Question Attaching American Flag to fabric wraped mat

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Is the flag open or folded? How big? Old or new?

If open it should be sewn down, if large it should be sewn down in many places through out the flag so that it wont pull itself apart. I have heard of framers sewing down textiles to heavy screen material and then attaching that to the backing.

If folded, it is best to have a support like an acrylic case that fits around the edges. This can be screwed and glued to the backing and the flag can be held in with friction. If a folded flag is small enough, I will sometimes cut a triangle of mat board and pin it though the mat board in a starburst pattern using stainless steel pins. Then the mat board can be glued to the backing.

There are many other ways to attach a flag, but one thing that should be considered with each of them. Respect!!!
 
Your question provides too little information to enable accurate answers.

Dimensions?
Open or folded?
Type of fabric?
Age?
Condition?
Personal value?
Monetary value?
Historic/cultural value?
Display environment?

If it is an American flag, the protocols of displaying it would also be important.
 
Jim Miller said:
Your question provides too little information to enable accurate answers.

Dimensions?
Open or folded?
Type of fabric?
Age?
Condition?
Personal value?
Monetary value?
Historic/cultural value?
Display environment?

If it is an American flag, the protocols of displaying it would also be important.
Click to expand...

approx. 36 x 24
open, cotton, its a Bennington Flag - '76 with arch of stars
approx 35 yo
good condition, no personal value or low monetary value
for display inside home
 
Thanks for the added information.

I suggest preparing the substrate by covering a strainer frame with fiberglass or polyester screen (window screen material, but not metal), then with a conservation-grade, decorative, inert (well-washed and thrice rinsed) fabric.

Using cotton thread, couch the flag to the background fabric and through the screen all around its perimeter. And to provide support for the mid-section, couch a few horizontal lines of stitches across the seams of the stripes.

If the seams are bulky, you can mask the lumps by using a few layers of polyester batting between the flag and the fabric background.
 
Jim Miller said:
Thanks for the added information.

I suggest preparing the substrate by covering a strainer frame with fiberglass or polyester screen (window screen material, but not metal), then with a conservation-grade, decorative, inert (well-washed and thrice rinsed) fabric.

Using cotton thread, couch the flag to the background fabric and through the screen all around its perimeter. And to provide support for the mid-section, couch a few horizontal lines of stitches across the seams of the stripes.

If the seams are bulky, you can mask the lumps by using a few layers of polyester batting between the flag and the fabric background.
Click to expand...

I have some fiberglass that would be good. I've been building a boat in the barn.
I found this utube on a couch stitch
http://www.ehow.com/video_4940673_sew-couch-stitch.html

Is there special supplier for cotton thread? And is 'conservation grade' the fabric I get from Framing Fabrics or similar company?

Thanks!!
 
lastboat said:
I have some fiberglass that would be good. I've been building a boat in the barn.
...Is there special supplier for cotton thread? And is 'conservation grade' the fabric I get from Framing Fabrics or similar company?
Click to expand...
If it is supple and fabric-like, I'm not sure the fiberglass you have would be suitable. The window-screen material has some rigidity and it is very easy to sew through.

You can buy cotton thread in colors to match the flag from any good fabric store.

Yes, conservation-grade fabrics are available from the usual suppliers of fabrics for framing. Conservation suppliers also have it, such as Test Fabrics.
 
Jim Miller said:
If it is supple and fabric-like, I'm not sure the fiberglass you have would be suitable. The window-screen material has some rigidity and it is very easy to sew through.
Click to expand...

I have some 3.25 oz fiberglass cloth. Feels like silk. I'll see how it is once I stretch it. But, I get your point about the window screen material, - that it would be very stable.
Didn't think to match color, duh!! thanks
 
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