Here are two Halloween flags you can sew--a pumpkin and a ghost. Use them
along the driveway, in a window, or as a centerpiece; or, give them as a gift.
Pumpkin Flag Supplies: 1/4 yd. (23 cm) each black and orange Nylon Flag
Fabrics Sulky® or Madeira Embroidery Thread Heavyweight wire Avalon Soluble
Stabilizer
For each flag cut one 7" x 9" (18 cm x 23 cm) rectangle for
base. Clean finish edges by serging or zigzagging.
Trace the appliquŽ design onto the flag fabric with Triangle Tailor's
Chalk or a Dual Marking Pen. For dark fabrics use a Light Table or trace
design by holding it to a window.
Trace both the outline and inner details.
Cut out each section needed for the design.
Apply appliqué to the base fabric.
Position the appliqué on the base fabric and pin.
Straight stitch appliqué in place using a short stitch length.
Turn the flag over, and trim away the black base fabric from the wrong
side of the appliqué. (Do not trim away the black fabric from the eyes,
nose, and mouth.)
Pinch the base section to separate it from the appliqué, and clip a
small nip in the base fabric.
Carefully trim close to the stitched outline with Appliqué Scissors,
taking care not to cut the appliquŽ section.
Turn flag right side up, and trim the orange fabric from the eyes,
nose, and mouth.
Stitch the background leaf and stem sections.
Place a piece of Avalon Soluble Stabilizer
on the wrong side of the
fabric.
Use green thread such as Sulky® or Madeira Embroidery Thread in the
top and bobbin of the machine.
Embroider the leaves and satin stitch the stem lines.
Use a medium to wide stitch width and a short stitch length, tapering
the stitch width at the corners, if desired.
Notes:
For most appliqué stitching I loosen the top tension to prevent the bobbin
thread from showing on top of the fabric. The setup is different for these
reversible flags. Use normal tension settings so the stitching looks the same on
both sides.
Satin stitch the pumpkin to the base fabric with orange thread so the
stitches overlap the background stitches.
Satin stitch around the eyes, nose, and mouth using black thread.
Remove the stabilizer, tearing away larger sections. Spritz flag with
water to remove any remaining stabilizer.
Finish the edges of the flag.
Turn under the edges 1/4" (6 mm) on both sides and lower edge.
Topstitch the sides and lower edge.
Turn under the top edge 5/8" (1.5 cm) to create a casing, and
stitch 1/2" (1.3 cm) from the fold.
Cut a piece of wire to create the flag support.
Adjust the wire length to the place where the flag will be used.
Insert the wire in the casing and form it into a "U" or
"L" shape as desired.
For the Ghost Flag follow steps 1-8, embroidering the eyes and mouth.
Supplies: 1/4 yd. (23 cm) each of black, white, and yellow Nylon Flag
Fabric.
edges by serging or zigzagging.
the appliqué. (Do not trim away the black fabric from the eyes,
nose, and mouth.)
on the wrong side of the
fabric.
