Whimsy Crafts for an Analog Summer (Part 2)

Part 2: FELT NAME PENNANTS

There is something magical about making a souvenir before the memory even happens.

A felt pennant can commemorate a girls' trip, a family vacation, a summer camp, a bachelorette weekend, a retreat, or simply your favorite corner of your home. It's part decoration, part keepsake, and part excuse to spend an afternoon creating.

For this version, I used my Cricut to cut the felt and lettering, but you could absolutely cut everything by hand if you feel confident with that.

Supplies

For the Pennant

• Stiff felt sheets (I used one sheet for the pennant base and a contrasting color for the letters)
• Cricut Maker or Explore (optional)
• Freezer Paper
• Deep Cutting Blade
• StrongGrip Mat 
• Fabric or tacky glue 

Optional Embellishments

• Ric rac trim
• Pom poms
• Embroidery floss
• Iron-on patches
• Buttons
• Fabric markers
• Felt flowers
• Fringe trim

  

Step 1: Design Your Pennant

Open Cricut Design Space and create your design.

I kept mine simple with a classic pennant shape and my name, but this is where you can really make it your own.

If you want to make your letters take the shape of the triangle, use the warp feature and look for the image that gets smaller as the word continues. 

Some ideas:

• Your family name
• A favorite destination
• Girls' Weekend 2026
• Camp NAME
• Retreat NAME
• An inside joke
• A favorite quote

Size your pennant to fit your felt sheet.

Step 2: Cut Your Felt

I ironed each piece of felt to a piece of freezer paper to help it feel stiff and make it easier for cutting. Place your felt onto a Strong grip mat and smooth it down well. Swap out the regular blade for a deep cutting blade.

Load your mat into your Cricut and select the Felt setting.

Cut:

• The pennant base
• Letters
• Any decorative shapes like stars, flowers, hearts, or lightning bolts

If your machine struggles with very small lettering, consider cutting larger letters or simplifying your font choice.

Step 3: Lay Out Your Design

Before gluing anything down, arrange all of your pieces on the pennant.

This is my favorite part.

Move things around. Add a star. Take away a star. Shift the letters slightly. There is no right answer.

Once everything feels balanced, snap a quick photo so you remember your layout.

Step 4: Glue Everything Down

Using fabric glue, attach your letters and decorative pieces. I first attempted this with hot glue, but didn't realize that it doesn't work well on felt. Learn from my mistake! Tacky glue dries clear!

Work from the center outward and press firmly as you go.

Allow everything to dry completely before moving to the next step.

Step 5: Add Whimsy

Now for the fun part.

This is where you can make your pennant feel uniquely yours.

Try adding:

• Pom pom trim around the edges
• Embroidered details
• Felt flowers
• Tassels
• Fringe
• Patches collected from your travels

The more personality, the better.

Where to Hang Your Pennant

• Above your desk
• In a craft room
• On a bedroom door
• In a reading nook
• At your campsite
• In a cabin
• During a retreat or girls' weekend
• At a camp-themed bachelorette party

Or make one as a group activity and let everyone create their own.

Why I Love This Craft

One of the goals of my Analog Summer series is creating opportunities to slow down and make things with our hands.

Not everything needs to be optimized, monetized, or productive.

Sometimes it's enough to sit around a table with good people, colorful supplies, and a little bit of imagination.

A felt pennant won't change your life.

But it might remind you of a place, a person, or a summer worth remembering.

And I think that's pretty special.

Shop the supply list here