In the dog days of summer, nothing is quite so welcome as an afternoon breeze. Gardeners appreciate the wind not just as a respite from the heat but also for the way it moves their plants, adding a whole other aesthetic dimension to their handiwork. Some of the best plants for catching the breeze are ornamental grasses.
If your garden doesn't have room for any more plants, fly a colorful flag instead. Flags and banners have become a popular decorative element in backyards — and they're even better when the design is inspired by your own garden. Flowers, leaves and garden insects such as dragonflies are perfect motifs for announcing seasonal changes or events, and these everyday icons are easy to incorporate into a homemade flag.
Artist Deborah Baronas visited the set of "Cultivating Life" to show how simple it is to make an attractive garden flag. They can be single- or multilayered, using simple cutouts or appliqued motifs. (You can watch a video of this project at cultivatinglife.com.)
Materials needed: nylon fabric in assorted colors, a metal straight edge and a triangle, vellum, black marker and motif patterns (such as leaves, drawings or photocopied reference materials), straight pins and fabric glue.
Special tools you'll need: a craft soldering iron with chisel point, a flagpole (iron ones are available at craft and garden stores) and a smooth, hard work surface such as Masonite.
1. Measure the width and height of your flagpole; this will determine the size of your flag. Then, using a metal straight edge, measure and draw the shape of your flag onto the nylon fabric with a pencil. Use the triangle to trace square corners. This is the base cloth for your flag. To allow for a casing for the flagpole, draw a line at the top of the base cloth slightly wider than the diameter of your flagpole; this will be the fold line.
2. Using the chisel point of your soldering iron and the metal straight edge, trace along the pencil lines. The heat will cut and seal the edges of the nylon.
3. Take the motif you've chosen for your flag (this could be a picture or actual foliage from your garden) and trace your selection onto the vellum with the black marker. (If you want the motif to be bigger, enlarge it with a photocopier.) Tape the motif pattern to your work surface; lay the nylon fabric in the desired color over it. Cut over the outline of the motif with the chisel point of the soldering iron.
4. Lay out your motif(s) on top of the base cloth; pin in place. Turn the edges over and apply the fabric glue along edges of motifs and press down onto the base cloth.
5. To make the casing, fold the top edge of the fabric to the backside of the base cloth along the fold line. Glue or stitch along the edge and insert the flagpole.
With a little imagination and some inspiration from your own backyard, you can create an assortment of seasonal flags that will add beauty and movement to your yard all year long.
Sean Conway is host of the TV show "Cultivating Life," which airs on WGN-America on Saturdays. His Web site is cultivatinglife.com.
Tribune Media Services