DIY Pennant Flag with Cricut

A DIY pennant flag has all the nostalgic vibes of an old-school pep rally, and you can customize your flag with any color or design. I’ll show you how to make these adorable pennant flags at home in this quick Cricut tutorial. You can also grab a free template or shop the full designs below.

This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. For more information, please see my disclosures.

With graduation season here and kids preparing for college, I thought it was the perfect time to make DIY party decor. My twins are finishing their last year of elementary school, so I’m definitely feeling sentimental. Cue the tears!

These pennant flags can be used as decorations for tables and cakes, or to cheer on your favorite person as they walk across the stage.

Pennant flags also make great wall decor for college dorms or apartments. The fun part is deciding which color combination to choose and where to hang your finished banner.

What type of felt should you use with Cricut?

I’ve tested a few different types of felt for this project. This felt is by far my favorite. It’s thin and sturdy, perfect for a pennant flag.

Other felts I bought from Hobby Lobby had a thicker texture or softer weight, leaving more fibers on the mat and flopping over more easily. For an example using a blended wool felt, see my felt heart ornaments.

Step 1: Cut the felt pieces

Once you upload the felt pennant flag design to Cricut Design Space, add it to your Canvas. Then, you’ll need to ungroup your layers before cutting the design.

I like to start by cutting all of my felt pieces first. For the large triangles and tabs, I used the same felt color. For the edge of the flag, I used white felt.

Use a FabricGrip mat to cut your felt if you have one available. I find that a brayer tool helps the fabric adhere better.

I selected Felt, Acrylic Fabric as my material, but I could’ve also chosen just Felt with my particular fabric.

Given my material choice, I used the Rotary Blade (compatible only with the Cricut Maker), but a fine-point blade should also work if your felt is thin enough.

Step 2: Cut the iron-on vinyl pieces

I used glitter iron-on vinyl for the white lettering and foil iron-on for the stars on my pennant flags.

Feel free to use a plain iron-on vinyl or any other heat-transfer vinyl compatible with felt.

Always place your iron-on vinyl with the shiny side facing down, and remember to mirror your image in the software before cutting. If your vinyl starts curling up, you can use painter’s tape to keep it in place, as shown above.

Step 3: Apply the iron-on vinyl with a heat press

1. Weed the excess vinyl to reveal only the design you intend to press. Follow the instructions in the Cricut Heat Guide or Cricut Heat app to set the temperature on your heat press.
2. Position the vinyl over the pennant flag. Leave enough room on the left for the white felt edge.
3. Apply the vinyl design over the felt, and press with a heat press according to the instructions. Use an iron-on protective sheet (teflon sheet) between the vinyl and the heat press.
4. Peel away the liner sheet once the design is cool to the touch.

Repeat these steps to apply the stars, if desired. Don’t forget to use an iron-on protective sheet to cover the vinyl you have already applied.

If you’re new to using an EasyPress, see my EasyPress 3 Guide for detailed instructions.

Step 4: Glue the banner edge and felt tabs

The design includes two white rectangles and two sets of tabs for each pennant flag. The long white rectangles are glued to the front and back of the main pennant flag. The tabs are sandwiched between the large rectangles.

Use hot glue or felt glue to attach the white felt to the pennant triangle. Only glue the edges of the white panels, leaving a gap inside to insert the wooden dowel.

Get the pennant flag SVG design files

For all three pennant flag designs shown in this post, grab the graduation bundle below.

This small purchase helps support my site and allows me to continue creating new content for you to enjoy!

You can also get a free pennant flag design without text in Cricut Design Space here.

If you decide to make this project, please tag me on Instagram (@firstdayofhome)!

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