Back to School Felt Flags

It's August so that means kids are either back in school or preparing to be.  If you'd like a little decoration to celebrate this time, I have a tutorial for Back to School Felt Flags.

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Are your kids back in school?  While it may seem a little early, my son goes back to school on Monday.  Like it or not, summer is pretty much over and it's time for early mornings, schedules, homework, and sports practices.  

Something that may help you (or your kids) get more excited to go back to school is making some back to school felt flags. 

How to Make Back to School Felt Flags

 stiff felt sheets  |  8 x 10 felt sheets  |  wooden dowels

I gathered felt sheets from the craft store.  I got several of the felt sheets in various colors and a few stiff felt sheets as well.  I grabbed these wooden dowels, but they ended up not being long enough, so I used a 36 inch dowel that I cut in half. 

rotary cutting set

Start with a yellow piece of stiff felt. Cut a 9" x 12" triangle with a rotary cutter, clear ruler and cutting mat.  You could also use scissors, I just think it's easier to use the rotary cutter and the lines are much straighter.

Trace the triangle onto paper, then free hand draw letters onto it.  Make sure to follow the angle of the flag in the letters and leave a small space between the felt letter and the felt flag.  This will become your stencil to make the letters.

straight pins

To make this process a tiny bit easier, cut each letter one at a time.  Cut the first letter stencil out of the paper and pin it to the felt you will be cutting.  Carefully cut each letter out with the paper as a guide.  It will help you in the project, and all other projects really, if you embrace the imperfections!  

Once you have cut the first letter out, repeat the steps with each of the additional letters.  

Tips for Cutting Letters from felt

• Keeping the paper pinned to the letter helps to keep the paper in place.  
• Use sharp scissors to cut the paper and the felt at the same time.
• Cut slowly.  
• The letters don't have to look perfect.  The imperfection adds charm!

sewing machine  |  white thread

Sew the felt letters onto the felt flag.  I used my sewing machine, but you could hand stitch the letters with a needle and thread.  Or you could use craft or hot glue to attach them.

Tips for sewing felt letters onto flag

• Sew each letter on one at a time. 
• Sew slowly.
• When going around a corner, put sewing needle down, left up pressor foot, rotate flag around, put pressor foot back down and continue sewing.
• Embrace imperfect stitches. 
• Trim excess thread.

 

Glue felt flag onto wooden dowel.  For the School flag, I used a small piece of felt in the same colors as the letters to wrap around the dowel.  I omitted this step on the ABC and 123 flags and simply glued the dowel to the back of the flag.  The stiff felt holds the flag upright just fine.

My son starts high school this year so I made a flag in school colors and letters SHS in purple and gold.  Wish me luck getting him to hold this flag so I can take a first day of school photo!

I made ABC and 123 flags in primary colors with the exact same steps as the SHS flag.  I do love the look and colors in these flags!

 

I think I will put together a Back to School Dinner and use these flags as decoration.   See more Back to School Dinner Ideas Here and Here.  

Back to School Felt Flags are inexpensive and pretty easy to make to add to your Back to School celebrating!  

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Check out these posts from my friends for more great back to school ideas!

Beth of Creatively Beth is sharing an Upcycle Wine Cork Apple that would make the cutest back-to-school gift for that special teacher.

 

Create a sweet gift for your new teacher with a fun set of Back-to-School Themed Bracelets that you can make in about an hour. Lindsay of Artsy Fartsy Mama shows you how.

Greet your new teachers with a Free Printable Pencil Card created by Liz from Liz on Call. Tuck a gift card inside!

 

Heather from Homemade Heather is creating sweet treats for Back-to-School with yummy Sugar Cookies and free printable gift tags.

 

Create colorful Paint Pour Notebooks with this fantastic step-by-step tutorial created by Blanca of Creativities Galore.

 

Learn how to make Back-to-School Stickers with your Cricut cutting machine. Michelle of Michelle’s Party Plan-it is sharing a complete tutorial.

 

Jane from DIY by Jane is sharing a set of Upcrafted Book Journals. Take the covers from your favorite books and create the cutest notebooks.

 

Make those first day photos the cutest with Back-to-School SVG Cut Files that can be made into shirts. Diana from The Girl Creative is sharing the free files.

 

Laura of Me and My INKlings has created an Upcycled Book Apple, the perfect back-to-school gift for your favorite teacher.

linking up to:  Craftastic Monday   Inspire Me Monday   Happiness is Homemade   Inspire Me Tuesday   All About Home