Heirloom name birthday banner

I am finally ready to share the project that has been keeping me busy the past week, and I am very happy with the result,  truly I just adore it. The colors are so bright and cheery, it is thick and soft, and I look forward to this piece being brought out year after year, with only the number of years exchanged. It really makes me smile, and I know that Kaleena will love it,
she truly appreciates these kinds of surprises.

I started out knitting 7 triangles in the same color, one for each of the letters in her name, and 1 in a different color for the birth year number, this will be the one exchanged each passing year.

For those interested; I cast on 30 stitches, and knitted 5 rows. In the next row, I knitted the first two and the last two stitches together, then knitted the next three rows, and repeated this pattern until the end.

I used Lamb's Pride wool, bulky weight, and size 10 needles.

Here they are all finished. 

Then I felted them, first in the sink, simply soaking them under the hot faucet, added a bit of dish soap, and rubbing them two and two together all over, then rinsed in cold water. Then they went for a wash in the machine and then a trip through the dryer. 

and then they looked like this:) ready for the needle felting

For this I simply added tufts of wool roving, shaping it to the letter needed and used the felting needle to attach it. 

All the letters felted on. So lovely if I may say so myself:)

I added tassels, using the felted beads I made the other day, as well as a wooden bead at the very end.

Then I sewed them all together adding a smaller wooden bead in between each letter. And voila, all done. I will not hang it until the eve of Kaleena's birthday, as a surprise hanging over her birthday table for when she wakes up.

And it packs up nicely to store for years to come.

I adore these kinds of projects, something that will last, bring back memories of each passing birthday, and will last until she herself is grown.
It was made with all my love and I know she will sense that when she sees it year after year.
Soon I will get started with Keenan's who's birthday follows Kaleena's. Fall time is certainly a busy birthday crafting time in this house.

~May you have a wonderful weekend~