s Personalized Maritime Signal Flag Art - The Kim Six Fix

Personalized Maritime Signal Flag Art


When I was working on the baby’s nursery I knew I wanted something personalized in the wall art.  I didn’t want something as obvious as a giant monogram, but something that was more subtle and would blend in with the ‘nautical’ theme.

I knew that ships use standard International Maritime signal flags that represent letters of the alphabet.  I thought that would be the perfect solution.
Nautical flag alphabet
image source
To display them I thought I could replace the photographs in my clothesline frame with mini fabric signal flags.
 

Because the frame was so long I decided to write out the baby’s name, JOSH, instead of just his initials. When I sat down and drew out the actual signal flags this is what I came up with:
Nautical Flag JOSH
Juliet-Oscar-Sierra-Hotel
I wanted the flags to hang down, more like real flags so I stretched the design so they were more clearly
directional.  The flags in the diagram are displayed hanging from the right, so I had to rotate them 90 degrees so they would look like this when hanging in the frame:
Josh nautical flags
I used some solid cotton fabric from my stash and cut out simple shapes (taking into account a 1/4 inch seam allowance) that made up the flags:
Assembling maritime flags
I sewed them together and I was left with little flags that had unfinished edges.
Fabric maritime alphabet flags
I sandwiched the flags (right sides together) with a square of white fabric exactly the same side and sewed around the edges leaving a 3/4 inch space on the bottom.
Sewing right sides together
I turned the flags right side out and used a chop stick to get the corners nice and square.  I pressed them with my iron (including pressing closed the opening I used to turn the flags right side out.  (You could hand stitch the opening closed but since they are only hanging on the wall and won’t really get touched I decided not to.) 
Turning flag right side out

I hung them on the twine frame using alligator clips making sure I had them correctly oriented.
Nautical flags hung on line
I hung the finished piece between my crackle finished oars:
Signal flags art
Here is what they look like displayed in the nautical nursery:
Nautical flags in bedroom
Right above Josh’s crib.  I love how personal it is, but unless you are a boat captain you may never know it!
Nautical flags in nursery
Sharing at MyRepurposedLife, HomestoriesAtoZ and these parties 

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5 comments :

  1. cristina@remodelando la casaApril 16, 2014 at 7:43 PM

    This is a very cute project, Kim! I had no idea a flag alphabet existed. I love the whole room!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Our Pinteresting FamilyApril 17, 2014 at 5:24 AM

    Absolutely adorable!! You are so creative.

    ReplyDelete
  3. How cute!! What a great idea and I love how the room looks!

    ReplyDelete
  4. anne @ wit wisdom and foodApril 25, 2014 at 10:41 AM

    Such a cute idea. I love the nautical look and the flags make a great touch.

    ReplyDelete

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