This is a step by step series of images that describes how a huge cloth banner was made for a re-enactment of the Boston Tea Party, on April 4, 2009, at Northport Harbor's dock.
This picture shows how each letter was traced on a Town flag, to ensure exact replication of the size, shape, and placement of each letter.
After each letter was traced on tracing paper, the paper was flipped over and scribble marks were made on the lines, with a soft pencil. This acts like carbon paper and enables the tracing to be transfered to a heavier paper for pattern making.
The tracing paper with the scribbles is turned over on to the pattern paper, and the lines are re-traced with a ruler while pressing down very hard on the pencil.
Cut out each letter carefully from the pattern paper, and save.
In order to help the banner letters lay really flat, first, iron the cloth to be cut.
Since the banner was a deep red in color, and the letters were made of white fabric, the white fabric was folded, and each letter was cut from a double thickness.
Each letter was individually pinned and stay stitched to ensure stability.
A base line for the word was measured, pinned and marked so that basting with a contrasting thread was accurate.
Each letter was placed so that the bottom edge was resting on the thread line.
A three inch casing was sewn on the top edge to accomodate a white PVC pipe.
After the letters were sewn with white thread in a zig-zag stitch, the banner measured over ten feet in width and three feet wide. Each letter was 11 inches high. Click
here to see a video of the Tea Party with the banner at the end of the tape. With all of the rain and wind, 300-400 people dressed as colonists, waving flags, singing the National Anthem, with bag pipes, came anyway, and threw two old wooden tea boxes into the water.
This is a step by step series of images that describes how a huge cloth banner was made for a re-enactment of the Boston Tea Party, on April 4, 2009, at Northport Harbor's dock. 
This picture shows how each letter was traced on a Town flag, to ensure exact replication of the size, shape, and placement of each letter.
After each letter was traced on tracing paper, the paper was flipped over and scribble marks were made on the lines, with a soft pencil. This acts like carbon paper and enables the tracing to be transfered to a heavier paper for pattern making.
The tracing paper with the scribbles is turned over on to the pattern paper, and the lines are re-traced with a ruler while pressing down very hard on the pencil.
Cut out each letter carefully from the pattern paper, and save.
In order to help the banner letters lay really flat, first, iron the cloth to be cut.
Since the banner was a deep red in color, and the letters were made of white fabric, the white fabric was folded, and each letter was cut from a double thickness.
Each letter was individually pinned and stay stitched to ensure stability.
A base line for the word was measured, pinned and marked so that basting with a contrasting thread was accurate.
Each letter was placed so that the bottom edge was resting on the thread line.
A three inch casing was sewn on the top edge to accomodate a white PVC pipe.
After the letters were sewn with white thread in a zig-zag stitch, the banner measured over ten feet in width and three feet wide. Each letter was 11 inches high. Click here to see a video of the Tea Party with the banner at the end of the tape. With all of the rain and wind, 300-400 people dressed as colonists, waving flags, singing the National Anthem, with bag pipes, came anyway, and threw two old wooden tea boxes into the water.
1 comment:
You need to add a picture of it in action!
Happy Easter!
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