How to Make a Beaded Puerto Rican Flag for My Car
The Puerto Rican flag is a source of pride for many who were born and raised there. In order to show that pride, many of Puerto Rican descent display the flag in some way, either by wearing the flag on as a tattoo, on clothing or displaying the flag proudly in a motor vehicle. Flags for a car are often made of fabric, but a beaded flag is a simple project that anyone can do. Just be aware that anything hanging from a rear view mirror in a car is considered an obstruction to the driver's view and police officers have the right to ask you to take them down.
Things You'll Need
- 3 yards of cord, ribbon, or plastic lacing
- 26 silver pony beads (4 x 7 mm)
- 13 red pony beads (4 x 7 mm)
- 9 white pony beads (4 x 7 mm)
- 8 blue pony beads (4 x 7 mm)
- Additional beads in your choice of color (optional)
Instructions
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Beading a Flag
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1
String seven silver pony beads onto the cord and move them to the center of the cord. Next, string on a silver bead, red bead, white bead, red bead, white bead, red bead and silver bead.
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2
String the lace by the first row and string it through the second row in the opposite direction of how it was strung. Pull the lace tight. The second row should sit securely on top of the first row.
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3
String onto the cord a silver bead, red bead, white bead, red bead, white bead, red bead and a silver bead. Secure the row in place by taking the length of cord without free roaming beads on it and threading it through the row you just strung in the opposite direction.
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4
Continue stringing rows of beads and securing them with the following pattern:
Row 4: silver bead, red bead, white bead, red bead, white bead, red bead, silver bead.
Row 5: silver bead, red bead, white bead, blue bead, white bead, red bead, silver bead.
Row 6: silver bead, red bead, blue bead, white bead, blue bead, red bead, silver bead.
Row 7: silver bead, five blue beads, silver bead.
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5
Complete the flag with a final row (Row 8) of silver beads. Determine how long you wish the remaining cord to be for hanging the flag for display. String additional beads, if desired, onto the remaining cord. Tie the two cord sides into a knot to make a necklace formation, cut off any remaining cord and hang the flag.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Keep the remaining cord long to wear this flag as a necklace.
Tie off the laces at the end of Row 8 and add suction cups to hang this flag on windows.
References
- Photo Credit multi-coloured beads, background from beads image by 26kot from Fotolia.com
