Making a flag

[Crafty Connie]

I want to embroider on nylon to make a flag for our dock up north. But how do I make it look good on both sides? (Or maybe I shouldn't worry about both sides?) If I use tear away, is that strong enough stabilizer? I never embroidered on nylon before. (I'm new to embroidery.)

[SewCrazy]

Well that sounds like a project. Is this going to hang outsied on a regular flag pole.

[StitchinGrandma]

I want to embroider on nylon to make a flag for our dock up north. But how do I make it look good on both sides? (Or maybe I shouldn't worry about both sides?) If I use tear away, is that strong enough stabilizer? I never embroidered on nylon before. (I'm new to embroidery.)
If you are just doing a design then use the same embroidery thread color in the bobbin as you do in the top and change colors each time you change the top thread. If you're doing any wording however, that's going to be backwards unless you maybe did that on seperate fabric for both sides and then stitched it onto the flag.

[Luciana]

I´ve never thought it before!!!!!!!!

[edgewood mom]

If you are doing a flag, as your local embroidery dealer which threads hold up the best in outdoor conditions. I think it is the Rayon but I'm not sure--some types do better in the sunlight than others. If you are worried about how the back will look, just embroider the flag on two separate pieces and then sew them back to back...each side will look great and it may give your flag a little more body...HTH Send us a picture when you get it done, sounds like a great project!

[kurthco]

I would go with rayon. I think it would be best as far as the fading too.

[sew blessed]

If you are doing a flag, as your local embroidery dealer which threads hold up the best in outdoor conditions. I think it is the Rayon but I'm not sure--some types do better in the sunlight than others. If you are worried about how the back will look, just embroider the flag on two separate pieces and then sew them back to back...each side will look great and it may give your flag a little more body...HTH Send us a picture when you get it done, sounds like a great project!

That's a good question. I think polyester is stronger. It's bleach resistant, wouldn't have to be stronger? I really don't know for sure :confused:

[Crafty Connie]

If I make two flags and then sew them together to prevent one side being viewed backward, would it make the flag too heavy to "fly" in the wind? I don't want a dead flag lying limp. Thanks for the tip Vicki on using same color thread for bobbin. Never gave that a thought! I'd use tear-away, right?

[StitchinGrandma]

If I make two flags and then sew them together to prevent one side being viewed backward, would it make the flag too heavy to "fly" in the wind? I don't want a dead flag lying limp. Thanks for the tip Vicki on using same color thread for bobbin. Never gave that a thought! I'd use tear-away, right?
It's going to depend on how thick your fabric is and how dense the design is that you're using. I'd be tempted myself to use tearaway unless that design is really dense. Is so, I'd use cut away.

[Crafty Connie]

What I'm thinking about for the flag is everyones name in my family (21 names) and I'd love to find stick people figure designs to represent each family member. So each family will be named and a stick figure to represent them. Did I make that understandable enough? Each name will probably be about an inch tall I think. Maybe an 1.5? Not sure yet. I bought the fabric. It's nylon. Real light weight.

[StitchinGrandma]

What I'm thinking about for the flag is everyones name in my family (21 names) and I'd love to find stick people figure designs to represent each family member. So each family will be named and a stick figure to represent them. Did I make that understandable enough? Each name will probably be about an inch tall I think. Maybe an 1.5? Not sure yet. I bought the fabric. It's nylon. Real light weight.
In this case you should be fine using a tear away then. If it were me, I'd probably do two layers of a WSS like Aqua Magic even so that I could just toss it into the washer and not have to mess with tearing it even. :D

[Crafty Connie]

WSS? I'm still new enough that I'm not familiar with that term? Aqua magic I know has something to do with water I bet!! :D

[StitchinGrandma]

WSS? I'm still new enough that I'm not familiar with that term? Aqua magic I know has something to do with water I bet!! :D
Water Soluable Stabilizer and yes, it washes away with water. There are two types, one is more of a fabric type stabilizer that's very similiar in feel to a thin interfacing if that makes sense and the other is more like a thick plastic. I do not like the plastic stuff at all. It's very hard to rinse out and gets too gooey while rinsing. The stuff I bought stunk really bad too. Aqua Magic is just one brand but just like Kleenex, there are many other brands that do the same thing. ;)