Rifle spins require split-second timing and precision. Executing spins requires an understanding of the fundamentals and years of practice. Once you get the hang of it, rifle spins can add a new level of excitement to any color guard routine. Read on to learn how to spin a rifle as a color guard.

Instructions

When sewing your flag, a good place to start is to take out the instructions (if there are any.  These are good instructions so if you got a sewing kit with no instructions, then you have come to the right place to get them!)

There should be a way for you to figure out which pieces need to be sewn together.  Take out the pieces and lay them out the way that they fit together in the instructions or picture that you may have been provided.  If you don’t have a picture to reference from, try your best to lay out the pieces.  It may become a puzzle for you,  but try the best you can.

The image below is an example of how the pieces should come numbered, color coded, or organized a different way.

Next, take a look at the pattern picture that you’ve been given, and over lap two of the pieces that need to be sewn together about a 1/4 of and inch.  Pin the two pieces to each other using strait pins that should be about 2-3 inches away from each other.

Below, is an image that shows you how you should pin the flag pieces together.

Once the silk pieces have been pinned together, you can start to sew the pieces together.  A good stitch to use is a zig-zag stitch.  This will ensure that the fabric does not unravel.  You can also use a Serger but it is not recommended for sewing together Lame.  (Tip:  if you have to sew Lame, either use a sealer seam or make a seam along all edges before you sew the pieces together.  Since the Lame is woven, the Serger seam will just rip out the weave.  Sew a hem first.)

As you sew, pull out the pins and set them aside in a safe place.  If you are worried about fabric unraveling, you can reinforce the fabric in any way you know how (i.e. making a hem or sewing over the fabric again.)

Once you are done sewing the flag together and have hemmed all of the outside edges, it is time to sew the loop on.  The loop is the piece of fabric that allows the flag to attach to the flag pole.  ( Note:  Most aluminum flag poles are about 1 inch in diameter, so make sure that the loop is big enough for the pole to fit through.)

Basic Steps From start to Finish:

1.  Design your Flag

2.  Make a Pattern and cut out Pieces

3.  Sew it all together

]]> http://library.marchingband.web.id/2009/02/03/color-guard-flag-sewing-tutorial/feed/ 0 http://library.marchingband.web.id/2009/01/29/color-guard-flag-construction-tutorial/ http://library.marchingband.web.id/2009/01/29/color-guard-flag-construction-tutorial/#comments Thu, 29 Jan 2009 00:00:37 +0000 admin http://library.marchingband.web.id/?p=108 colorguardcentral.com

When constructing your flag, a good place to start is to transfer your design onto a posterboard.  Before you do this, make sure that you know the final desired dimensions of your flag.  Most posterboard is 36 inches by 28 inches.  If your flag is larger than this, you might have to cutout and tape together a few pieces of posterboard to get the desired size of your flag.  Use a large ruler, or yardstick to measure the posterboard and create the cutting lines.

In the image below, we had to cut out about 4 pieces of posterboard to get a 3 foot by 4 foot flag.  The pieces were taped together using masking tape.

After you have a properly sized piece of posterboard, you next have to transfer your design onto the posterboard.  To do this, it is best to use pencil for the initial drafting lines.  Then, once you have the design looking the way you want, use a Sharpie marker to trace over the pencil.

In the image below, we’ve finalized our design on the posterboard.  We also labeled the colors that correspond to each piece.

Now, it’s time to cut out the pieces you’ve just drawn.  I’ve found that scissors work best, but an Exacto knife will work also.  Before or after you’ve cut out the pieces, you should assign each piece a number.  This is to ensure that you don’t get confused when you start cutting out the fabric because a lot of the pieces could look very similar.

The images below show the pieces after being cut out, and then being numbered.

The next step is to use the posterboard pieces to cut the flag pieces out of fabric.  I’ve found the best way to cut poly china silk is to use a solding iron, or wood burner.  Exacto Knives work ok, but they create snagging in the fabric, and it take a little longer.

When using the soldering iron to cut out the fabric, you need to make sure that you have a good base, so you won’t burn any tables.  Plywood, or particle board are good bases …we use drywall because it’s smooth and doesn’t burn easily.

The image below shows us cutting out a piece of fabric using a soldering iron. (It’s a good idea to lay your pieces out before your cut them to insure you don’t waste fabric.)

This image shows the two tools we recommend for cutting fabric, the soldering iron and Exacto Knife.

Once all the pieces are cut out for a certain number, it is important to label the piece by pinning a piece of paper or post-it with the corresponding piece number.  This prevents you from mixing up the fabric pieces.  This also helps the sewer put the pieces together without getting confused.

Below shows an example of the pieces being labeled with numbers.

Once all of the pieces from your posterboard pattern have been cut out and labeled, use gallon sized freezer bags to put sewing kits together.  Put one of each number in the bag and include a printout of the pattern and instructions on how to sew the flag together.  (It may be a good idea to use the paint image that you use when designing your flag, just add numbers.)

Below you can see the fabric pieces in the bags, and then the finished sewing kit with the instructions included.

Now, after you’ve finished all your sewing kits, it’s time to sew them together.

]]> http://library.marchingband.web.id/2009/01/29/color-guard-flag-construction-tutorial/feed/ 0 http://library.marchingband.web.id/2009/01/26/flag-design-tutorial-using-microsoft-paint/ http://library.marchingband.web.id/2009/01/26/flag-design-tutorial-using-microsoft-paint/#comments Mon, 26 Jan 2009 00:27:56 +0000 admin http://library.marchingband.web.id/?p=107 colorguardcentral.com

When designing your own flag, a good place to start is looking at other already designed flags in Band Catalogs.  I recommend Band Shoppe or McCormick’s catalog.  They both have websites you can look at for flag designs.

Flag Design Shapes:  There are many variations of flag shapes that you can use when designing a flag, but remember that your show is in your creative control.  So, if you don’t find a flag shape you like, you can come up with your own shape.

What to use to Design your Flag:  A great way to visualize your flag and it’s colors is to use Microsoft Paint.  Microsoft Paint comes standard on any PC running Windows.  To access Paint, go to Start>Programs>Accessories>Paint.  Open the Program and use either the line tool, the box tool, or the pencil tool to draw the shape of your flag.  Next, use the same tools to draw the design in the interior of the flag.

In the image below, we use the box tool to draw the rectangle shape of the flag, then we used the line tool to draw the straight lines within the flag.

After you’ve drawn the outline of your flag design, now you can start to color it.  Use the Paint Bucket tool to fill the different sections of your flag with the colors you want to use.  (Tip:  You can double click on the colors in the color palette below to create a custom color)

Now, you can play with the colors until you come up with the perfect color combination for your flag.  (For more information on what colors mean, Click Here).  Below, we copied our flag and pasted four different version, using the paint bucket to change the flag colors.  To copy your flag use the selection tool (above the paint bucket) and select your flag.  Next copy it (ctrl + C).  Now paste the image (ctrl + V). Then, move the pasted selection away from your original flag.

After you’ve come up with the perfect design, Print it out and show it to your band director.  After it’s been approved find the colors that you want in a Catalog.  Most catalogs will send you swatches of all the fabric colors that they have for free.  Most of the catalogs also provide the service of creating the flags for you in the colors that you want…as long as it’s their design.  This can be quite expensive, ranging from $15-$70 per flag!

(Finished product of a flag designed in Paint)

Quad, Five, and Six Tosses:  For these tosses, put more and more oomph! into them.  Each one should have the amount of rotation that it’s name denotes.  (Quad=4 rotations, Five=5 Rotations, etc.)

Horizontal Rifle Toss:  For this toss, hold the rifle at the neck with your right hand.  Rest the butt on your shoulder, and place your left hand palm up holding the belly.  NOTE:  Make sure the rifle is flat so that strap is parallel to the ground.  As you lift both arms up, twist the rifle with your hands and let go.  The way you catch it may vary according to the traditional technique that your color guard uses.

Advanced” flag tosses are tosses that require greater skill and control.  Some of these tosses may be basic to some more advanced color guards.

Pizza Hand Toss: Start out by holding the flag with your left hand at the tape that joins the flag silk to the pole.  Your right hand should be palm up facing the sky with the pole being held between your pointer finger and thumb.  Pull the pole to the left and let go when the flag has rotated so that it is pointed upward once more.  This toss should rotate one to one and a half times and then should be caught upside down (for 1 1/2 rotation) with your right hand above your left hand.

Yo-Yo Toss:  Begin with holding the flag pole at the very end of the bottom cap with both hands.  Your right hand should be on top and your left, on the bottom.  Circle the pole to the left and let it “swoop” behind you (like a “back scratcher”).  When the flag is strait up and down again, switch your hand positions so that both palms are facing away from you and both thumbs are pointing down.  Make 2 large and fast circles with your pole by rotating it with your wrists.  Just as the second circle is being completed, let go of the flag.  The momentum that you gained while making the 2 circles should propel your flag in the air.  For this toss, your catch will depend on how high you toss the flag…come up with a way to catch and be consistent.

Horizontal (Helicopter Toss):  The name of this toss describes what it is.  This toss is thrown so that the flag is horizontal in the air.  To do this toss, start with the pole parallel to the ground and behind your back.  Hold the pole with your right hand at the tape that joins the silk to the pole.  Now, as flat and as evenly as possible bring the flag around your body to the left (keeping the pole parallel to the ground).  Still holding onto the pole, raise your right arm up and once the pole is above your head, let go.  The flag should be horizontally in the air, and should rotate once.  Then…if you can imagine, the flag SHOULD fall right into your hands with your right palm up and left palm down.

A basic flag toss is one that is relatively simple to do but always difficult to learn, and includes throwing and catching with both hands.

Pop Toss:  Begin with the flag at hip shoulder angle with your right hand lower than your left.  The silk of the flag should be on the lower side.  Your right palm should be facing downward and the left hand should be facing upward.  With your right hand pull upward on the pole and release.  The flag should rotate one time and you should catch at the same hip/shoulder angle with your palms facing the same way that you started in.  The key is to pull fairly hard up on the pole because of the lack of momentum.

Concert Toss:  Hold the flag at a hip-shoulder angle or a “seatbelt” angle with your right hand lower than  your left.  The silk of the flag should be on the lower side.   Your right palm should be facing upward toward the sky.  Your left hand should be facing downward toward the ground.  Thrust your right arm upward while pushing with your left hand downward to gain momentum.  When the flag rotates so that the silk is upside down, let go.  The flag should rotate 1 time.  Watch the flag in the air and when it is time to catch, put your left hand up (palm up) and catch the flag in the same hip/shoulder angle that you started.  Notice that your hand positions have switched.

One and a Half Concert toss:  The concept of this toss is the same as a concert toss except now you will be catching the flag pole straight up and down vertically.  To accomplish this, follow the steps for a concert toss but pull a little harder with your right hand, and rotate your wrist a little more, this will cause the flag to rotate one half more.  When you catch the flag your right hand on top and your left hand on the bottom following after the flag.

Cross Toss:  Begin this toss by starting with your flag parallel to the ground or flat.  Your right palm should be facing downward and your left facing upward.  The silk should be on your right side.  In a snapping motion quickly cross your arms with your right arm going underneath your left arm.  Once they are crossed release the flag.  The flag will rotate about 1 and 1/4 times.  Catch the toss at the hip/shoulder angle with your right hand higher than your left and right palm facing up with left palm facing down.

After you have mastered these basic tosses, this article will continue to Advanced Flag Tosses page.  Where you can learn…Horizontals (helicopters), Yo Yo Toss, and Pizza Hand Tosses.

Even though it took place such a long while ago, there is something about the things you learn in adolescence that follows you through life, if you remain vigilant towards it. It is with a steady, skilled, and stoic hand that I still, from time to time, will find myself spinning my rifle from high school color guard. When spun well this whirl of white and black can seem like an impressive set; though with strong fundamentals and a talented hand, you can find yourself doing exactly the same one day.

Color guards are the women and men who march with the flags, rifles, and sabers alongside the marching band; winter guard is color guard, indoors, without the band and in the winter. While I marched with the drum line in the fall, come winter I was able to pick up this fun and interesting activity and enjoy the camaraderie and fitness it employed. When it comes to spinning your rifle there are an important set of behaviors to remember to maintain in order to spin most successfully.

1) First off you’ll want to remember your starting posture. Before you’ve even done anything you’ll want to make sure that your feet are in a comfortable, stationary position and you’ll want to be sure that your body is straight up, top to bottom. Having good starting posture is essential in any sport; it’s especially important in an activity like color guard as once you’re set to moving with your equipment and your body, you’ll need to be sure that you maintain full control over your rifle, flag, or any other piece you may be manipulating.

2) Getting into rhythm: Once you get your posture set you’ll want to make sure you start your spinning in an efficient and fluid manner. If you start off your spinning in an inefficient manner, the chances are great that you’ll end up dropping your equipment after a couple of spins. This is especially true of the rifle as it is a free floating piece which flies through the air; starting off well is pivotal to getting a good sense of spinning

3) Don’t Wobble: Once you’ve gotten your rhythm going you’ll want to be sure you’re able to maintain a steady pace and that you’re not overexerting yourself trying to maintain your level throughout. If you begin to wobble or otherwise falter, it’s a good idea to stop straight away. You don’t want to send your equipment flying and injure yourself or someone else.

4) Only go as far as you’re able: Now that you’ve attained a regular pace of speed and you’re going in a whirling motion around and around, you may think that the hard part’s behind you. While it’s true that spinning is ¾ getting everything going in a steady manner, there is the plenty left to do: You need to maintain your posture, keep your wrist and hands turning in an efficient way, not take your eyes off the rifle, and maintain your focus and concentration. You also need to be able to gauge yourself and when it’s time to stop as you don’t want to set your rifle flying.

5) Stop It: After a while of spinning and getting your basics down, you’ll want to be able to stop in an efficient manner. If you feel like you’re ready to stop you need to have your timing down so that you’ll be able to bring the spinning exercise to a successful conclusion. On a traditional, right handed spinning rifle, all you need to do is snap your left hand out once the tip of the rifle has passed your left side so that your hand is there to catch the tip on the next go around. From your vantage point the tip will be traveling in a counter clockwise motion and you’ll want to have your left hand out at: 45. Your right hand will already be out to catch the butt and the rifle should snap back gracefully into your outstretched arms.

If you’re interested in spinning for your schools color guard, I’d suggest making a top priority of going to speak with someone about learning about the guard before the tryouts so you’ll know what’s involved; each school has a different level of participation so you want to make sure you’ll be able to commit. Then it’s really just practice, practice, practice! You can be a color guard star for the rifle line in no time!

this is the way you hold your rifle…

…and this is the way you spin it!