The brief is to make a banner for some loyal Reds using a favourite quote from a song by Liverpool legend Ian McNabb.
The banner is to have a traditional feel, with a large Liverbird featured along with six stars and, most importantly, two eternal flames in honour of the 96.
Day 1 in
After a few messages back and forth, we agreed a design and I have begun creating stencils while I wait on a fabric delivery.
![](https://i0.wp.com/34.91.192.212/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/img_20200401_1848257273085439922007750-scaled.jpg?w=1170)
As I already had plenty of yellow in stock, I was able to get ahead on the tricky bit, marking up and cutting the Liverbird. Normally I do this after the lettering, but as the yellow is all I have to work on at the moment, I decided to start here.
![](https://i0.wp.com/34.91.192.212/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/img_20200401_2045387936710211712442430-scaled.jpg?w=1170)
Also cut 6 stars ready to adorn the flag, and a seventh to supply along with it to be added after future European success.
![](https://i0.wp.com/34.91.192.212/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/img_20200401_1921305926748312158883507-scaled.jpg?w=1170)
Day 2
Cracked on today by making lettering stencils. This design is quite a wordy one, so there is a LOT of cutting to do. My methods are quite laborious – I’ll have to cut all these out again in felt when I’ve marked it up. This is what takes most time in making a banner, but it is one of those tasks you can just switch off to.
![](https://i0.wp.com/34.91.192.212/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/img_20200402_2003362344061592995411730-scaled.jpg?resize=1170%2C878)
Managed to finish all the smaller lettering which is destined for the bottom of the banner. The larger lettering for the top of the flag is tomorrow’s job. Goodnight!
![](https://i0.wp.com/34.91.192.212/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/img_20200402_215430656053833343655646-scaled.jpg?resize=1170%2C878)
Day 3
Managed to finish making the letter stencils today, and then moved on to the eternal flames. These are quite fiddly and complex, and given the importance of what they represent, I worked on them with all the care and reverence they deserve.
![](https://i0.wp.com/34.91.192.212/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/img_20200403_1617068409024969760302007-scaled.jpg?resize=1170%2C1560)
Day 4
Very happy to receive a delivery of white felt this morning which means I can crack on with the lettering. Finished the big ones, little ones will take me a few hours more.
![](https://i0.wp.com/34.91.192.212/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/img_20200404_121112_251757749743694452037-scaled.jpg?resize=1170%2C1170)
Now finished all my cutting on this job. Looking at the next few photos, you’d be forgiven for thinking I’d finished, but there is a lot of meticulous work still to go on this one – it has to be carefully measured so that everything is perfectly symmetrical and the gaps between letters and words are consistent. Those are tomorrow’s jobs though. It’s beer o’clock. ?
![](https://i0.wp.com/34.91.192.212/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/img_20200404_1334224092043029575293191-scaled.jpg?resize=1170%2C878)
![](https://i0.wp.com/34.91.192.212/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/img_20200404_1629368795566094003972874-scaled.jpg?resize=1170%2C878)
![](https://i0.wp.com/34.91.192.212/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/img_20200404_1705545699733697855177123.jpg?resize=1170%2C1170)
Day 5 & 6
Spent yesterday and today meticulously measuring and marking positions, then measuring a second time before fixing the designs and lettering in place. I’m delighted with the end result… I hope the customer will be too!
![](https://i0.wp.com/34.91.192.212/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/img_20200406_145936_4423661393984740549306-scaled.jpg?w=1170)
Eugene Monaghan