Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Go and see the flags...


I am still stitching stars. These above are hand-embroidered on a pieced field of blue fabrics I inherited from my grandmothers as well as bits of clothing that my boys have outgrown. 

I have been wanting to share a wonderful source of information I’ve found while researching flags and hand-sewn stars. When I started working on my current projects, I did an online search for “hand embroidered stars on flag”. The top result was a link to RareFlags.com, a site which provides information and photos on a portion of Anthony Iasso’s collection of the historic American flag. I find something new and fascinating every time I visit. Many thanks to Anthony for sharing his wonderful collection and knowledge on the history of the American flag.

Anthony says, “Many people are both surprised and amazed when they discover that the American flag that they’ve known for most of their lives has such a varied and storied past. The American flag is a treasured icon, woven through our nation's history. Our national flag, in its many forms, has been present during all of our nation’s wars, national triumphs, national tragedies, and in our every day lives. Flags have been manufactured in factories and sewn in our homes. The number of stars has changed as the nation grew from the original 13 states to our modern union of 50 and the number of designs and patterns found on flags over our nation’s 235 year history are almost limitless.”

Please go and have a look over there - RareFlags.com. Anthony welcomes comments in the Rare Flags guest book or contact him by email with any questions about your own rare flags.

A few of my favorites on Anthony Iasso’s rareflags.com site are listed and linked below (though please don’t limit your visit to just these pages!). 

Methods of Creating Stars

Updating the Flag with Stars

The Suffrage Flag

"Grand Luminary" and "Great Star" Patterns


The detail photos of these flags and the techniques used to make them are wonderful. I am finding the connection between national history and the history of handmade textiles so very inspiring. 

4 comments:

  1. your stars are magic and the Rare Flags resource is a treasure, love the Women's Suffrage Flag!

    ReplyDelete
  2. What an interesting trip down the rabbit hole. And not something I'd given thought to before. I like the ones where stars were added later by another hand and how apparent that is--the uniqueness of the individual stitchers.
    (Having trouble leaving a comment with google account. This is Beth, still life pond)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Beth! Sorry it took me awhile to respond. I had never thought of all these phases of the flag either, but so very interesting. I really like the stars too as you mentioned, and also that the stars were for awhile arranged in a star, but that didn't really work out as more were added. All very fascinating.

      Delete