Fly Your Flag High - DIY Camping Inspired Yard Flag

Making your own camping inspired yard flag is a simple afternoon project. With a little burlap and a few other supplies, you can create a yard flag that reflects you at the campsite or your home. If you camp full time, then you home is the campsite!

To start this project, you will need a piece of burlap cut in a large rectangle. I purchased 1 yard of burlap at Wal-mart. I cut it into thirds. Each piece measured 15 by 36 inches. This gives you plenty of fabric to hem and hand appropriately.

I hem each long side to start just using a plain straight stitch. Don't pull or tug at your fabric while you stitch or it will warp it and make it difficult to sew together for the finished product.

For this project, I made a simple pattern. There is a silhouette of a camper and a triangle to make some decorative bunting. You can print the vintage camper pattern if you would like to use it for your yard flag. Using this pattern, you can create 1 of 3 variations.

Variation 1

1. Cut out the camper silhouette.
2. Fold the burlap in half that has been hemmed.
3. Place a piece of tape 5 inches from the top fold.
4. Measure down 12 inches.
5. Place your second piece of tape at the bottom of the 12 inches your measured. This will give you a space for a silhouette. camper shape.
6. Secure your cut out camper pattern in the center of your taped spot.
7. Paint around the camper pattern filling in the marked off 12-inch space as you go.
8. Once done, remove the camper pattern.
9. Select a second color to add a rectangle door and round circle for your tire center.
10. If you like, add a monogram to your camper. I used a font I liked and cut out using a pair of scissors creating a pattern for the letter and filled in with a sharpie marker once I placed on my camper in the spot I liked.

Tape off your areas for working and your pattern, paint and remove to add your accents.

I used a cut-out font pattern and sharpie marker for my monogram. So easy and looks great!

Variation 2

1. Use your camper pattern to trace the outline of a camper on the burlap. I placed my camper pattern about 7 inches down from the top and centered.
2. Use a flat sided brush and filled in the camper pattern I traced with a bright colored paint.
3. Let the paint dry.
4. Now use a lighter or bright coordinating color to add a door rectangle and center circle for a tire.
5. Add a monogram as described above in step 10 in you like.

Trace your pattern before beginning to paint.

Variation 3

1. Use your camper pattern to trace and cut out a fabric pattern on a fabric of your choice.
2. Cut out a rectangle for a door and circle for the center of the tire in coordinating fabrics.
3. Cut out the same pieces in Heat and Bond. Thermoweb 17-Inch by 5-Yard Heat'n Bond Ultra Hold Iron-On Adhesive
4. Use the directions on the Heat and Bond to adhere to the fabric. Place the paper side up on the wrong side of the fabric of all three pieces and iron down.
5. Once cool, peel the paper away from your fabric pieces.
6. Fold your burlap rectangle in half and place the camper with the heat and bond about 7 inches from the folded top.
7. Iron the camper piece onto the burlap.
8. Now secure the wheel center and rectangle door by ironing them down also once you have placed them where you would like them.

I used some heat and bond to attach my camper applique to the yard flag.

A zipper foot is easy to use to go around the applique after the heat and bond had been used to apply it to the burlap. Just go around the edge with the machine like you are tracing the design. You can use any color thread you like.

Once you have completed the variation of choice and allowed the paint to dry, fold your yard flag in half with the right sides together. Measure 3 inches down from the folded top and pen along this 3-inch measurement. Sew the right things together starting at the 3-inch mark down to the open end.

Turn your yard flag right sides out. Turn the bottom edges in and pin. Now top stitch the sides beginning at the bottom of the 3-inch hole you left. At the bottom sew all the way across the bottom to close the bottom. Then sew up the next side up to the top of the other 3-inch place left. If you like, you can sew a straight stitch all the way across the three inch opening to close the place where you will insert your yard flag hanger.

Use a standard zipper foot to press out and sew down the edges once you have stitched together.

You can make some little bunting sew on to finish decorating your piece. Use the triangle pattern on the PDF pattern to cut out as many triangles as you like. Place right sides together and sew up each piece of the bunting. Turn right sides out.

Sew two pieces of the triangle bunting together with right sides together then turn out.

Use some bias tape and place over the top of the triangle that has an open end. Pin down, and then sew across the top.

I used a really thin bias tape for this project. You might want to use something wider. To sew together, I used a zipper foot.

Attach your bunting across the bottom for decoration. You can also take some smaller pieces and make little curved decorative accents over the top.

I used a zipper foot also to sew down the finished bunting onto the yard flag.

I used some fabric from the cushions and curtains in our camper. This was a really inexpensive project for me to make. I had everything that I needed to make this project except for the burlap.

To finish this all off, I would recommend using a water sealant spray to keep your yard flag protected. Thompson's Water Seal Fabric Seal is what I used. This can usually be picked up at just about any hardware store. I purchased this at Lowe's. The price on Amazon is rather high.

Since I had more burlap than what I needed for my own use, I made a couple extra and have listed them for sale on my Etsy shop. I'm selling one Cross Pattern Yard Flag and one Camper Themed Yard Flag. If these have sold out, feel free to contact me. I'd be happy to create a custom listing for another one.

I'm happy to say that I'm keeping one for me and giving one as a gift to my camping senseis!

If you are looking for a new decorative accent to your camping set up, a yard flag might be just up your alley. I really like how each of these turned out. This was a fun project to do. And if you don't want to do a camper-themed yard flag, you can do just about any pattern you like. I've also done a cross pattern yard flag for a cousin and my mother.

My main recommendation is to use bright colors that attract the eye. And, don't try and do too many things. It is small space. Too much just doesn't transfer well for this type of project. I started with one design and changed my mind after I had gotten started. That's okay too. Crafting is a lot of fun to me, and the hiccups along the way aren't bad either.

If you make your own yard flag using this pattern, I'd love to see it. Share on social media and tag me at #southernglamper or @southernglamper. Have a great week and enjoy the longer days ahead!