Stash Bee, Hive 2, July

I must admit I laughed when I opened my email for July, Kristen had asked for a quilted version of the Union Jack. I laughed because I live in N Ireland, and in July there is an abundance of Union Jacks. Some folks would say there is an abundance, or maybe even not enough,  some folks would say an over abundance, it depends on what side of the fence you sit on. We have my flag and your flag, his flag and her flag, our flag and your flag.

Day 1
And so I began to make my very own Union Jack. My first version was to be traditional colours, red, white and blue.

 

The combined flags of England, Scotland, Wales and N Ireland. And fiendishly difficult it turned out to be too. Like all things that is a contradiction in terms. I have made squares which have been more fiddly, that have been more difficult, yet this was fiddly and difficult enough. The first one turned out to have one quadrant upside down. I know Kristen said she didn't mind this, she was happy with wonky. But, I felt honour where its due, the Union Jack will be done the traditional way. Got it all finished, feeling rather pleased. Just one thing, Molli Sparkles, whose tutorial Kristen used, says flip the fabric rather a lot. I was saying flip rather a lot myself.

Day 2
I began my second Union Jack in non traditional colours. Red, white and purple. This is when I realised that the purple was to be stitched in 0.5" at one end and 0.25" at the other end. No biggie. No biggie indeed. It just means the stripes are slightly low in the flag, but a galloping horseman etc etc.
I found the second flag, or fleg, as we pronounce it made up much quicker.  Oops, the right hand quadrant is upside down again. This time I left it.

Day 3
To balance out the mistake in the others, I thought I would make a third fleg. A rather fetching pink, white and green number. I think this worked out ok, after I sewed one half on the wrong way.  Maybe we should adopt this as our new flag. Rather funny, Kristen and I had had a little laugh on IG about things being the wrong way round and inside out, and I came home from work to discover I had had my t shirt on inside out all day. For the second time in recent years.

For the photo opportunity I bought my very own Union Jack in the pound shop. I laid them all out on the floor, was going to use the caption "spot the difference" or as they used to say in Sesame Street, "one of these is different". I thought the flag pole/stick looked better on the left, so flipped the flag over. Duh...... The three squares are facing the right way, the actual flag is reversed. How was I to know the Union Jack isn't reversible!

Hopefully Kristen won't think you can have too much of a good thing, as three of these flags will be winging their way to her on Monday morning. The other one I will hold on to, might be useful some time .............anyone going to a flag protest? I'm just wondering .......... will I have to get permission from the Parade's Commission to walk to the post office with my parcel of three flags?


And where do I sit on the flag/fleg issue? On the fence of course. Not on the pointy end of the flag pole anyhow, far too uncomfortable.

PS On a Saturday afternoon in Belfast the visitors are surprised to see the flag protestors, the goths and the gospel singers all queuing up at the City Hall to take their turn to congregate.