FABRIC DECORATION

For older participants
The sky is the limit here, literally. Create work that expresses your dreams. If you want to display the flags outside, make them weather resistant.

For younger participants (elementary and middle school)
Here are some suggestions:

Since participants may be working on cloth for the first time and may not be able to "redo" work easily (especially if the text has been printed on the fabric already), they should experiment on scrap cloth. Any kind of old pillow case or sheet will do cut up in rectangles.

If they have text, help them remember that people need to read it and that they should either decorate around the text or use media that won't cover up the text.

Media that work well include the following:

Watercolor Paints
Easy and available. These can be used to create beautiful wash effects. Light colors are good for going over text (if it's fast). Help students to communicate a feeling with color, a feeling that goes with their dream. After drying, the flags should be "set" with hair spray, ironing, or other spray fixative. Experiment with what works (before the whole group does it.)

Acrylic Paint
Acrylic paint will be weatherproof without fixing; it also offers more color. It is harder to work with, though, and harder to clean up (stains cloth). It also needs to be diluted to create colors that will go over text without covering it. Generally, this is a more expressive media and is better for middle school age and up.

Water Color Crayons
These are very rich in color and are best used around text, not on it. They are also somewhat expensive. Like watercolor paints, they need to be fixed.

Water Color Pencils
These allow a sharper line for drawing with the color of watercolor paints. They create lines that can then be blended by applying water. They are somewhat expensive. The color has to be fixed like watercolor paint.

Oil Paint
Oil will allow a rich range of expression but will also tend to harden significantly when dry and will be opaque. This may make the flag stiff and heavy, so it is recommended in moderation an only by older participants.

Attachments to Fabric
Anything can be attached to the fabric as long as it does not add so much weight or stiffness that the flag will not fly in the wind. Hot gluing, sewing, stapling, etc will all work. The flags should remain the same size as other flags (8 ½" x 11") with some allowance for edge decorations. Help participants to remember not to use tape or other adhesives that will not be weatherproof.

Here's the main idea: Make your dreams fly!

The Dream Flag concept was created by sixth grade teachers Jeff Harlan, Sandy Crow, Helen Holt and others at The Agnes Irwin School (www.agnesirwin.org), Rosemont, Pennsylvania, U.S. The Dream Flag Project (www.dreamflags.org) is a collaborative project facilitated by Jeff Harlan and Sandy Crow. Contact dreamflags@agnesirwin.org or Jeff Harlan, Dream Flags Project Director, The Agnes Irwin School, Ithan Ave. and Conestoga Road, Rosemont, PA 19010, U.S. A.

. . . for Helen