Banner of Dol Amroth

Banner of Dol Amroth

at least i hope ......

5.26.05

i'm going to attempt a banner. from Lord of the Rings. eventually, i would like to make the ones that you actually see in the movie, like the ones in Gondor or Rohan. cause they're cool. but, dont want to dive right into that, so i need something to start with and practice on. so while this should be a fun and helpful / learning experience, i'm not expecting it to turn out wonderful. I also am attempting to make 2 "identical" side to
the banner .... more experience ... which i'm sure i'll be glad of later ....

I chose Dol Amroth ... dont really know why. i found the pic to the right online, and i had some blue fabric left over from a friend's dress. i wanted to make a Gondor Banner, like the one that Boromir has when they all reclaimed Osgiliath ("for gondor!" flashback ... i think it's the Two Towers.) but that would require me to buy new fabric, (which most of would probably be wasted due to my stupidity) or bleach the blue stuff. dont really know what it's made out of to be honest. so i found this pic for Dol Amroth, decided that i'll learn a lot from this, and i'll be better prepared for other banners.

.:later:.

I'm the smart one. really, i swear. So i've been working on this, i printed out a large copy of the banner and took all the measurements, measure the fabric, and figured out that the actual banner will be about 5 times the size of the banner on a sheet of regular printer paper. i am doing a 'mock up' or copying the designs and taping them to the fabric which is already (almost) cut out to shape. and so i've been measuring, pinning the fabric to my wall and measuring and lining up more things, and using lots of tape. it wasnt until i looked at the swan and wondered how i was going to get that on the paper until i realized exactly how smart i was.

so i went on my computer, and printed out the banner pic on lots of paper. so now, i have a banner that is cut out, on my wall, exactly 5 times the size of my original one. yeah. i'm the genuis.

5.27.05 and 5.28.05

not sure what i've done in the past two days, but just more tracing cutting and taping. i really wish i had a camera so i could take some progress pics. not that i've gotten all of that much done ... but still. it'd be cool. in other news, i've decided that although painful and heavy when finished, i am going to bead the swan. it's been described as silver, but in the picture there is a little gold. so i'm going to outline in gold, fill in with silver beads. it'll help separate the feathers ... and hey. the elves mixed silver and gold. and the people of Dol Amroth were part Elvish ... so it'll work.

so i went to Wal-Mart and bought silver beads. 8 tubes. i need to get more gold ones though. also got some white fabric for everything else .....

oh, any ideas on how to attach the swan to the actual banner? i'm still kind of at a loss for this ... i'm going to sew the other curvy peices on with a satin stich ... and for the straight pieces, i am making them into tape. but the swan kind of has me stumped. any ideas?

5.29.05

well i've finished one step ... the 'mock-up' of the banner is done. i've also started on the white border ... and i've cut out some pieces ... everything but the swan and the white sail. still not sure about the swan. i was thinking that i could make some tape for it so the edges wont fray, but it just seems like so much work. oh well.

the edges are ironed and pinned onto the banner. maybe i will sew some of them on tonight, since i have nothing better to do. (some memorial day sunday.) just going to be long ... because it's going to be all hand sewing. dont really trust the machine with this ........... if i do anything worth mentioning or think of anything important i'll update some more. if not .... later.

5.30.05
started beading the swan today. i love beading. it's so much fun. didnt sew on the white trim last night either. what can i say ... i'm a slacker and skipped to the fun parts. it's all good though ... because in doing so, i've learned some things. 1: how to attach swan - use diluted glue and fold over the edges and let it dry. genuis! 2: also going to do the other curvy pieces using this method.

so none of that really applies to the white trim ... but thats ok. maybe i'll start that now ... oh wait. cant. i'm also going to cut out cotton and line both pieces (front and back) with cotton so it'll hold better. and then i'll sew on the trim. maybe i'll use the machine after all ........

6.3.05
well ... i've made some progrees thus far. i've been beading, ran out of gold beads ... so i need to get some more. i've also cheated and used the machine to stich on the white border ... after i basted it on. hurt my hands way to much to do the whole thing. the border for side 2 is cut, pinned and ironed ... but i have to baste that and then sew it.

stupid iron .. while i was ironing side 1 stupid iron puked on my banner. so i washed it in the sink today and ironed it ... this time, no iron puke. yay. well ... until something else happens ........... thats all for now.

6.8.05
finshed sewing the white border on both sides. yay for one step being all done. i cheated and machine basted all of it on this time, washed it in the sink (like the other one) wrung it out and let it dry for a while, then ironed it. the first side came out looking crinkled - i guess sort of like a crushed velvet would ... except this isnt velvet - so i did it to the other one. its not very obvious ... but i like it.

went to WalMart for more gold beads - since i have no more - and they didnt have any! didnt have any silver either (even though i dont need them right now). so i went to Rag Shop but they didnt have the same ones that i was using, so i didnt get any. the bead search continues.

also going to line the individual pieces that are going on the banner ... if i dont, the blue will show through a lot ... and yeah. i am too cheap to buy interfacing ... so i am going to raid scraps and my mom's sewing stuff for interfacing that she might have ... and if i cant find any then i have some stuff leftover from the white lining from the banner. well thats all for now ..... off to bed.

6.15.05
well ... i've gotten somethings done on this. the bead search still continues ... must locate other WalMarts , or find someplace that carries these beads. cheaply.

most of the pieces are cut out and glued to lining (which is leftover banner lining) but this is still in the works as life has temporarily taken over. will change tomorrow! some pieces are cut, glued and basted so i pinned those to the banner. i cant wait until i can sew them on. yay ..... i really think this is going to turn out well!

7.17.05
well it's been a while! actual life has gotten in the way, so i'm setting a deadline. July 31. which is coming up incredibly fast. i think if i work on it, it'll get done, with the exception of one swan. it's a lot of beading.

one side of the banner is almost completely done, i have 4 designs to sew on. so much for sewing this by hand, that lasted for about 6 minutes. it's done by machine. so much easier. and i still have a ton of work to do on the first swan .... but i got new needles for beading, so that should go faster. and i have couple days off, so between this and my Dol Amoth gown, i should (aka better) have a lot done by the end of the week.

off to try out my new needles .... :)

and pics still to come ..... i promise. in fact, i am going to do that now. pictures, then bead.

2.21.06

well it's been a while, but i have much progress and pictures :)

i finally got a lot done on the swan, i'm like officially 1/3 done with the swan. I decided that i'm only going to do one side to the banner, since beading a whole other swan is just madness, and i'm not there ... yet. Pics above include the banner (which is done, just waiting for the swan to be finished) as it is hanging on my dorm wall at school, right above my bed. the rod that you'll see in some is one that I found at Wal Mart, and it struck me as something like looks remotely elvish (as i'm too lazy to make my own). you'll also be able to see the swan, which is not to date, but it's pretty close. the only thing that is different is the very top left wing (the huge one), i only have to bead a little section of that, and then the whole left wing (hehe) is done.

Right now I'm stuck on how I should attach the two rods together; the one is fine for when it's on my wall, but I'd like to take this with me to Ren Faires (and hopefully ELF Con this july!!! first one!!!!). I think (once i get around to it) I'm going to go over a hardware store and see if they have anything that will attach the two rods together (a huge THANKS to the people over at LotR_Costume!!!!) Apparently it's made out of Satin Nickel ... if that means anything.

well i just thought that I should update, since i finally have good pics and some actual progress. (I'm trying to bead for a bit once a week .... but it is a rather large swan, its about 1 1/2 feet by 1 1/2 feet.) well ... until i have something exciting to post ....bye!

5.24.06
a good amount to update on this.
the swan is almost 2/3 completely done, new pic above.

and i had an idea for the back of the banner. It already has the white edging all over it, and if i was going to leave the back plain, i'd have to take the white edging all off. simple solution - bead the back! it's not as much beading as the swan is though. Its simple, but i think its fitting - the White Tree of Gondor - sind Dol Amroth is part of Gondor and everything. So the above pics are of the back of the banner - they might be a little hard to see (i took the pics at night, so they either came out so bright you couldn't see anything, or really dull and gold looking). Once it is all done, I will have decent pics up of the back. I'm not going to fill in the tree - cause i dont have that sort of time, it would be way to time consuming, i think it would bring too much attention to the tree, and the swan isnt done. If the swan was done, then i would consider beading the inside. I'm also using silver bugles beads for this, not small seed beads that i am using for the swan.

well i think thats it. Ok, so there wasn't a whole lot, but for some reason it felt like so much. Now i think i am going to go drink tea and attempt to finish the back of this banner. then maybe i'll work on the swan ;)

6.02.06

well the banner back is officially done! yay. all that needs to be completed is the swan. and the tree was a nice break from the swan - so i think that i can work on the swan again. pics above of the finished back!

10.07.06
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THE SWAN IS DONE. ALL FREAKIN' DONE.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

it's amazing. I have a light shinning on it now. and it will continue to shine on it ... for a long time. until it becomes ridiculous. even after it's ridiculous.

Finally finished it - had a Pride & Prd. marathon ... well we watched a 5 hour version with Colin Ferth. And then watched Return of the King. Finished 4:30 that night/morning. It's awesome.

And that's pretty much all that is going on ... too many other things to do (other projects and school) to work on it more now, it will have to wait until after thanksgiving? maybe I will work on it during "finals week" since I only have two, and I will be here until the end.

I've only chosen the most awesome pics to put it up. I think I could just take endless pics of this ... its so shiny!! hehehehe ... can't wait to take this with me somewhere and blind peopel!!!!!!!!!

ok ... i'm done :)

:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

1.9.07

This day shall go on forver in history. Not only as the day of my
sister's 18th birthday (which once she rules the world, it will be a
holiday, for me at least) but also as the day that i FINISHED
THE BANNER.

yeah, that's right, it's all done. like completely done ... i just did
the last bit of handsewing (ok, it's really Jan 10th, but i really did
finish it last night. i'm only getting around to writing it up now
because parts of the internet shut off after midnight here at
home.... silly reasons, long story.) Well ... I don't really know
where i left of, so I guess I'll start from right after the swan was
done.

Well, it stayed under the spotlight for ... a good couple of weeks.
Mostly because I was busy with school. But eventually, sometime
in the beginning of December, I finished off the swan. I trimmed
all the edges and folded it under, and stiched it to the back. I
know that makes absolutely no sense, so please see the picture
to the right. :) the swan looks pretty awesome though.

Once that was all done, I pinned the swan onto the banner.
Another joyous moment. Once I came back home for winter break,
(well not once, much later) i stiched the swan on. very securely
too. dont want it falling off. I also lengthened part of the mast so
it looks more like a mast (minor detail, but i dont think it worked
too well).

Once both sides were completely done, I sewed them both
together. parts were annoying (stupid machine is being ... well
stupid) but frustration was followed by much ironing. I left a part
of the side open so I could flip the top loops down and sew them.
I also put some weights in the two bottom end corners, i know
the silly thing weighs enough, but i still think that the end corners
need something so they're not flapping all over the place (once
the banner goes outside and stuff). So, once that was all done,
I sewed up the side opening and took many pics.

The only thing that is really left to do is to work on the rods, and
making them into something carryable. Which consists of me
spray-painting the other rod set silver, finding the right link so
they make a T at the top (well, it will look more like a small "t"),
and then getting PVC pipe or something so the pole reaches
down to the floor. Oh, and finishing the dress that I will wear with
this (currently on hold for lack of funding). Aside from getting
the dress finished, it seems like a lot of work, but it really isnt.
And the sewing itself is all done, so I hearby proclaim this project
as DONE.