Wednesday, July 06, 2011

Prayer Flag # 7 and a tutorial

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I'm in The Prayer Flag project and want to share a little tutorial on making your own flag, using your drawing skills.
flags 7

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We've lived in our house for 8 years, and these blooms appeared for the very first time ever a month or so ago. They're outside my office window and I watch the hummingbirds visit them everyday.
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In preparation, I ironed a piece of good quality white muslin (left over with a rabbit drawing on part of it) onto a piece of freezer paper. The freezer paper keeps it flat and easier to draw on. I went outside and quickly drew the new bloom in town with a fabric pen. Straight to pen, a quick, nearly continuous line drawing.
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For the flag itself, I used a scrap of one of my monoprints, tearing it into a 5 x11" piece. I folded over the top 3 inches to make a sleeve on the back for hanging.
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I removed the freezer paper from the drawing and ironed the drawing onto fusible webbing with a paper backing. Then, I cut out the drawing, with the fusible backing paper still on. 8
Once it was cut out, I removed the fusible backing paper and ironed it on to the flag.
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I embroidered french knots onto the blossoms, and then machine free-motion sitched the lines of the drawing in black thread.
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This is the back of the flag (I added a piece of plain muslin to the back before I free motioned stitched) I also wrote a few lines that moved me.
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I added some more contrast in the negative areas with color pencil, so the plant drawing would show up.
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I printed out a sheet of labels, so now all my flags are dated and named on the back.

prayer flag~ for everything thing there is a season
Flag # 7: For everything there is a season.
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The lyrics from The Birds song "To Everything there is a Season"
To everything - turn, turn, turnThere is a season - turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under heaven

A time to be born, a time to die

A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep

To everything - turn, turn, turn

There is a season - turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under heaven

A time to build up, a time to break down

A time to dance, a time to mourn
A time to cast away stones
A time to gather stones together


To everything - turn, turn, turn
There is a season - turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under heaven

A time of war, a time of peace

A time of love, a time of hate
A time you may embrace
A time to refrain from embracing

To everything - turn, turn, turn
There is a season - turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under heaven


A time to gain, a time to lose
A time to rend, a time to sew
A time to love, a time to hate
A time of peace, I swear it's not too late!

18 comments:

  1. beautiful flag, Jane, and a great idea to print out the labels...

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  2. Are you hanging these in your patio? In the shade? I'm enjoying them and thinking of giving it a whirl too. I saw the YUDU machine on sale at Michaels. I've made some stencils using stencil pro, but thought it would sure be handy to have something a bit more convenient.

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  3. Beautiful flag... and a wonderful reminder "for everything there is a season". Lyrics by the Birds originally taken from Ecclesiates 3: 1-8. Thanks for sharing

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  4. Great little tute, Jane! Loving your flags...

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  5. I am hanging them in the backyard, but it really doesn't matter about the shade. I like the idea of the flags ageing and fading in the wind over time.

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  6. I really like this idea! Thanks for another great tutorial.
    :0)

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  7. Thanks for the wonderful tutorial! The idea of hanging flags outside is enchanting. I just heard about the prayer flag project, and really admired all the beauty and heart put into it. Wonderful!

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  8. This is terrific - from the stitching to the coloring to the lyrics. Thanks for sharing. Lori W at Art Camp for Women

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  9. Wow, what an amazing piece of art.

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  10. Love the tutorial and the reminder of these beautiful words. Thanks for an uplifting start to my day!

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  11. Thanks for the tutorial and for getting me all excited about making the flags! The labels are also a great idea......dating and signing all our works is really important, even if it is a tiny flag that will fade to pastels over the years. You inspire me Jane!
    (hey)Jude

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  12. well, I wish I had read this before I made my first one today....I made it 8x8 and folded the 3 inches down, and had a 5x8 rectangle....but it goes east/west instead of north/south, if you know what I mean. So, I'll revise the others that I cut out, but I'll keep my first one for the center because it is an important one to me (healing for my sister)
    thanks for the tutorial

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  13. Hi Jane,

    I have been wanting to do a few prayer flags to hang from the ceiling of my studio. I am going to start my own prayer flag project this afternoon. Thanks for being the catalyst!

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  14. What is that amazing plant?!!

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  15. you are an inspiration. I would love to teach with you.

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  16. Thank you for this tutorial. I have been asked to lead a group making Prayer Flags. Seeing how you worked through your project has really helped. Regards Joan

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  17. I am so grateful that I found this wonderful, delightful and very sacred idea.I found you on YouTube-a tutorial on circles from Interweave and from there to your website and then to the prayer flag project.You might say a journey of sorts!I have a perfect spot for a string of flags....... Ehank You ,May Olson,Thousand Palms Ca

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  18. this is a BéÂüTïFüL flag, and a fun tutorial!
    So many great ideas offered...

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