How to Make an All-American “Rag Flag”

If you have seen (and fallen in love with) the whimsy of an American “Rag Flag”, I am here to show you how to make an All-American “Rag Flag” – no sewing required!  If you can tie a knot, you can make this adorable flag! A perfect craft for kids, too.

Here is a simple step-by-step tutorial on how to make one of your very own.

 

This was one of my favorite craft projects to make.

I am literally seeing red. And white. And blue.

After seeing (and falling in love with) these adorable “rag flags” on Pinterest and Etsy for a while now, I decided this was the year that I would dive in and make one of my very own.

I love the whimsical take on the standard star-spangled banner and thought this would be adorable on my front porch for the holiday. Waiving proudly to all who turn the corner on to our street. 

I love it even more than I thought I would!  

I went to Joanne Fabrics to scout out the best options for my flag. .  All of the patriotic fabrics were 40% off.  SCORE!  If you don’t have a fabric store nearby, you can order fabric by the yard over on Amazon.  I started with the perfect star-spangled blue fabric for my flag. I love the antique coloring of the stars as they aren’t a true white. All of their patriotic fabrics were pulled out and placed together, which made beginning my search for the right fabrics so easy.

While I chose a few of the options that they had pulled out for 4th of July crafting, I opted for a lot of Calico fabrics for my flag, too. They are a little less expensive per yard. I chose a white one with little muted green dots, one with little red dots, a white with little white stars, one with stripes, etc.

I ended up with 12 fabrics and two yards of each one cut.

The plan is to mix non-traditional patterns together to make it more fun! Adding ribbon and trimmings can also add to the fun of this project.

And I think it turned out pretty sweet!

Instructions here are for a 4′ x 6′ flag.  A lot of them are 3′ x 5′, but you can make any size you want! Adjust the amount of fabric you buy based on the size of your flag.

How to make a “rag flag”:

Supplies:

White patterned fabric

Red patterned fabric

Blue fabric with stars

*Optional ribbons and trim

Scissors

Branch or dowel rod

String

Tape measure, cutting mat or ruler

2 hours of time

Prep: 

• • Determine the size of the flag you want to make.
  • Buy the fabric that you want to use to make your flag with. Find a combination you love. It can be any even mix of whites and reds, amount based on the size you’re making. Don’t forget your blue fabric with stars.  *I chose to make mine 4′ x 6′ so I had two yards of each fabric cut, which is exactly the length I would need for my strips. And I have enough left over to make my daughter one for her home.  If you only want to make a 5′ x 3′ flag, you can have one yard cut of each fabric.
  • If adding trims, buy those, too!
  • Choose what you want to hang your flag from and cut to size. You can use a tree branch, like mine, or a dowel found at your local Home Depot.

Assemble:

1. 1. Lay a piece of fabric out on a cutting mat or next to a tape measure/ruler and put a little ‘snip’ in the fabric every two inches for a total of eight strips. This ‘snip’ will be to get the strip started and they don’t have to be perfect.
   2. Rip each strip all the way down. No cutting necessary as long as your fabric is 100% cotton. Repeat with each color until complete.
   3. As you rip your strips, lay each color of strips in an alternating pattern over a couple of bar stools or chairs to make assembly easier.
   4. Leaving 2″ open at the end of the branch, start tying each strip to your branch or rod with a knot at the top, fabric pattern facing towards you. I left a little “tail” at the top.
   5. Continue alternating the strips as you work your way down the line until the whole branch is covered.  Be sure to leave 2″ open at the end of the branch.
   6. Lay out your star fabric and cut a rectangle to fit your flag. I cut mine 20″w x 27″ long.
   7. On one end of your rectangle (the shorter side) cut a 4″ long slit every 2″.  You will use these to tie to the branch.
   8. Lay the star fabric on top of your flag and tie two strips together on the branch until the star fabric is secure.
   9. Tie your string to the branch on each end, creating a way to hang your flag. I found this red and white string in my stash from the Target Dollar Spot!
   10. Hang and admire your craftiness!

 

What do you do with left over fabric? Consider making a smaller one as a hostess gift, for a kids playroom or playhouse.  I hope you love this little festive project. I am so excited to have this adorning my porch for years to come!