Handmade flashes; cheap n simple

[Bee]

As I mentioned in my intro Newbie post, I have made the majority of CMcG's flashes. We are both students, so we try to do the best we can with next to nothing.

The first pair of flashes I made were supposed to match the groomsmens' vest and bowtie for his buddy's wedding (dark blue with a diamond pattern). My man was asked to wear his kilt as part of the wedding party but everyone else was wearing a tux! We ran all around looking for fabric or ribbons that looked similar and found $1 dinner napkins that were a pretty close match.

The way I made these ones was more complicated I copied the design of a single flash that lost its matching pair. I sewed the edges of the napkin together to make a tube, flipping it inside out and then ironing it flat, folding it in half, cutting out the triangles at the bottom and sewing the hole shut (no sewing machine mind you) and then folding the top over and sewing it down leaving enough room for the elastic to go through. Sorry, no pictures of the work in progress... that was last year. I'll try to take some of the next set I make though

For the elastic, we went to Fabricland and found a package with a hook, eye and adjuster for $0.49 and the elastic was only $1.
The way I sew the loop at the top of the flashes allow them to slide off the elastic so we only need one set of elastics rather than having Velcro that could potentially catch on the flashes (and needing a new elastic for each pair I make).

This is the flash that I copied:


And here is a picture of the first blue ones I made:

[CMcG]

I wear those blue flashes with pride

The red ones were borrowed from a friend so Bee could see how they were put together.

[Steve Ashton]

Hi Bee, and welcome.

If you're interested, there are three tutorials on making flashes in our Tutorial Section.

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/k...158/index.html

[Bee]

Hi Steve,
thanks for the welcome
I just checked out those tutorials, which are very informative. However I noticed they are all for tartan flashes...

I prefer to see my man in his solid colour flashes with his tartan kilts!

[Steve Ashton]

The same technique is used for solid colored flashes.
In the case of those I make, it doesn't matter what the material is. I make them exactly the same.

[Bee]

What is the reason for the stiffener in the tutorials? Fusing it so that the bottom won't fray? Or is there some other advantage to having the reinforcement in them?

The way I make the flashes is that I have ribbon, fold it in half and then sew it across the top for the elastic to go through. Then for the bottom I cut the triangle and sew the two sides together which would keep them from fraying further.

I think with my method, the ribbon is super cheap and all I really need is thread. It's easy too but they still look nice. Also, we can use the same elastic for all the different ones because I sew the flashes so that they can slide off and on easily.

[guitarmatt]

Looks good. I've made a set of braided garter ties, but I don't have any real flashes yet. I think you've inspired me to pull out a needle and thread.