Create This Easy DIY Patriotic Garland to Celebrate

Looking for an easy way to add a little red, white, and blue to celebrate the 4th of July? This DIY patriotic garland is a simple project that comes together with inexpensive supplies.

The base of this garland started with a wood bead garland from Dollar Tree.

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A white mantel decorated with a garland of small American flags and red, white, and blue ribbon bows, hanging against a white brick wall.

Then I gave it a patriotic makeover using small American flags and red, white, and blue ribbon bows that I had saved from previous decorating projects.

I love finding new ways to reuse seasonal decor, and this garland was the perfect way to give these items a fresh new look.

Let me show you how easy it is to make!

Table of Contents

Supplies Needed for a DIY Patriotic Garland

A set of small American flags on wooden sticks, a wooden bead necklace, and red, white, and blue ribbon bows arranged on a white surface.

Before you begin, gather the supplies needed to make this DIY patriotic garland.

I used a few inexpensive items along with some decorations I already had on hand, making this a budget-friendly project.

Gather the following materials:

Dollar Tree wood bead garland
Tape
Mini clothespins
American flags – 4×6 inches
Staple remover
Mini Stapler
Red, white, and blue ribbon bows
Floral wire

How to Make a DIY Patriotic Garland

Follow these simple steps to create an easy DIY patriotic garland for your summer decorating.

Prep the Wood Bead Garland

A roll of tape, a strand of wooden beads with twine ends, and wide red and navy blue satin ribbons are laid out on a white table.

Whenever I spot these adorable wood bead garlands at Dollar Tree, I pick up a few because they’re so easy and fun to create with!

Carefully untie the ends of the wood bead garland.

To prevent the twine from unraveling, wrap a small piece of tape tightly around each end.

Remove ten beads from each end of the garland and set them aside for another project.

Once you’ve removed the beads, find the center of the garland and clip a mini clothespin there to mark the middle.

Make Bows

A red satin ribbon tied into a bow with two long tails, lying on a white surface. Thin black wires hang down from the center of the bow.

I’m reusing the patriotic bows I made for a DIY flag wreath and a Fourth of July centerpiece, which you can see here.

If you don’t already have bows on hand, you’ll need to make five before assembling the garland.

For this project, you’ll need:

Three long bows
Two shorter bows

You can see exactly how I made the bows in my patriotic wreath tutorial.

Simply scroll down to the bow section for step-by-step instructions.

Remove the Flags from Their Wooden Handles

Four small American flags on wooden sticks are arranged on a white surface beside a metal staple remover, perfect supplies for crafting a DIY patriotic garland.

You may notice in the photo below that I didn’t remove the flag handles until after I started arranging everything on the garland.

Trust me—it would have been much easier if I had done this first!

Using a staple remover, carefully remove the staples holding each flag to its wooden handle.

Set the handles aside and save the flags for the next step.

Arrange the Flags and Bows

A tabletop displays a craft project with small American flags, red, white, and blue ribbons, and wooden beads strung together, likely for a patriotic decoration. Storage bins are visible in the background.

Start at the center clothespin and attach one of the long bows to the garland using floral wire.

Count eight beads to the right and place a flag on the twine, pushing the surrounding beads out of the way as needed.

Fold the top edge of the flag over the twine and secure it with three staples using a mini stapler.

Originally, I planned to hot glue the flags in place, but I was concerned they might stick to the twine and not hang properly.

The staples worked perfectly and allowed the flags to lie flat.

Continue working down the right side of the garland, alternating bows and flags, with eight wood beads between each.

Once you’ve reached the end, repeat the process on the left side.

While arranging everything, I used several mini clothespins to temporarily hold the flags and bows in place while I adjusted the spacing.

This step is optional, but it can be helpful if you’d like to experiment with the layout before permanently attaching everything.

Finish the DIY Patriotic Garland

A close-up of a white fireplace mantle decorated with a DIY patriotic garland made from wooden beads and finished with a large red satin bow tied around it.

To finish the garland, create a loop at each end of the twine and tie a knot.

Then tuck the taped end of the twine into the last few wood beads to hide it and give the garland a clean, finished look.

Ways to Decorate with a DIY Patriotic Garland

Now that the garland is complete, it’s time to decorate!

A white fireplace mantel decorated with a DIY patriotic garland created with small American flags, red, white, and blue bows. The mantel holds flags in milk glass vases. A large mirror hangs above, reflecting a chandelier.

I draped my DIY patriotic garland across the mantel in our dining room, where it adds a fun pop of red, white, and blue to our summer decor.

A white mantel decorated with small American flags in white vases and a garland of mini flags and red and blue ribbon bows. A mirror is partially visible above the mantel.

One of my favorite things about this garland is its versatility.

A fireplace mantel decorated with a DIY patriotic garland made with small American flags, red, white, and blue ribbons, and white decorative vases. A large mirror reflects part of the room’s elegant decor.

In addition to a mantel, it would look beautiful displayed on a shelf, hutch, console table, staircase, or even a covered porch.

Wherever you choose to hang it, this simple garland is an easy way to add patriotic charm to your home.

Closing Thoughts

I hope this easy DIY patriotic garland inspires you to take a fresh look at the seasonal decorations you already have on hand.

Sometimes all it takes is combining a few pieces in a new way to create something festive and unique.

Don’t you think it’s such a fun way to celebrate our nation’s birthday!

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Blessings, Donna and Rich

Pin It For Later

Don’t forget to pin the image below to one of your Pinterest boards (hover over the picture and click the red Pin button in the top left corner).

A white fireplace mantel displays small American flags in vases and a festive DIY patriotic garland made of red, white, and blue ribbons and bows. A mirror and decorative urns sit above the mantel. Text reads: Easy DIY Flag & Bow Patriotic Garland.

More DIY Patriotic Inspiration

Looking for more patriotic DIY ideas?

Here are a few of my favorite red, white, and blue DIY projects: