What is on the sheets

The pink file has slender white lettering on a coral-pink background. It includes A–Z, an exclamation mark and a star; there is no Ñ, accented vowel or number. The filename does not establish the original designer.

The small format is landscape Letter: 279.4 × 215.9 mm, with two flags per page.

Find your letter without printing everything

Numbers refer to file pages, starting at 1. In the small version, the first letter of each pair is on the left and the second on the right.

Index checked against the PDF pages
FlagPage
A1
B1
C2
D2
E3
F3
G4
H4
I5
J5
K6
L6
M7
N7
O8
P8
Q9
R9
S10
T10
U11
V11
W12
X12
Y13
Z13
!14
★14

From selection to assembly

  1. Write the message exactly as it should appear. Count repeats and separate words during assembly; a space is not a flag. If an accented vowel is missing from the file, use the maker rather than silently replacing it.

  2. Use the index to find the pages. A small sheet gives two different letters: for two As and one B, print the A/B page twice. Selecting the page once is not enough merely because both letters are on it.

  3. Select single-sided printing, actual size or 100%, and the file's orientation. Avoid booklet, duplex and multiple-pages-per-sheet modes. If your printer cannot use the specified paper, deliberately choose between scaling down and using another printable; do not call a scaled copy original size.

  4. Test one plain sheet. Measure a flag's width and check that its complete outline is within the printable area. These originals have no calibration square. Use a paper weight supported by your printer manufacturer.

  5. Cut the outer outline, leaving the letter shapes intact. Arrange the entire message on the table and check the order before punching. Make two holes near the top corners, leaving enough edge margin to prevent tearing.

  6. Thread the cord consistently through both holes. Set the gaps between flags before adjusting the height. Test the arrangement against its actual background and secure the ends with a method suitable for the surface; keep cords away from small children.

A worked example: LUNA

Small version: page 1 × 1, page 6 × 1, page 7 × 1, page 11 × 1. That is 4 sheets for 4 useful letters, leaving 4 flags outside the message. Test sheets are not included.

For cord length, measure your printed flag. A calculation example, not a PDF measurement: five flags 120 mm wide, four 20 mm gaps and two 150 mm ends require 980 mm before allowing for the sag.

Two flags on landscape Letter; 14 pages without Ñ or digits.
Two flags on landscape Letter; 14 pages without Ñ or digits.

The infographic compares the layouts. Its silhouettes are original illustrations, not scale templates or copies of the PDF lettering.

What to do about missing characters

Do not add an accent above a letter without checking its space and legibility. For names with Ñ or digits, the site maker offers another route. The star on page 14 is an extra flag: it is not a letter in LUNA or a number.

If something does not match

Clipped edges: check paper size and orientation before scaling down. Missing repeated letters: check the copies of each pair. Twisting cord: use two aligned holes, not one central hole. A shade different from the screen: compare a proof against the background; colour calibration is not guaranteed.

Documents consulted

New text and infographics: Dulzura de Papel. The index was checked against every document page; source names, contents and dates are retained. Our explanatory graphics are available for personal and classroom use.

  • rosa.pdf · 14 pages · capture 2016-04-17.

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