Happy Birthday America Yardstick Flag

How fun is this?! A “primitive” American Flag made out of yardsticks!

Materials
13 yardsticks
6 flat wooden “country” style craft stars, 2½”
18-gauge copper wire
14-gauge copper wire
Plaid FolkArt Acrylic Paint, Christmas Red, Wicker White, True Blue
Beacon Adhesives Crafter’s 3-in-1 glue
Foam paintbrush
Masking tape
Sharpie marker
Wire snips

Directions
1. Paint the fronts and edges of 4 yardsticks red and 3 white. Mask off the remaining yardsticks at the 13” mark. Paint the first 13” blue and let dry. Then mask off the blue sections and paint the rest of 3 yardsticks red and 3 yardsticks white. Paint the stars white. Let dry.

2. Lay the yardsticks out to match the flag. Cut a 2-yard length of 18-gauge copper wire and fold it in half. Slide the folded end on the bottom yardstick about 6” in from the end. Wrap the wire around the yardstick and twist twice at the top. Continue weaving the wire around each yardstick until they are all connected. When you reach the top of the flag, wrap the wire around the Sharpie marker to make a loop. Wrap the ends of the wire around the loop’s base and trim. Repeat for the other side.

3. Glue the white stars onto the blue field of the flag with the Crafter’s 3-in-1.

4. To make the hanger, cut a 2-yard length of 14-gauge wire and wrap it around the Sharpie to give it a spiral effect. Hook each end through the loops on the flag and twist the ends to secure. Now hang your folksy Star-Spangled Banner high!

Good Measure: Look for vintage yardsticks at thrift stores, flea markets, and garage sales. Or buy new ones for about $1 apiece at your local hardware store.