Using a hot knife with poly flag material

[bobbin]

Really exciting!  And full of great information, Dede. 

I've only seen the first two feet available through Bainbridge (I have the straight version and the foot guard on my unit).  But the other two are the ones that interest me most! can you cough up a vendor?

[Dede]

They're all from Engel (HSGM).  You can buy direct from their warehouse in South Carolina:  www.hsgmusa.com

Here's the German site: www.hsgm.com

Forgot to mention before... there's normally a small handling fee (around $5.00) with every order, but the Senior Vice President waived it "just this once" because he likes marching bands. :-)

[bobbin]

On it, Dede!  THANKS!

[Dede]

Update on the update!

New blades arrived. We put the glass on a table, and with the cutting surface raised like that... turns out that this blade:




...really does work the best for curves after all, at least with the hand-held unit.  Of course, the BEST blade for fine fabric curves is only available with a $1,300.00 table top unit:




So pretty... but I think we'll be fine with what we have.  We're making swing flags from this pattern:




24 flags (two per girl) -- they look like this when in motion:




Thanks, everyone!  I started this project knowing very little about the process, and now I have enough confidence to start cutting. :-)

[Mojo]

Love it when a plan comes together. Good luck and if you can make a video of one of their performances.

Chris

[Dede]

...and they're DONE!

Good luck and if you can make a video of one of their performances.

Very first performance so still a little rough.  Flags from about 5:30 to 7:10 --> watch to at least 6:10 to see full effect:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-9hltIFKtI

[Mike]

nice job dede   I was a trumpet player in my high school band and marching band (Burlington mass)  I remember many a freezing days in November trying to blow but my lips were to cold to play .
btw my gym teacher and the teams coach was a victim on a plane on 9/11

[byhammerandhand]

Nice job, Dede.   I was going to go to the HS game last night, but it was cold, windy, and raining a downpour.    Did enough of that as "pit crew and props band parent."    Tonight would have been perfect.


I went to my granddaughter's school football game where they had "elementary student" night 2 weeks ago.    The opposing team had about 18 band members and 6 auxiliary.   They did the <stand and blow, move, repeat>.   My granddaughter's school had over 250 in band and auxiliary, which is too many to do much maneuvering, as they spanned 20 to 20.   Having been to state band competitions, DCI, and Bands of America Nationals, I know both small and large bands can have great programs if they have it together.   

Of course, there's nothing like TBDBITL.

[bobbin]

Those look great, Dede! what machine did you use to assemble them?

[Mojo]

Great job DeDe. I was a drummer but never did march as our band was too small. Love the flag work and the flags. My daughter Natalia was a flute player in the band but was a flag girl in the marching band. ( They didn't have flute players in the marching band only picolo's I believe ).

Thanks for posting,

Chris

[Mike]

you know the bicentennial in mass 1976 was big with the marching band   I  think we had flute and  piccolo's  I was a called in over the summer for that on a volunteer deal I was 16  

[Dede]

Many, many thanks for your kind words!

I was a trumpet player in my high school band and marching band (Burlington mass)  I remember many a freezing days in November trying to blow but my lips were to cold to play.

Chelmsford (MA) High graduate here!  I sang (badly) in chorus.  Band required actual talent...

Of course, there's nothing like TBDBITL.

Wait... isn't that some tiny backwater college in Ohio?

what machine did you use to assemble them?

My portable Viking died as I was threading it.  Ran to Neverett's in Nashua, NH, explained I needed a machine RIGHT NOW and they handed me a Janome with an even feed foot.  Worked really well.  I do love a walking foot but my Juki 1541 would have eaten the silk.  The even feed foot was perfectly acceptable for the job.

I ended up overlapping the seams 3/8" by eyeball with a 3-part zigzag, and did a 3/8" double-folded hem (also 3-part zig-zag, also by eyeball) -- no pins.

Hot knife worked well, although some moms felt more comfortable using it than others.  We used a piece of plywood under the yardage and it worked fine (although a plywood Zamboni would have been nice toward the end).  Apparently, some bands use wood burners.  One advantage seems to be that you can cut directly around the poster board pattern, whereas we had to trace them first. I did try using my wood burner on some scraps, but it felt "skittery" after the Engel. I didn't try going around a cardboard pattern with it, so maybe that makes a difference.

My daughter Natalia was a flute player in the band but was a flag girl in the marching band.

Did you get the "I do not twirl, I spin" lecture, too?

[Mike]

I was a trumpet player in my high school band and marching band (Burlington mass)  I remember many a freezing days in November trying to blow but my lips were to cold to play.

Chelmsford (MA) High graduate here!  I sang (badly) in chorus.  Band required actual talent...

we played your school   I was class of 78 maybe we were at a game together

[Dede]

we played your school   I was class of 78 maybe we were at a game together

It's possible!  I would have been the freshman singing the CHS "Fight Song" really off-key...

[Mike]

Oh that was you? ;)