From this point, everything you do is dependent upon how you want your flag to look; how wide you want it and how long you want it to hang. I don’t have measurements for anything. I just guessed as I went along with my project. I already had the fabric scraps and a lot of red and white ribbon, but I wanted to include lace and pom poms, so I had to buy them. My guess would be that if you had nothing and had to buy it all, it will likely cost you at least $50, depending upon the size of your completed project.

After deciding how big I wanted the blue starred fabric to be, I laid the whole project out, cutting and layering the ribbons and lace until I was satisfied. This is the key to the entire project. Do not skip this step, because from here you will determine how wide, how long and how dense you will prefer your flag to be.

It’s easy to already see why I fell in love with this, isn’t it?

Then I began sewing on all the other longer pieces of ribbon, lace and fabric strips to the binding. I made a casing with the white binding by sewing down the length of the binding strip. That enabled me to put the dowel through casing so the flag could hang straight. I attached the pretty cord for hanging and called it a day.

Isn’t it really cute?

In full disclosure, it took me four nights (after dinner and dishes) to complete it. It tested both my patience and my math skills, and I likely wouldn’t do it, again.

Since leaving the comfort of a job I had for 16-years and taking on a whole new career, which is still very new to me (even after more than two years), I’ve been kind of stretching my limits in new-to-me ways; travel, reading, and new types of crafts – like this project. And, without a doubt, my crafting has become therapy. Everything was on auto-pilot where I worked prior to becoming the development director for a non-profit medical and dental clinic for those in need.

I’m learning more than I ever imagined I would, especially at my age. From the intricacies of  today’s healthcare system to the dirtiness of local, state and federal politics, my brain is taxed. From the pressure of raising funds to support this free clinic that offers much-needed services to so many in need, to the distress of trying to save the jobs of those I’ve grown to appreciate, my heart aches.

Don’t think for a minute there aren’t days when I’m ready to concede and let “them” win.
Luckily, those days are few, thanks to the energy fueled by the sudden desire to learn and become an expert in my field, which – like today’s project – is not at all for the faint of heart.

Well, that’s all for tonight. I do hope you’ll try making the flag. You’ll see lots of examples of it on Pinterest.com.