flag framing for Navy Seal

[Tommy P]

A friends son who is a Navy Seal about to return from Iraq is bringing a 3x5 flag to be framed for a local car dealer who loaned his wife a vehicle while he was on tour. (That was a long and probably very incorrect sentence) It is a surprise.

I searched the archives....somewhat helpful. I plan on sewing this in the appropriate way to "something". I figure the backer material will need to be about 68"x44". This limits what that might be...such as rag. I don't want it to be white....Gatorboard covered with some fabric of choice? I just don't know.......

I need help....He says he also has a couple of 8x10 photos and some signed certificate that he wants dislpayed with the flag that flew over Baghdad.

He is a super young man and I want to do him right...he will get it at my cost...I wish I could do it no charge but things are very tight.

Any thought would be appreciated.....

 

[Rick Bergeron - CPF]

The project would be more managable is the flag was properly folded and included in a frame above or below the certificate(s). The 3x5 flags that we have seen were carried in aircraft by pilots over Bagdad (flown over Bagdad), have been double knit and a pain to keep folded without inserting an appropriately sized piece of matboard.

We used a deeper moulding and sank the folded flag behind the matboard with cutouts for the certificate(s). If you only used the certificate with the folded flag, the entire project could be kept in the 16x20 ballpark.

 

[Framerguy]

Tom,

If you want to spend the time doing this, you can mount the flag (is it Iraqi or American?) in a "flying" position by attaching the grommet side to your backing board and using rigid poly tubing available from Cope Plastics to create a series of furls in the flag. It will hang in a modified triangular shape much like a flag blowing in a gentle breeze and you may have enough room in the upper right hand corner to mount the certificates. Cope Plastics has offices in both St. Louis and Louisville, I am not sure which one is closer to your location. Call them (800-445-0790) and request their catalog. You will be amazed at all the shapes of hollow, sheet, and solid plastic that is made for various industries.

This mounting is rather hard to describe but, once you see the result, you may like the look. You can take some empty paper towel rolls and set the flag up temporarily to see what it will look like. Just picture a flag flying in a light breeze and try to duplicate the rolls and waves in the flag on your backing board. It needs alot of stitching or maybe AEZ tags to make it look realistic but it is worth the time if you get it right.

Good luck.

Framerguy

 

[Jim Miller]

Last time I framed a large textile, it was stitched to a piece of preservation-friendly fabric, and then I laced the fabric over a clear acrylic sheet.

Next time I do one like that, I'll use a sheet of 8 mm or 10 mm Coroplast instead of clear acrylic, and attach the mount-fabric to the board with my Attach-EZ. I'll probably still use cotton thread & a needle to attach the textile, though. I think it's easier to control.