1940s “make do and mend” ethos, this project invites everyone — whether experienced or new to stitching — to create bunting flags using simple sewing techniques and reclaimed fabrics.
Together with museum visitors and other postal participants, you’ll help us make 200 unique flags, sharing memories, stories and reflections on peace, resilience, and celebration.
Your flag will be part of:
- The bunting display at the War Time Variety Show (29th August)
- A selection shown in the From Gas Masks to Garden Parties exhibition (Sept 2025)
- A reusable community resource for future events
HOW TO MAKE YOUR FLAG FROM HOME
No needlework experience needed — if you can sew on a button, you can take part!
Think about your design:
- What does celebration look like to you?
- How do you celebrate today? What did wartime celebrations look like?
- Would you like to commemorate someone, or include a wartime memory?
- Add symbols, words, or images that are meaningful to you — it could be a anything from scones and cake, musical notes, bunting, a date, or a street party scene. Consider adding meaningful words, names or dates.
- We encourage you to use Red, White & Blue within your design; other colours can be used for details and accents but so that the whole bunting hangs together it would be great if these colours can be prominent and included in each flag.
- To reflect the Make Do and Mend spirit we encourage you to use reclaimed, recycled, or leftover fabrics (clothing, household linens, fabric scraps etc. And if you have supplies you can donate to the project, please due drop them off at the Museum.
- The base of your flag needs to measure 17cm wide x 23.5cm tall, this includes 1cm border for seams, plus a 4.5cm top allowance for folding over the string/tape when assembling the bunting. Please make sure your design does not extend into these spaces or some of it may be lost when it is stitched up.
- Keep it simple! Embrace imperfection. This project is about expression and storytelling not perfection. Simple stitching including running stitch or backstitch can create fantastic designs. Feel free to experiment with Appliqué (cutting and stitching fabric shapes) or try your hand at a little hand or machine embroidery.
WHAT TO SEND BACK
Please post or drop off your completed flag (or multiple flags!) by Friday 22nd August 2025 to be included in the installation.
Return To:
Bunting for Peace, Erewash Museum, High Street, Ilkeston, Derbyshire DE7 5JA
Please include your completed flag and a note with your name and a short sentence about your flag, or what peace and celebration mean to you
QUESTIONS OR SUPPORT?
Need help with stitches, design ideas, or accessibility adjustments?
Feel free to get in touch: laura_burrill@outlook.com or drop into a workshop.
THANK YOU!
By taking part in Bunting for Peace, you’re helping stitch together stories of resilience, celebration, and remembrance. Every flag is a voice — and together, they’ll create a bold, beautiful banner of community spirit. We can’t wait to see what you create.
Every Stitch A Story 