This DIY Rag Flag could not be any easier to create.

The best part, your patriotic American flag will be the envy of the neighborhood.

I used cotton fabric and deco mesh to build the flag and then added layers to create dimension.

As the flag fades, simply add additional fabric over the existing layers. No need to take the entire flag down.

My flag is 50 inches wide by 108 inches long.

But, you can make any size you want. Just follow my basic instructions and make it your own.

This post does contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through my links, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Supplies

3 yards red cotton fabric

3 yards white cotton fabric

1 1/2 yards navy cotton fabric

red deco mesh (21 inches X 30 yards) – I used 33 yards

white deco mesh with silver stripe through it (21 inches X 30 yards) – I used 33 yards

navy deco mesh (21 inches X 30 yards)

fabric stapler

fabric staples

pole 3 inches in diameter (I used a cedar limb we found on the ranch)

2 large eye bolts

2 eye bolt screw hooks

Star shaped cookie cutter

scissors

stitch witchery

iron

Directions for Mounting the Flag Pole

1. Figure out how long you would like the pole to be for your flag.
2. I knew I was hanging mine outside across a large beam that is approximately 12 feet (150 inches) in length. Therefore, to make it please to the eye, I divided the beam into thirds. The width of my flag is 50 inches.
3. Figure out the length of the pole. Although my flag is 50 inches wide, I still needed additional length to mount the eye bolts into the pole. I added an additional 4 inches to each side of my pole. The finished length of the pole is 58 inches to account for this.
4. Mount the cedar pole in the center of the beam using 2 eye bold screws and 2 eye bolts.
5. Screw the eye bolt screws directly into the bottom of the beam.
6. Then screw the eye bolts into the cedar pole, 4 inches in on each side. This gives the 50 inches inside the interior of the pole to mount the flag.

Directions for Constructing the Stripes of the Flag

1. Cut 7 strips of red fabric 6 inches wide by 108 inches in length.
2. Cut 14 strips of red deco mesh 6 inches wide by 108 inches in length.
3. Repeating this process with the white fabric, cut 6 strips of white fabric 6 inches wide by 108 inches in length.
4. Cut 12 strips of white deco mesh 6 inches wide by 108 inches in length.
5. Place one strip of red deco mesh on the table.
6. lay the solid red fabric on top of the deco mesh strip.
7. Place another piece on top of the red fabric.
8. Staple the three pieces together at the top.
9. Repeat this process with the remaining red fabric and deco mesh.
10. Repeat this exact process with the white fabric and deco mesh.
11. You will now have 7 stripes of red and 6 stripes of white for your flag.

Directions for Constructing the Navy Panel and Stars

1. Using the remaining white fabric and a star shaped cookie cutter, cut out 50 white stars. Set aside.
2. Using the navy fabric cut a rectangle 25 inches wide X 45 inches in length.
3. Using the navy deco mesh, cut two rectangles 21 inches wide by 50 inches in length.
4. Place the two pieces of deco mesh together and sew together down one side using a 1/2 inch seam allowance. You will now have one large piece of deco mesh that is approximately 41 inches wide and 50 inches in length.
5. Cut 2 inches pieces of stitch witchery and fold up under each star.
6. Using an iron on the steam function, place the iron over the star to melt the stitch witchery into the navy fabric and white fabric to secure the star. Repeat with all 50 stars.
7. Place the navy fabric with the stars on top of the navy deco mesh. Trim the deco mesh to fit the navy panel, leaving approximately 1 to 2 inches of the deco mesh peaking out from the navy fabric.
8. Staple the navy fabric to the deco mesh around all four sides.

Notes on Star Placement

1. When an American flag is turned on its side, there are 5 stars across the top of the navy panel.
2. There are 6 stars that go down vertically on the left side.
3. Once you place these first two sections across and down the navy panel, the rest of the stars will line up perfectly.

Hanging the Stripes

1. Starting with a red stripe, and moving from right to left facing the pole, wrap the top of the red stripe over the pole from the back.
2. Then staple the red stripe to itself at the top of the pole.
3. Repeat this process with the white stripe.
4. Move down the flag and position all of the stripes.
5. If the fabric wants to tangle at the bottom, using a fabric stapler, staple the pieces together at various intervals. This will still allow the flag to blow in the wind without getting tangled.

Hanging the Navy Panel

1. Once you have hung all 13 stripes, place the navy panel so that the left side of the navy panel covers the fourth stripe red stripe.
2. Staple the left edge of the navy panel to the first red stripe.
3. Staple the right top edge of the navy panel to the fourth red stripe on the right edge of the pole.
4. Secure the navy panel as needed across the top of the pole.
5. Secure the edges of the navy panel by stapling down the red stripes on each side.

Additional Notes on Your DIY Rag Flag

1. As the flag fades or becomes worn, you can staple additional strips of fabric over the existing flag.
2. This keeps you from having to remove the entire flag and start over.

Step By Step Photos

An Example of a Smaller Rag Flag

Let’s say you have space that is approximately 45 inches wide to hang your DIY American Rag Flag. Lets also assume you have 80 inches in length to work with.

1. First, cut your pole to 44 inches. This just gives you an inch of wiggle room.
2. On each end of the pole, mark 4 inches in and attach your eye bolts to the pole.
3. Attach your eye bolt hooks to the surface your are hanging the pole from.
4. Hang your pole.
5. The width between the two eye bolts should be 36″. This will be the finished width of your flag.

Construct and Hang the Stripes

1. Because there are 13 stripes on the Amercian flag, divide the finished width (36) by 13. This measurement is 2.76 inches. I would round that up to 3 inches for a nice even number.
2. You will now cut 7 red strips that are 3 inches wide and 80 inches long.
3. Cut 6 white strips 3 inches wide and 80 inches long.
4. To create additional layers over the strips, repeat the process as many times as you want.
5. Stack the lengths on top of one another and staple at the top to secure.
6. Take the top edge of the red stripe and wrap it over the right side of the pole next to the eyebolt.
7. Staple the fabric next to the pole to attach it to itself securely at the top.
8. Repeat this with the white stripe, alternating between red and white until all the stripes are hung.

Construct and Hang the Navy Panel

1. Now measure from the first red stripe to the 4th red stripe.
2. This measurement should be 12 inches.
3. This will be the width of your navy panel.
4. The length of your navy panel will be a little less than half the length of the stripes – I would say 36 inches.
5. Cut the panel to be 12 inches X 36 inches.
6. Cut out 50 small stars using the white fabric.
7. Place the stars on the navy panel and attach with stitch witchery.
8. Place a piece of navy deco mesh behind the navy panel. This piece will be 16 inches X 42 inches so that it shows around the edges.
9. With the deco mesh on the bottom, staple the two pieces together .
10. Staple the right corner of the navy piece to the fourth red stripe on the right.
11. Staple left corner of the navy piece over the first red stripe.
12. If the strips want to get tangled in the breeze, randomly staple down the edge of each stripe to keep the layers from separating.

Drop me and comment and let me know how you plan to re-create this DIY Rag Flag for your own home. God Bless America!

Don’t Forget To Pin This Project For Later!!!

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How About Some Recipes?

Have you tried my Carrot Cake Banana Bread? It is outstanding – and you can leave it naked or ice it with my light vanilla cream cheese icing.

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