Day 200: Happy Banners

Have you heard of bunting, prayer flags or even nautical signal bunting? First of all, let me just say that I never knew that these cheerful and colorful, triangular-shaped, party banners were called "bunting" and second of all, aside from the different shapes of the flags and the prayers that are actually written on the prayer flags, they are nearly the same thing. All of them are colorful and inspire happiness. In fact, nautical signal bunting has also been used on ships and sailboats as a festival way to dress up the ship.

I'm not sure what causes a phenomenon such as bunting to become hugely popular all of a sudden in the mainstream, but I'd say in the last few months I've started to see banners of bunting displayed and/or for sale all over Stockholm. I wonder if they have achieved the same popularity in the US. All I know is that I am completely in love with them and can't wait to get some whimsical and colorful fabric scraps and a sewing machine so I can make some of my own. I may even decide to just get some of that iron on fusing tape that can be used to hem curtains etc. and make them that way. If I find that I just cannot wait for a sewing machine.

They just look so happy to me. It really makes me feel like I need a party banner. The other day I was riding my bike through one of the parks and I saw a homemade, party banner strung up between two trees. It was obviously leftover from a picnic but the fact that it had been left there in the park made me feel happy. I rode by again today and it was still up so I stopped for a quick photo. Because it is made with paper flags, there are now several missing but the charm is still there I think.

A charming, party banner, or bunting, that I found in a park near my apartment...

Nautical signal bunting on a ship that is now a converted hostel in Gothenburg, Sweden.

I just love the whimsical mix of fabrics here as well as the red string they are attached to.

These colorful Tibetan prayer flags are pretty amazing too...