https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/beach-flag • Posted by jemima schlee
Hoist a flag to celebrate that it's fine enough to play, dine and relax outside - make your unique flag by using your favourite colours, make several to reflect the seasons...
Hoist a flag to celebrate that it's fine enough to play, dine and relax outside - make your unique flag by using your favourite colours, make several to reflect the seasons...
Before you start: Cut your muslin as follows: four pieces: 22cm x 40cm two pieces: 40cm x 12cm one piece: 52cm x 12cm Lay out your fabrics in the positions you would like to join them. You will be joining the three left-hand panels in horizontal stripes, then the three right-hand panels. Finally, you will attach these to the vertical panel.
Take the top left-hand piece A and pin its long edge 5mm from the edge of piece B it adjoins. Stitch by machine 5mm from the edge of piece A.
Press the seam towards piece A, tucking the extra 5mm of piece B under to form a clean hem. Overstitch 1mm from the edges. Repeat this process to attach the bottom left-hand panel (C). Do the same with the three right-hand panels. Now attach both of these to the central panel (B) using the same enclosed hems. Hem three sides of the flag, leaving one short end raw. Start by using an iron to fold the edges 5mm over, then 5mm again. Stitch 1mm from the edge. Change your thread and bobbin for each colour. Fold both ends of the herringbone tape over by 4cm and stitch down with a zigzag stitch, working back and forth a few times to secure it.
Fold one end of the piping cord 15cm from one end and use a zigzag stitch to secure the raw end in place.
Tie the toggle 12cm from the other end. Using a zigzag stitch and working back and forth many times for strength, stitch it to the herringbone tape 4cm from one end.
Lay the raw, un-hemmed edge of your flag along the herringbone tape, lining it up along the centre of the tape’s width. Fold the tape in half lengthways, and pin or tack it to hold it in position, ensuring that the edges of the tape are aligned on either side of the flag, and that, apart from where it is attached near the top, the piping cord is running freely in the channel created by the tape. Stitch 1mm or 2mm from the edge, reversing your stitching at both ends for strength.
Make a flagpole using 3.5cm diameter dowelling topped off with a 3.5cm wooden door handle, screwed on through its centre and reinforced with some wood glue). Then just give it a couple of coats of undercoat and gloss, and a cup hook or eyelet 4cm from the top to hold your toggle.
Tips When stitching seams, use separate colours for your top and bobbin threads to match your fabrics – it’s worth filling them with your different colours at the start of the project to save fiddling about once you’ve got going. Muslin is a fine cotton which can present itself a bit askew. In order to cut your muslin exactly along it’s weave, having measured and marked your fabric to the width you need, use the pulled thread method: gently pick a single thread with a pin or needle a couple of centimeters from the edge of the muslin and pull its full length from the fabric leaving a clear indication where to cut.