Making a flag is an easy and fun project to make that you can do at home using a few easily available things. All you need is some decoration material and a little inventiveness. This article will walk you through how to make cloth and paper flags that you can use to celebrate a world state or local sports team. This guide will also give you information on how to make a festoon - ideal for decorating a classroom or room for a party.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Paper Flag
Step 1. Take six sheets of paper
You can use plain white sheets (or cardboard if you prefer) and then color them with markers, colored pencils, highlighters, etc. Alternatively, you can use colored paper that is the same shade as the background of the flag you want to make: for example, for the flag of Great Britain, you can use blue paper, for Canada, red paper, etc.
Step 2. Roll up two sheets of paper to make tubes
These will form the flag pole. Make sure you roll up the sheets of paper tightly and use masking tape to hold them together. If you don't want to use paper, use a thin wooden stick to make the rod.
Step 3. Join the two tubes with tape
Insert them together to make a longer tube. Secure the two sections of the rod with tape.
Step 4. Take the other four sheets to make a rectangle
Arrange the four sheets on a table so that they form a rectangle; use paper tape (which you can color later) to join them. To further reinforce the structure, apply the tape to the edges of the rectangle as well.
Step 5. Use masking tape to attach the rectangle to the rod
Make sure the two elements are firmly attached to each other so that the flag doesn't fall apart as you wave it.
Step 6. Color the flag
Now you can decorate your flag with the colors of the country or team you love. Use the drawing tools of your choice, apply stickers or glitter glue, write slogans on one or both sides of your flag. You can also cut out shapes (such as stars, moons, etc.) from other sheets of paper and then glue them onto your flag.
Part 2 of 3: Cloth Flag
Step 1. Get a piece of fabric (nylon or cotton)
Choose the fabric according to the color of the flag you want to make; if it is the US one, for example, you can opt for white fabric. For a wide flag use a 12 x 6m piece of fabric; a smaller amount of fabric may be enough to make a small one (a pillowcase can also work).
Step 2. Get more pieces of fabric (from the colors you intend to use to decorate your flag)
The fabric type does not have to be the same as the one you intend to use for the base of the flag. Silk, polyester, velor are equally good… Whatever you can find around the house! You can make the fabric from old clothes, tablecloths and so on.
Step 3. Choose the auction
For a handmade flag, you can use anything to make the pole (a branch, a broomstick, etc.), as long as it's solid enough to hold the cloth.
Step 4. Create a sheath on the flag to slip it onto the pole
Before attaching the flag to the pole, you will need to create a sheath at one of its ends. To do this, lay out the flag on the table and place the pole along the short side of the cloth, on the right.
- Wrap the end of the flag around the pole and use a pin to hold it in place.
- Remove the rod and use a sewing machine or some fabric glue to close the sheath.
- Also sew or glue the top of the sheath, so that the flag stays on top of the pole.
Step 5. Decorate your flag
Now comes the best part! Take the other pieces of colored fabric and use markers, ruler and stencil to trace those shapes that, once cut out, you are going to stick on your flag. Use fabric glue to do this last step.
- If you're making the US flag, for example, you'll need to cut out a rectangle from a blue piece of fabric, a multitude of five-pointed stars from one white piece, and seven stripes from one red piece.
- If you want to create a slogan like “Forza Juve!”, You can draw the letters on a piece of colored fabric and then cut them out to stick them on the flag.
Step 6. Secure the flag to the pole
After you're done decorating the flag, slip the pole into the sheath. If the sheath is too loose, shrink the bottom end with glue or sewing. Now you can wave your flag at will!
Part 3 of 3: Making a Garland
Step 1. Get some fabric or patterned paper
The beauty of this banner is that it is so easy to make that you can use any type of material. The important thing is to choose paper or fabric with attractive designs and bright colors to make it truly breathtaking! Having flags in five different colors is a good place to start.
Step 2. Cut out the flags
Before you start cropping, you will need to decide on its size; remember that they must have the shape of an isosceles triangle with the base shorter than the other two sides.
- Once you have decided on the size of the flags, cut out a flag that will serve as a template for making the others. The number of flags depends on the length of the banner you plan to hang.
- If you want to make a more original festoon, use a pair of serrated scissors to cut out flags with zigzagging edges.
Step 3. Attach the flags to the string
If you used paper, you can punch 3 or 4 holes in the top of the flag so that it will pass through a string (ribbon, string, etc.). If you used fabric, you can sew the top side of each individual flag around the string (quite a long process) or use fabric glue to attach the flags directly to the string.
Step 4. Hang the banner
Hang the festoon by attaching the ends to a nail or thumb tack driven into the wall. Festoons are fantastic decorations to hang over the fireplace or outdoors for a barbecue; they also look great in a classroom or children's room.
