Company
May 19, 2025
Are you looking for a creative way to showcase your enamel pin collection or highlight your custom pin designs? Making your own pin display pennant is a simple and effective solution that lets you display pins neatly and accessibly, while also adding a personal touch to your space. With just a few materials—like canvas fabric or felt—you can create a banner that works for every collection size and style.
We know that pin collectors and businesses alike want their pins to stand out. A display pennant isn’t just for personal collections; it’s a great tool for events, trade shows, or retail spaces, making it easier for customers or friends to admire each unique piece.
If you want to skip the trial and error, or if you need inspiration for custom-made displays, stay with us. We'll share practical tips, step-by-step instructions, and ideas that work whether you have a handful of pins or an entire brand to highlight.
To build a functional and attractive pin display pennant, we need the best fabrics, sturdy dowels, and reliable hardware. Each part plays a direct role in how our finished project looks and performs.
Choosing the right fabric is key. We recommend using a fat quarter of cotton or a lightweight canvas for excellent durability and a smooth pinning surface. Gingham and felt are also great options, each offering unique textures and styles.
Pros of Cotton:
Cons of Thin Fabrics:
We usually add a medium-weight fusible interfacing to the back. This gives the pennant extra stiffness, making the display more robust without adding too much bulk. Interfacing is especially helpful if you plan to hang multiple pins or larger enamel pins.
Stick with neutral or simple patterns so that your custom pins remain the focal point. If you want a more decorative look, try layering felt shapes or using themed borders.
The dowel holds the banner flat and makes it easy to hang your pennant anywhere. We suggest a wooden dowel rod between 1/4" and 3/8" in diameter. For most banners, 12–18 inches in length works well, allowing enough width for a generous display area.
You may want to sand the edges to prevent snags, especially on fabric like felt or delicate cotton. For hanging, use a cord, twine, or ribbon about 40 cm long (roughly 16 inches). Select materials that match your display's overall look—natural twine for rustic, satin ribbon for modern.
Additional tips:
We create pennants to highlight our favorite enamel pins, but it's essential to use the right accessories. Standard push pins or safety pins work for fabric displays, but for heavier items, always use locking pin backs. These reduce the risk of pins falling off with time.
Enamel pins range in size, but most displays look best when pins are kept about an inch apart. We also keep a small sewing kit for quick repairs and a set of binding clips to temporarily hold fabric while sewing or assembling.
Consider a small sticker or nameplate from PinProsPlus for branding or custom messaging. If you're customizing banners for events or as corporate giveaways, branded accents help your display stand out and provide a memorable impression.
Creating a pin display pennant requires careful selection of materials and attention to detail at every stage. With straightforward steps, we can customize our pennant to showcase our favorite pins or highlight custom promotional products.
First, we need to choose our main fabric, backing material, and interfacing. Canvas or felt works well for durability and pin support. We recommend selecting a color that complements our pin collection or matches our branding for custom displays.
Let's measure and cut two triangular pieces of fabric to our desired size—an example size is 10 inches wide at the top and 12 inches long. Next, cut matching interfacing triangles. It's important the interfacing be slightly smaller than the fabric to reduce bulk along the edges.
Iron the interfacing onto the "wrong side" of one fabric triangle, following the manufacturer's instructions. This gives our pennant added support and keeps it looking crisp. If we're using printed fabric, double-check pattern alignment before fusing.
A pressing cloth helps protect both our iron and fabric. Smooth out any bubbles as we go, so everything lies flat and even when we move to assembly.
Now we place our interfaced triangle and the backing triangle with their right sides facing each other. We pin or clip around the edges, leaving the top edge open for turning and dowel insertion later.
Using a sewing machine, we stitch the two sides and bottom with a ¼-inch seam allowance. We recommend using reinforced stitches at the corners for longevity, especially if this display will travel to shows or events.
After sewing, trim any excess fabric and carefully clip the corners to help the pennant keep its shape. Then, we turn the pennant right-side out through the top opening. A chopstick or blunt tool can be handy for pushing out sharp corners neatly.
Give the pennant a good press with an iron, smoothing all seams flat. This creates a professional, finished appearance.
To display our pennant, we need a sturdy top edge and secure way to hang it. Slide a wooden dowel through the top channel or edge of the pennant. If there isn’t a channel, simply fold the top raw edge under twice and sew a straight line to make one.
Standard dowels are usually ⅜ inch in diameter, but we can adjust depending on pennant size. Cut the dowel so it overhangs the fabric by half an inch on each side for a balanced look.
Tie a length of cord, ribbon, or twine to both ends of the dowel. Make sure the cord is knotted securely and choose a length that allows for convenient wall hanging. A decorative ribbon can match our fabric choice or branding needs.
Check the stability of the dowel and hanger before hanging up our pennant, adjusting knots as needed for even suspension.
We can add decorative edging with bias tape, ribbon, or contrasting stitching around the sides and bottom. This step helps hide any raw edges and gives the pennant a clean, polished look. Choose a color and width that work with our overall design.
Edging is also a chance to reinforce the fabric for heavier pin collections. For extra flair, some of us add small tassels to the corners or vinyl lettering for custom messaging.
For the final step, inspect the entire pennant for loose threads or uneven edges and trim as needed. Now our pennant is ready for enamel, button, and custom lapel pins. If we’re looking to create branded displays for clients or events, we can repeat these steps with different fabrics or incorporate printed graphics for a fully custom promotional piece.
Designing a pin display pennant lets us showcase our pins while expressing our individual style. With thoughtful color choices, unique embellishments, and personal details, we can create a display that truly stands out and represents who we are.
Selecting the right colors defines the look of our pennant. We recommend matching our theme or pin collection style with bold tones, pastels, or classic neutrals. For a playful vibe, we might opt for contrasting colors and geometric patterns. If the pennant is for a specific event or brand, choosing colors that align with the identity makes an impact.
Patterned fabrics bring movement and extra interest. Stripes, polka dots, chevrons, and florals are popular options that can complement or highlight the pins themselves. Custom-printed fabrics are also available for those who want a one-of-a-kind background—great for company logos or special designs.
It helps to test fabric swatches with a few pins before finalizing. This ensures the colors and patterns don't overpower our collection but rather make each pin pop. We’ve found keeping the background simple works best for extensive or colorful pin assortments.
Embellishments are an effective way to take our pin pennant from basic to unforgettable. Adding elements like felt shapes, fabric ribbons, lace, or beaded trim creates texture and dimension. For a vintage touch, we could sew decorative buttons or attach fabric flowers to the corners or sides.
Banners can also feature tassels along the bottom edge or metallic grommets at the top for both style and practical hanging. Using contrasting stitches or embroidery floss adds a handcrafted quality. These details invite more attention to our display, especially if showcasing limited-edition or custom enamel pins.
Let’s consider which embellishments flatter, not clutter. Here are a few popular options:
We can choose embellishments that fit our intended use, from corporate trade show displays to personal collections at home.
Personalizing our display with names, initials, or meaningful text makes it unique. Monogramming can be added using fabric paint, iron-on vinyl, or embroidery, depending on our skill and desired look. Many choose to feature their name, company, or a memorable date along the bottom or top edge of the pennant.
Custom text isn’t just decorative—it’s practical. For business use, adding our logo or slogan helps build brand recognition. For gifts or trades, a personal message or inside joke brings a smile to recipients.
If we're using embroidery, choosing a clear, bold font ensures readability and consistent results. For larger displays, we might consider adding a quote or phrase that inspires us. This simple step takes our pin pennant from a piece of fabric to a meaningful keepsake or promotional tool.
Choosing how to organize and secure our pins makes a big difference in the look and longevity of a pin display pennant. Some methods make it easier to find our favorite pins or fit more in a small space, while others protect delicate pins and prevent loss or damage.
Grouping our pins by theme—such as color, subject, or collection series—adds structure and visual harmony to the pennant. This approach not only looks well-planned but also helps us quickly find and highlight new or favorite designs.
Common themes might include:
We can use rows, clusters, or even shapes (a heart or star, for example) to arrange the themes. Mixing and matching arrangements lets us show off creativity, especially if we switch out pins often or add new pieces regularly.
We all want to fit as many pins as possible on our pennant without making it look crowded. One effective method is to arrange pins from largest to smallest, filling big empty gaps with smaller pieces.
Another tactic is to use geometric layouts or grids.
Leaving about half an inch between each pin keeps the display neat and makes it easier to add or remove pins. If we need more room, consider a larger pennant or using both sides of the fabric.
Pin safety is crucial to keep collections intact and undamaged. We recommend using locking pin backs for valuable or heavy pins. These offer much stronger security than rubber or basic metal clasps—especially if the pennant is often moved or handled.
Check the fabric thickness before pressing in a new pin. Thin or loosely woven fabrics may not hold heavier pins and could tear. For added protection, a felt or double-layered fabric backing is ideal.
If we use wooden dowels or frames to hang the pennant, make sure the fabric sits flat. This prevents pins from pulling at the cloth and reduces tension on the posts. Removing and re-pinning carefully will help keep both the fabric and the pins in good condition over time.
