This fabric represents a party. Yes, a 4th of July party. I decided to chronicle this project as I'm going through it, instead of lots of pictures at the finale. This way, if you decide to do anything for your party, you have some inspiration and, more importantly, some time for completion. When I look at other blogs and see the finished product, I always think, "what a great idea, I should have thought of something like that." So here's your chance sister!
I will be making a long string of flags out of this fabric. I want to string it up around the tables where we'll be hosting the "smoke-off" of great food and fireworks at dusk.
Let's start with the table clothes. First, I want to show you how to square your fabric. I bought this ticking in red and white for table clothes for the party. It's 60 inches wide and 9 feet long. I wanted it to hang over an 8 foot table, at least 6 inches on either side. When they cut the fabric at the store, they don't always cut it straight. Now they try, don't get me wrong, but you really should make it straight when you bring it home.
I wasn't sure how long the tables were so here's a trick that you can pull off...put multiple tables together and overlap the pieces to get the right length for the entire table. Line up the stripes so it's a continuous line and that will make it work.
Use a cutting board to line your fabric up. I use a very inexpensive board made of cardboard for about $5. It's huge when you fold it out and I've used it for years! Just be careful to only use scissors; a rotary cutter will cut right through it.
Line up the selvage (the long white strip where there's no pattern) along one side of the cutting board and follow a guide line straight down the perpendicular side. I used pinking shears (scissors with the triangular teeth) because I didn't want to sew a finished edge but I also don't want it to fray. Plus I just think shearing is charming for a casual party. At this point, I'm not even going to finish the selvage edges either. Our party will be country charm with an ounce of patriotic posh. I'll save the technique for the catchy eye-level items.
Messy, messy.
Just couldn't give up the pumpkin.
The rest of us just carved it up!!!!
The men really dove into this project. We weren't even keeping score.
....such talent!
We had a slight adjustment to the party as the hurricane came all the way up from the coast and visited OK just as our day began. Soooooo, we moved it into the garage instead...no amount of rain was going to damper this party!
Banners up and table clothes down, we set the place up for buffet food, BBQ style. 
Yes, he wove the bacon together and wrapped bits of bacon inside the sausage then rolled all of that together. I think about 1 bite of this is the equivalent of 2 Bic Macs but it's so good! All you really need is one bite, with lots of BBQ sauce Head Country style!
I made Strawberry/Blueberry Jam for all of our guests to take home as a little token of red, white, and blue joy.
It had rained until about 5 so we don't have pictures of all the guys huddled around the smokers and sopping the homemade rubs on everything but it was awesome. After indulging in the wide array of food, we lit fireworks and enjoyed the cooled off evening. Since it had rained all day, the grounds were damp and completely safe, the air was cool and light, so we were able to sit and relax and share company with all who came.
I took bias tape and folded it over both pieces of the flag. What did I do wrong? I think I should have paid the money and gotten the widest tape they make because this was very tricky to work with something so small.
You can see here how narrow this bias tape really is. I couldn't even pin it to the fabric.
....and it worked!
This is one strand of bias tape that measured 3 yards. I left about 12 inches on each side so we would have room to tie the flags up. I'm not sure yet where we are putting these so I need to be flexible.
. Don't do this on anything you're going to wear! That would be a big chance you're taking.
I will be making a long string of flags out of this fabric. I want to string it up around the tables where we'll be hosting the "smoke-off" of great food and fireworks at dusk.
Let's start with the table clothes. First, I want to show you how to square your fabric. I bought this ticking in red and white for table clothes for the party. It's 60 inches wide and 9 feet long. I wanted it to hang over an 8 foot table, at least 6 inches on either side. When they cut the fabric at the store, they don't always cut it straight. Now they try, don't get me wrong, but you really should make it straight when you bring it home.
Use a cutting board to line your fabric up. I use a very inexpensive board made of cardboard for about $5. It's huge when you fold it out and I've used it for years! Just be careful to only use scissors; a rotary cutter will cut right through it.
Line up the selvage (the long white strip where there's no pattern) along one side of the cutting board and follow a guide line straight down the perpendicular side. I used pinking shears (scissors with the triangular teeth) because I didn't want to sew a finished edge but I also don't want it to fray. Plus I just think shearing is charming for a casual party. At this point, I'm not even going to finish the selvage edges either. Our party will be country charm with an ounce of patriotic posh. I'll save the technique for the catchy eye-level items.
