In This Issue:

• Tips and Hints
• Working with Velvet
• Copyrights

Dimensional Bond™

After you have outlined your letters with Dimensional Bond™ and while it is still wet, take the tip of the bottle and smooth it out. This will give you a wider, more even look. For those of you who are not familiar with dimensional bond, it is a clear drying, tacky adhesive that is used with press and peel foil. This is used to outline letters and embellishments. It gives a more finished look and also stabilizes your embellishments.

You can find complete Dimensional Bond instructions on this site.

Finishing Off Banner Bottoms

A quick and easy way to finish off the banner bottoms is to pink the raw edges and glue them shut with fabric glue. I only recommend this if you are going to put fringe on the bottom of your banner. I also attach my fringe with glue. Remember to allow for enough drying time between gluing the banner shut, gluing the fringe and using the banner.

Selvedge Edges

The selvedge edge of fabric is tightly woven and can cause fabric to draw up after it is sewn. After my banner is sewn together I trim the selvedges or cut small nicks in them (being careful to avoid the seam). This loosens the tension and the banner hangs much better.

MiracleBond™

When ironing down MiracleBond™ letters, do so lightly. (Perhaps 3 seconds) This will allow you the opportunity to make sure your placement is correct. If it is not, then you can pull the letter up and place it properly. If you have ironed for the full five seconds, the Miracle Bond becomes a part of your fabric. If you do manage to pull it off, there will be a glue residue that is difficult (and sometimes impossible) to remove. Always use your Teflon™ Sheet when ironing with the polished MiracleBond™.

Velvet is a good choice for a Christmas banner. This is a beautiful, rich fabric. I do want to warn beginners that it is difficult to work with and is not the best choice for a first project.

1. It stretches.
2. It is slippery.
3. If you pin it, be sure that the pins will not rest on any part of the banner that will show. The reason for this is that anything placed on velvet will leave a permanent indentation.
4. It has a nap to it. If you are going to do swags or many banners out of the same color, be sure that the nap is going in one direction. If you do not, it will look like you have made your swags and banners out of different shades of fabric.
5. If you are going to glue or sew any embellishments, be sure that your placement is correct the FIRST TIME. You do not have a second chance like you would using bengaline.

Technology has made it easy for us to copy everything from music to written material. When material is copyright protected, then copying it without permission is against the law. Banners come under the copyright law as an "original work of authorship". So before you copy another bannermaker's design, get permission.

If you want to protect your own work, you can contact the Register of Copyrights in Washington DC at (202) 707-3000, or write to them at:

Registration is only required if you intend to file infringement lawsuits. Original works of authorship are automatically protected upon creation.