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Summer and all those patriotic holidays are right around the corner, so now is the perfect time to make a few primitive flags to display in your home!

These DIY flags could not be simpler to make, and I'm going to show you exactly how to make everything in the pictorial below! I was inspired to make these easy fabric flags when I saw the ones shared by my friend Jen at Tatertots and Jello. Jen's no-sew patriotic scrap flags have a more modern appeal, while I chose to give my flags a vintage, old, tattered look.

Let's start with a list of supplies you'll need to make a few of these flags. You might even already have everything.

• scrap fabrics in red and blue, as well as a muslin type fabric (drop cloth would also work)*
• coffee stain
• 12" wood dowel rods
• 3/4" wood beads
• ball-top wood drink stirrers (for the mini flags)
• dark furniture paste wax (or dark brown acrylic paint)
• hot glue
• alphabet stamps and ink pad to make embellishments -optional

Prim it up!

These no sew handmade flags have a vintage, primitive vibe. The first thing I did to achieve that was soak the fabric in a little bath of coffee. I added about 1/2 cup of instant coffee to about 3 cups of hot water and let the pieces soak for about an hour. They didn't get very dark, but the white definitely looks a little more grungy now! You can test this with tea, or even regular coffee. To get extra primitive, add a little texture to your coffee bath with a tablespoon or two of cinnamon! The cinnamon will stick to the fabric, add some texture and grunge. You can see how I did this with my Primitive Farmhouse DIY Sunflowers.

Once the color is to your liking, don't rinse the coffee stain out of the fabrics. Squeeze the excess liquid out and then lay pieces outside in the sun to dry. It will only take about 15 minutes. I like the wrinkles that are left and if you used cinnamon, you'll see speckles of it throughout the fabric, heavier in some sections, which really adds to the primitive feel.

My favorite way to quickly faux stain raw wood is to rub on a little dark wax. You don't need to wait hours for it to dry, it just takes minutes. It's still a little smelly and messy, but nothing like using normal stain. To do this, simply rub the dark wax on with a rag, work it into the wood, and rub the excess off.

If you don't want to invest in a tub of dark wax, you can get a similar look with dark acrylic paint like burnt umber. Paint it on and immediately wipe off the excess with a damp paper towel. You'll be left with a stained look in minutes!

Repeat this with the wood beads and stir sticks. Then set all these pieces aside to cure while moving on to the next step.

If you want to add a few stamped embellishments, rip some of that coffee stained muslin into strips and stamp the words of your choice going vertically down the strip. Make sure to leave about an inch at the top for attaching to your fabric flags! I stamped a variety of fabric strips with "old glory" and "let freedom ring". Here are some other ideas:

• America
• USA
• freedom
• 1776
• America the beautiful
• land that I love
• O say can you see
• star spangled banner

I'm sure you can think of more short sayings that would work to embellish your flags.

Whenever I'm making something with a primitive or vintage feel, I like to tear my fabric. That way you're left with those nice, frayed edges which definitely adds to the vintage feel!

Here are the sizes I used for my large and small flags:

1. large flags - 9" x 5-1/2" (blue stars area is 4"x3)
2. small flags - 4" x 2-1/4" (blue stars area is 2"x1-1/2)

Rip all fabric to size. Of course, my sizes are only suggestions! You can make your scrap fabric flags whatever size you want.

Glue the small blue rectangle to the flag in the left corner. I just used hot glue but you can use your favorite glue.

Tip: I just made small dots of glue in each corner and then quickly stuck it down in place.

Glue a wood ball to the top of a dowel to create a simple flag pole. Hot glue the flag pole to the flag along the edge.

Pin a strip of muslin with your stamped Americana saying to the flag.

I love how cute these grungy little primitive flags turned out and had fun setting them up in a display in my studio.

Isn't this fun and patriotic? I pulled together some of my favorite whites and chippy items like the Chippy DIY Candlesticks. I hung my Patriotic Ribbon Wreath from the Faux Farmhouse Clock.

I tucked the primitive flags into small flower pots and plants.

• use styrofoam balls inside plant pots to anchor the flags
• stick flagpole into vintage flower frog to help flag stand upright
• tuck flag down into the side of a flower pot so the plant supports the flag
• fill a mason jar with small pebbles (or even sand) to support the flags
• keep in mind that the larger the flag, the more it will drape

I hope I've inspired you to get creative and whip up some of these sweet primitive flags to decorate your home this summer!

• Vintage Inspired Bottles with Faux Rusted Lids
  
• Deconstructed Book Stack with Stamped Words
  
• Primitive Farmhouse Sunflowers
  
• Fabric and Wood Bead Flowers
  
• Chippy Spindle Candlesticks From an Old Chair
  
• How to Antique a Thrifted Tray with Chalk Paint