The Flag Studio alternative to fully stitched and appliqued flags

This technique involves printing two vectorised panels to cotton, then matching them back and front of a ground fabric and over stitching some of the internal and all of the external detail lines. 

Click the image below to watch a short clip on this technique in progress (Youtube vid).

This is a great halfway option between fully printed and fully stitched and depending on the detail involved may make a flag lighter to fly than a fully stitched version. 

Half and half is our alternative to a flag with fully stitched and appliqued detail

This technique involves printing a vectorised design to a fabric panel then over-sitching some of the internal and all of the external detail lines with applique detail. 

This is a great halfway option between fully printed and fully stitched and depending on the detail involved may make a flag lighter to fly than a fully stitched version. 

We automatically revert to this method when making any flag where a fully stitched flag, in this case the generic Yorkshire Rose, would be cost prohibitive in fully appliqued format for the client.

If for instance the image (badge) on the front is a circle then the back of the flag would also be a circle and we can reverse the image for the back of the flag so it reads left to right on both sides. 

Below we show an example of this on a flag comprising a MOD spec woven polyester ground (base) with an appliqued printed cotton twill badge stitched to the ground (the image on the back of the flag would be left to right facing as the detail is within a circle).

If however an image (badge as per next image) requires appliqueing as tightly as possible to the detail of the print with uneven detail then the same image would be reversed on a single layer of fabric as we stitch through a single layer which creates a mirror image on the reverse of the flag. 

Half and half PLUS overstitch

Then there is our half and half plus overstitch technique. 

The following shows a printed cotton drill ground (base) which has then been sympathetically overlaid and appliqued with a combination of taffeta, satin and polycotton fabrics.  This creates a more 3D effect and because of the layering of the fabrics is stronger than a single layer of fabric. the next two images a panel we created for a client who wanted a unique design to replace the back panel of a vintage leather jacket. The panel is one sided.

Example:  couture piece

Example:  Museum installation, Barbados

Example:  Queen Alexandra regimental flag

The following image shows a pair of 12x18 inch replica military pennants with printed taffeta detail appliqued to a stitched ground and sewn back to back - as the client wanted the image to be left to right facing on both sides. 

The images show the front and back of the the pair.  It should be noted that this would be tricky to achieve on a flag smaller than 12x18 inches if the detail is complex but we're always happy to discuss client requirements to find the best solution. 

The following shows overstitched detail on printed cotton drill fabric gonfalon banner.