Tuesday 28 February 2012

I am sooo incredibly happy today.

As you know, I am a little bit in love with screen printing and really enjoy going to the studio to print down there. I have however been wanting to have the flexibility of being able to print at home. If someone orders something they generally don't want to have to wait a whole week (at the least, ahem, Reene...) before I can generally get down there again.

We are lucky enough to have an amazing space here and I have been wanting to convert a part of it to set myself up down here in the cellar ever since I started screen printing.
Because I was used to printing at the specialist studio, I had it in my head that I needed everything set up properly at home to manage to do it.

This week, because I wanted to get Reene's labels done and couldn't book to go into the studio, I decided it was a good opportunity to give it a try here. Bible in hand to check I had everything I needed, along with a trip to Homebase to get a decent hose spray so I could wash the screen out successfully afterwards (this was actually my biggest concern...I didn't want the screen being ruined because the paint would all dry on it) off I went...

I can not reiterate enough how goddamn easy it was here! I am excited beyond belief at the flexibility this will give me. Not only that, but it is so much easier printing on fabric on a cushioned surface than on a vacuum bed. I made a lot of mistakes at the studio with fabric slipping, but here it is fantastic.

All I need now is to get all my designs onto screens and I'll be set up good and proper.
This has revolutionalised my printing, I tell ya...

11 comments:

Nicky said...

You do labels?? May need some myself!

BTW could you consider getting rid of word verification - my poor old eyes find it difficult to read

Reene@Nellie's Niceties said...

Woohoo! Well done you! A week....hmmm ;) I'm sure they will be worth the wait! You watch, you'll be inundated with orders now!

Whitney-Anne Baker said...

absolutely brilliant, I'm so pleased for you! Though knowing you, you'll be down there at 2am cos you've had a great idea that just can't wait!

Colette said...

How fantastic, sounds like a perfect solution. I have always wanted to have a go at screen printing. Maybe one day I'll brave it!

louise35flower said...

Great isn't it? So much nicer to be working in your own time without clockwatching all the time!

Cherie said...

Screen printing looks like so much fun. Think I tried it once waaaaay back in highschool

Lynne (Lily's Quilts) said...

woot woot!!!

Jacqui Dodds said...

Lovely post about your work in progress and printing at home. I too have been trying this out and it feels great when you achieve something like this this cutting down on time to travel to a printmakers etc.
Jacqui

Cally said...

Wow that looks brilliant! It's great to have that extra space.

leslie said...

yay!! it really is totally manageable to do at home. think of all you can accomplish NOW! x

JANE KNOWN AS LIZA T said...

how fab!! I tried to set up at home, made a light box and everything to expose screens but never really got things quite right...and like you I LOVE screen printing...really love it, would love to see how you have exposed the screen...