DIY Christmas Garden Flag

At the beginning of 2019 I made six burlap garden flags with the idea that I would make one for each season and big holiday of that year. I didn’t reach my goal of making one for every season and major holiday of 2019, but I did finish the last flag yesterday! It is fitting that I would create the DIY Christmas Garden Flag on the last month of this crazy year. I definitely want to make another set for the future. Take a look at my other flags:

Materials for the DIY Christmas Garden Flag:

Materials for DIY Christmas Garden Flag

• burlap garden flag- make yours with the directions below:

The burlap flag began as a 14″ by 20″ piece of material. Fold the burlap over all the way around, making a 1/2″ hem. Be sure to turn the edges under; don’t leave them raw. Fold the top over 2 1/2 inches, leaving a 2″ gap for the flag pole, while turning the burlap under 1/2″. Sew with a straight stitch, or a zig-zag stitch (stitch 9 on a Brother machine).

Fold the top over 2 1/2 inches, leaving a 2″ gap for the flag pole, while turning the burlap under 1/2″. Sew with a straight stitch, or a zig-zag stitch (stitch 9 on a Brother machine). I also cut out a burlap panel to sew over the back of the flag when I was finished to hide paint outlines and embroidery threads.

• sewing machine and basic sewing supplies
• fabric and regular scissors
• gingerbread boy and girl pattern
• blue or green crayon
• textile medium
• newspaper or a brown paper bag to prevent bleed through
• Apple Barrel Paints- 20432E Nutmeg, 20588E Pumpkin Orange, 20403E White
• 1/2″ angle brush
• small piece of tartan plaid fabric
• white thread
• 1 1/2″ plaid ribbon
• small artificial Christmas wreath (I think the one I used is actually a napkin ring)
• Wite-Out (optional)
• cream, light pink, coral pink, and green embroidery thread
• emroidery or crewel needle with a large eye
• 4 decorative buttons
• 3/8″ lime green grosgrain ribbon
• 1/8″ red grosgrain ribbon
• lighter or matches
• tan thread
• Scotchgard fabric protector

Instructions for the DIY Christmas Garden Flag

I had some wooden gingerbread people that I made in my first acrylic painting class in the late 1980s. They were one of the first items I ever painted. I traced around them with a blue crayon to create a pattern.

Painting the Gingerbread People

Place the burlap flag on a brown paper bag or newspaper to paint. The paint will bleed through the burlap. Paint the gingerbread boy and girl with Nutmeg + Pumpkin Orange and the 1/2″ angle brush. Highlight the right sides of their bodies with Nutmeg + White.

Cut a small, 1/2″ strip of tartan plaid cloth for the gingerbread boy’s scarf. Whipstitch around the scarf with the needle and white thread.

Sew two buttons on each gingerbread person using the light pink embroidery thread and the large-eyed needle. Tie a small bow with the lime green grosgrain ribbon and burn the edges of the ribbon with your lighter or matches to prevent fraying. Sew the bow on with the same needle and thread.

Mark the placement of the eyes with Wite-Out, a white laundry marker, or anything that will show up against the Nutmeg paint. Sew the eyes and mouth with the large-eyed needle. I used the cream and green embroidery thread for the eyes, light pink for the boy’s mouth, and coral pink for the girl’s. I used the eyes as my guide for the placement of the mouths.

Place the plaid ribbon on the bottom of the gingerbread girl’s skirt and cut the ribbon to match the edges. Use a zig-zag stitch and tan thread to sew around the ribbon.

Thread the embroidery needle with the 1/8″ red grosgrain thread. Stick the threaded needle through the center of the wreath and the top center of the burlap flag. Tie the ribbon ends into a tight bow, then burn the edges of the ribbon to prevent fraying.

Use the tan thread and a straight stitch to sew on the back panel. Take the flag outside and spray the front and back with Scotchgard fabric protector.

You’re all done! wasn’t that fun? I hope you enjoyed my DIY Christmas Garden Flag Tutorial.

Merry Christmas

Kristie

Subscribe to Love My little Cottage here.