How to Silk Screen in 10 Easy(ish) Steps

[Cobblestone]

Audray, thank you so much for this. I was so excited to hear that you were doing this tute - I really want to try this. And I intend on following your instructions to the letter, including the Baileys (or Emmet's? haven't tried that one....).

And that Amelie ...my goodness, how cool is that? I need to get that pattern. But yours is just too cool.

[marzipan]

THat would be the costco brand...nothing but the best!

[starkl]

That was an awesome tute! Makes it seem much less imposing...I think I'm going to keep buying from you though! Love that squid!!!!

[ericag]

Wow, that is a great tute and I love the Amelie that you made.

[sarah ruth]

You make it look so easy but then I think that I see those supplies at work all day I don't know if I want it sitting around my house too!

How does it hold up in washing and everything after heat setting it?

[marzipan]

Thanks guys! Lorraine, speaking of, your package went out yesterday . Look for a little squiddy something in there.

It holds up great in the wash--no special handling required!

[eapoosmama]

What an excellent tutorial

I just finished a level three printing class for my art degree and did a 3 color screen image. I never realized that I could shoot the screen at home. I was prepared to go to AIR our public print studio here in Pittsburgh to shoot my screens - http://www.justseeds.org/blog/2008/1..._oct_18_1.html

I have always used the machine at school to shoot my screens. Very cool and informative and most helpful. Thank You. I was all set to do this at home but was trying to figure out the shooting part.

In my efforts to stay within compliance to the upcoming CPSA stuff I opted to buy a water based Eco line of inks. They don't require any ink heat set at all and dry super quick and set with the air. They have a learning curve though in trying to keep the screen clean for a good print as they dry so fast. Not cheap though. Here is the link to the Screen Printing Supplier we have locally that distributes nationally. And if you scroll down there is the Eco Aqua Pura I was mentioning.

thank you for taking the time to put this together.

[marzipan]

Hey, neat! THanks for sharing that, Mary Beth! And welcome to sewingmamas Show some of your work soon, please!

[Tamar]

Audrey, you are just way too cool for words.

[Morgan'smom]

Perfect - It always seemed to scary - but when you factor in the "bevie" I think I may actually tack this (or at least part of it!!)

[phart]

Thanks for pointing me to this!! What size screen do you recommend? And how long does it take from start to finish, about? Do you need to prep the shirts?

You are awesome!

[jojo_smiley]

fantastic! thank you.

[pixeegrl]

cool!

[marzipan]

Thanks guys I think I still have that bottle of Bailey's in my fridge.

Shannon, I like the 10 x 14 screens. It takes about a day to get a screen ready, but that's from cleaning the old one out, drying, prepping the new one, drying, making the transparency--doing the actual lamp part is only 20 min. And one it's made, maybe 15 min per shirt (with washing and heat setting and everything).

No special pretreatment for the shirts. I think you're supposed to wash them to take the sizing off, but I haven't been consistent about that, and no problems.

[refibered]

I have all the stuff, just haven't done it yet. Keep looking at this tute though...

Quick question: all the books say you need clamps to hold down the frame. I don't see any clamps in your tute. Are they really not necessary? Just makes smudging less likely? The clamps are really what hold me back. Well, that and the whole "gotta do the screen in the dark" -- doesn't look like you followed that 'rule' either.

rf

[macaroniandcheese]

is that a laser printed transparency or ink jet??

[marzipan]

No clamps. I think some screens come with hinges, but I bought the cheaper ones.

I don't put the chemicals on in bright light, but I'm not feeling my away around in a dark room either. I do let them dry in a closet, though.

I xerox onto the transparency. I think you have to do that.

[rratstarr]

What's a ballpark estimate of the cost of all the materials needed to do this? I've been looking at the Yudu personal screenprinting system and it just seems like a ripoff to me.

[marzipan]

About $100. That should last you quite a while, as long as you don't go nuts with ink colors (ahem).

[macaroniandcheese]

No clamps. I think some screens come with hinges, but I bought the cheaper ones.

I don't put the chemicals on in bright light, but I'm not feeling my away around in a dark room either. I do let them dry in a closet, though.

I xerox onto the transparency. I think you have to do that.

I had a VAGUE recollection from a workshop one of my students took, that they had used sharpie on acetate, and so I looked it up!!

It turns out that you can use any method to apply the design to the acetate: laser or ink jet, photocopy, or sharpie marker.

That should make this process a LOT easier for some people.

Here's where I got the info, and after I read it, I remembered learning most of that via my art students...
http://www.dharmatrading.com/html/eng/1179371-AA.shtml