How to Make Boat Flags at Home

A boat flag is sometimes used for fun and other times to provide a warning or to help other boats identify you. For example, military boats fly flags of their nationality so that other boats can identify if they are friendly. The boat flag must be made out of a material that is durable and capable of resisting moisture and sunlight. These forces can degrade some fabrics, causing them to tear or wearing off the print, preventing other boats from identifying the flag.

Things You'll Need

  • Fabric
  • Ink
  • Mesh
  • Squeegee
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Instructions

    • 1

      Find a flexible material that is resistant to moisture and sunlight. Polyester and nylon are used to make boat flags.

    • 2

      Measure how large you would like the flag to be so that you know how much fabric to cut.

    • 3

      Cover the fabric with a pressing cloth. Iron the fabric so that it is smooth. Do not put the iron directly on the fabric because the iron can ruin some fabrics. Use a dry iron at a very low setting. Some irons have settings designed specifically for certain fabrics.

    • 4

      Put pins through the fabric to hold it in place when you cut it. Put the pins along the imaginary line that you plan on cutting.

    • 5

      Lay two pieces of rough fabric, one on top and one on the bottom of the fabric, when cutting the nylon or polyester. These fabrics are slippery, so it is difficult to cut them evenly. Cut carefully through the fabric using scissors. Try to keep the edges as neat as possible.

    • 6

      Purchase ink designed specifically for printing on to the type of fabric that you are using. Some special forms of ink are runny, so use a higher mesh print screen, such as 230.

    • 7

      Expose the nylon to heat to dry the ink. Wait a couple of days for the ink to fully cure.

    • 8

      Apply the design to the screen by applying a direct emulsion to the prepared screen. Expose the film in contact with the screen to light. Part of the screen will be blocked out, allowing you to place the screen over the fabric, apply ink to the screen and squeegee off excess ink.