Putting name on dodgers

[smonard]

Hi folks

I made my own dodgers last year. I'd like to have the boat name on them. How is that generally done. Are there iron-on letters? Do I have to sew them on? Paint them on?
Thanks for any insight.
S

 

[prv]

Mine are sewn on; they came with the boat but from the details I'd guess they were professionally made.

Pete

 

[Searush]

Sew, glue or paint, the choice is yours.

I chose my font on the computer & printed the letters one to an A4 sheet & cut them out as templates. It's easy to try several different fonts & styles in paper on the dodger on the floor to choose the fave. I went for a drop capital italic that looked good. I used these templates to cut out a white vinyl material that was allegedly water proof.

Once you are happy, chalk around the paper template outlines on the dodger & pin the letters in place. SWMBO says you should tack them in place by hand, but I just used several pins per letter & then "zig-zagged" around each letter using a white thread on the top spool & a navy one underneath so that the stitching doesn't really show at all.

Sadly, my material wasn't as waterproof as promised & the white all leached off it after 2 seasons so I used a vinyl emulsion to paint them white again which is easy to do & been OK so far.

 

[neil_s]

In a spirit of diy I cut my letters from a piece of redundant dinghy sail material. I copied the shape of the old letters with tracing paper - well, copied the stitching where the old letters used to be. I bought some iron-on adhesive film and used it to stick the letters to my dodgers. I then sewed around the letters with zig-zag. A long job, but very satisfying!

Neil

 

[Elemental]

I chose my font on the computer & printed the letters one to an A4 sheet & cut them out as templates. It's easy to try several different fonts & styles in paper on the dodger on the floor to choose the fave. I went for a drop capital italic that looked good. I used these templates to cut out a white vinyl material that was allegedly water proof.

Once you are happy, chalk around the paper template outlines on the dodger & pin the letters in place. SWMBO says you should tack them in place by hand, but I just used several pins per letter & then "zig-zagged" around each letter using a white thread on the top spool & a navy one underneath so that the stitching doesn't really show at all.

Sadly, my material wasn't as waterproof as promised & the white all leached off it after 2 seasons so I used a vinyl emulsion to paint them white again which is easy to do & been OK so far.

As above, except cut the letters out of sail fabric or white pvc (mine are white PVC). I tacked them into place using double sided sellotape and then sewed round them using a zigzag stitch on my machine. TBH it took ages, but I'm very pleased with the result.

 

[Ruffles]

Hi folks

I made my own dodgers last year. I'd like to have the boat name on them. How is that generally done. Are there iron-on letters? Do I have to sew them on? Paint them on?
Thanks for any insight.
S

Personally I would buy them at 43p each!
Beware that PVC tends to stick to the foot of a sewing machine which will move the letters even if you stick them down with double sided tape. Covering with grease proof paper seemed to resolve this for me.
Don't forget to buy thread the same colour as the letters!

 

[ianfr]

I used http://www.sacboatnames.com/ and ordered FABRIC self adhesive letters this year.

So far, they have remained stuck on, but the option to sew them is available if necessary.

If using fabric, I would use a hot knife to cut the letters out, as this will seal the edges, and stop any fraying. (ask me what I didn't do last time)

Regards

Ian

 

[agurney]

I printed the outline on paper, then cut a stencil for painting on acrylic canvas. Four years (including winters) without needing to be touched up thus far.