Flag Friday

Welcome to Flag Friday!

Starting today, each Friday here at The Prayer Flag Project, a post will be dedicated to a tutorial, challenge or link to fun things you might want to know about making and sharing the love and healing of Prayer Flags.  This week I wanted to start out at the beginning:

Prayer flags have a very long and beautiful history rooted in Tibetan and Buddhist culture.  Vivika DeNegre and I covered a little bit of this history in a blog post at Quilting Daily, which I encourage you to read if you haven't already.  If the history of prayer flags intrigues you can read more about them in this article, as well as this article.

In their most basic form a Prayer Flag is nothing more than a piece of cloth printed with images and words, strung together and hung outside, however it is the love of the maker, that truly brings the  prayer flags to life.

Why Make a Prayer Flag?

Prayer flags are just fun to make!  There are no rules in the art of prayer flags and because of the small size, they are also an easy way to experiment with new art techniques, however, I find I enjoy making prayer flags for their loving qualities.

Carrie Bloomston enjoys making prayer flags because it is a creative project with purposefulness, and meaning that is sacred and filled with prayer and intention.  Although not religious in their modern format, prayer flags, like many sewing projects, act as a placeholder for the divine.  We sew with love and give that love away to family and friends.  They feel that love as they use the items we give. It is the same with prayer flags.  Every stitch is a prayer for love if we hold that spirit as we work.

Jane LaFazio likes to make prayer flags because it allows her to think of the person or cause as she sews the flags.  Making the flags helps her to focus on the receiver and send positive thoughts to them.

One of the reasons Jamie Fingal makes prayer flags is because she likes to have small flags with positive affirmations to inspire her in her art studio.  They also make excellent gifts for friends.  Jamie started making them when she had a couple of personal tragedies in her life.  The flags gave her comfort and helped with the healing process.  She was able to get her mojo back by making prayer flags.  She still enjoys making and giving prayer flags.

Get Ready. . .

Come back each Friday for a new tutorial or challenge.  This weeks challenge is to read over the flag making tutorials on the blog and think of someone you would like to share a flag with.  Gather your supplies and come back next Friday for a tutorial on adding text to your flags.

Feel free to share this post with your friends, and invite them to join the party.  You can email me at prayerflagproject (at) gmail (dot) com if you have photos you would like to share on the blog.