DIY Rag Flag From Thrifted Clothes and Scraps of Fabric

Creating a rag flag from thrifted clothes is not only creative but also sustainable, giving off those vintage vibes.  Whether you are decorating for a holiday, throwing a party, or simply adding a little extra charm to your home, this little craft project was so fun to make.  You can keep it super simple or go crazy and add all sorts of various fabrics and colors!  I stuck with 4 different fabrics and a pair of jeans!

It’s thrift store day, you know what that means, we have all taken a thrift store find and turned it into something creative! I’ve been in a little bit of a creative rut lately, so this was the perfect little craft to get my creative juices flowing again!

I found this shirt at our local Hospice thrift shop, it’s my favorite thrift store, and the people there are so incredibly nice. Plus, it gives me an excuse to go to my favorite breakfast place! Win! The colors stood out, and I thought it would be the perfect layering shirt for summer. It was my size, so I held it up and walked it over to the cashier. It was also 50% off day, so I scored it for $2! When I got home, I tried it on, and the openings where your arms go (I guess they are called armholes lol) were fit for a toddler, not kidding. Everything else was perfect. I guess I could have made the holes bigger, which I have tried before, but I ended up ruining the shirt.  A little light bulb went off in my head, and I thought, ” Rag flag”! I was really sad about the shirt, so this was a win for me!

Here is the before, Winston thought the shirt was for him! 

Let’s try that again!

Supplies

I’ve linked everything I used below!

Fabric/Used clothing/Scraps (think red, pink, white, cream, and blue colors)
Wooden dowel
Scissors
Hot Glue and Mod Podge
Stars 
Canvas (optional)
Sewing machine, if you prefer stitched edges (Optional)
Cord

How To Make Your Rag Flag

 

The measurement of my dowel was 14 inches.  My strips of fabric were about 15 inches long, and I used approximately 75 strips of fabric that ranged from 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide. 

The first step is gathering your materials. (Winston didn’t make that easy) Look for scrap fabric at thrift stores, old clothing, or even leftover pieces from past sewing projects. A canvas drop cloth works beautifully as a base if you want a more neutral or farmhouse feel, or just a solid base for the fabric. You will also need stir sticks or a wooden dowel.

Before you start cutting or ripping, think about your design. Do you want a traditional stock flag style with repeating shapes, or something more organic and mismatched? Lying out your scrap fabric pieces ahead of time helps you visualize spacing and color balance. For that vintage look, I mixed faded jeans (which I found in our donate pile) with soft textures from old scraps.  Remember cabbages and roses? I worked with them in my early blogging days and had some fabric still left. 

Once your layout feels right, begin cutting or ripping your fabric into the size that you want your flag to be.  If you are using a sewing machine, stitch along the edges for durability. I decided I wanted those imperfect edges, so I ripped all of my fabric.

Attach each piece to your base. I folded each piece of fabric over the top edge of the dowel and glued it down using hot glue. You could also tie the fabric directly onto a dowel.

As you assemble your flag rag, double-check the spacing and flow. What I love about this project is that it does not need to be perfect. Uneven edges and slight variations are what give it personality.  When I started this blog, many years ago, I was throwing the name of perfectly imperfect around. I almost wish I had gone that route. 

Keep going until the dowel is filled in.  I started layering more pieces on the back of the dowel to give it more fullness.

Add the Stars

I had some ground flags from the dollar store and cut out just the star portion. I then attached it to the back pocket of a pair of old jeans. I used Mod Podge to adhere the stars to the jeans, as the hot glue would have left the fabric uneven.  I then used hot glue to adhere it to the flag.  I made sure the strips of fabric where I was placing the star were overlapping each other.  

Add Twine or String to Hang

Hot glue a piece of jute twine, cord, or string on either side of the dowel to hang the flag.  

Cut any extra Long Fabric

You might have some extra-long fabric strands; simply cut to even everything out. 

Hang it up and enjoy!  

As you can see, if you do rip the fabric, you will have lots and lots of string.  I thought I had gotten rid of most of them until I looked at my pictures!  

I love making this little flag; it was fun and creative, but also a meaningful way to reuse materials. Every piece of fabric carries a story, and when combined, they create something entirely new. 

 

It looks great indoors, too!

Check out the other projects from the team

Time to see what everyone made over this month! 

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My Repurposed Life Unique Upcycle for a $1 Thrift Store Frame

Our Southern Home Easy European Wall Art with Thrift Store Frames

Sadie Seasongoods Upcycling a Wooden Cafeteria Tray (Without Paint!)

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia Rag Flag From Thrifted Clothes

Redhead Can Decorate  How I Created a Beach House Guest Room Using Heirloom Furniture

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Our Crafty Mom Antique Steam Trunk Makeover