A simple stencil screen-print DIY

A simple stencil screen-print DIY
This project is designed to give you a quick and easy taster into screen-printing on fabric. You can play with the placement of the motif to create you own design or make your own motif to create a totally unique design.
Make sure play on lots of scrap fabric before you start your finished project- even I do that to get in mood and find the right pressure for the screen! And whatever you do RELAX and enjoy it – its meant to be fun!
You will need a large table or to work in stages for this scarf, and make sure you protect all surfaces from paint as you work! Nothing ruins the joy of finishing a project more than danmaging the furniture in the hurried pursuit of crafty goodness!

You will need……
A stretched screen –A4 size or larger
Fabric printing ink/acrylic paint mixed with textile medium
Squeegee (that fits your screen)
Muslin fabric – 2mt by 70cm for a big generous scarf but you can use what ever size you like.
Masking tape
Plain A4 paper
Crafts knife

I’ve Provided……
The artwork, as a pdf template. Download here and print out before you start.

Step by step

1.    Download and Print out the motif attached – or draw your own onto a piece of A4 paper - to fit the screen size you have, allowing at least 2 inches around all edges of the screen.
2.    Using a sharp craft knife and a cutting board carefully cut out your motif.

 
3.    To attach the stencil to your screen, lay the stencil down on table then place screen on top, hold in place and turn the screen over (this will ensure your stencil is the right way around) then tape it in place, tape all around the edges so no paint can get through other than the image itself.

4.    Next you need to prepare your fabric and your surface ready for printing. You will need a large table or be able to work in sections moving the fabric along as you go. Iron the fabric as it’s easier to print on lovely flat fabric. Cover your table with newspaper or a sheet as the printing ink will go through. Lay out your fabric flat and with no creases.
5.    Before you start printing, have a bit of a plan as to how you are going to lay out your design. I wanted to have a completely random pattern and make sure that all the prints faced different ways- you might want to print a line of birds down the centre or a curve from one corner to opposite corner on the other side – anything goes but just have a little plan in you head so you place the first print in the right kind of place.

6.    Place the screen down onto the fabric where you want your first print to be and put a generous line of ink along the top of the screen about 3 inch in from the edge, put your squeegee behind the ink, hold the screen down firmly and drag the ink across the screen with firm, even pressure, pushing the ink through the stencil, push the ink back across the screen then a final pull across the screen without the ink to make sure you have an even print. Carefully lift of screen to reveal your print.

7.    Continue to build up your design by printing in the same way all over the fabric- Take care not to put your screen over a wet print as it will leave a mess on the back of the screen that you could accidentally transfer in your next print! if you want to print motifs close together use a hair dryer to dry each print before you carry on.

8.    Once you are happy with your design, leave the fabric to dry and wash your screen and all equipment straight away. Remove and throw away paper stencil and all the tape then use a shower head to blast ink from screen. Once the fabric is dry, iron it to heat set the ink so it can be washed in the future.

9.    To finish the scarf sew a small neat hem all around the raw edges and then its ready to wear and enjoy!

TOP TIPS
•    Never let ink dry in screen – it will ruin the screen for ever- if you need to stop for more than a few minutes mid project wash your screen and start again later.

•    Cut more than one paper template in-case it degrades during your print run – if you get lots of bleeds and imperfections stop printing , remove stencil and clean screen – once its dry start again. ( with complicated design I have to do this all the time it hasn’t gone wrong its just the nature of paper stencils)
•    If the back of your screen gets messy – gently wipe clean with baby wipe or damp cloth.

Trouble shooting
•    Edge’s of print bleeding out – too much ink and to much pressure or the stencil used to much time to change it
•    Image faint – not enough ink, not enough pressure or enough pulls across screen Mess marks all over fabric- back of the screen need cleaning
•    Image over lap – you have not lined up the prints correctly, go with it, it could create a whole new design!
•    It looks a mess – embrace imperfections that’s the nature of hand printing and just have fun! Or start again and make this one your test piece!


some links to credit me please if your are going to share
https://twitter.com/jennymccabe
http://pinterest.com/cooandco/boards/
https://www.facebook.com/www.cooandco.co.uk

EXTRAS- here are a few links to where I buy stuff from
www.handprinted.co.uk - great for everything handprinted!
Ebay is great for fabric or use your local fabric shop


Happy printing
Jenny

Make art

Inspired by my favorite artist Andy Warhol and my new found love of messy, energetic, playful handwriting I have made a new print. I adore the words in the quote and should remember them everyday, I felt they would make an excellent addition to any artist or crafters making space, and using Andys favored method of screen printing to reproduce the prints feels very apt.

Avalible to buy as an A2 print form my online shop. www.cooandco.co.uk

I also discovered this amazing project the other day
http://www.homelessfonts.org/
Designers working with homeless people to create fonts form their unique hand writing - to sell and raise money to help tackle homelessness - their video is beautiful and the fonts are available to buy on the website.

For now that is all, but ill be back soon, I have lots of screen printing things to share over the summer and a program of workshops booked in for the autumn - more news to follow soon! but for now go and make even more art!
x
Jenny

Block print a plain bag

Block print a plain bag

Printing on fabric is so much fun and you get to show off your work everywhere you go with this simple tote bag project. This project is designed to show you how to make a simple foam printing block and how to print a seamless repeat print, I have provided an artwork for you to use but you can of course use your own images to create a design. Please read through the instructions before you start so you are familiar with what you have to do and practice your print on a piece of scrap fabric before you start on your final project.

Top Tips 

• You can use normal acrylic paints to print on fabric, mix with fabric medium 50/50 and they will be permanent and soft on the fabric once set with an iron.Acrylic blocks are available form craft shops in lots of sizes or you can find some companies will cut them to size for you, ebay is a good starting point. You can use wooden blocks or even old plate mats as long as its firm and flat- its just easier to see through acrylic to line up your prints
• Make sure you clean your block every few prints with a cloth or babywipes, this will stop the build of paint and make cleaner prints. 
• You need a nice flat surface clear of clutter, remember to put down newspaper or table covering to protect it. 

You will need…..

Acrylic block size 6”x6”square at least 3mm thick

Foam sheet (sticky back preferable) size A5 or A4

Craft knife

Fabric paint

Sponge roller & sponges

Plain tote bag

Scrap fabric for practice

Masking tape

I’ve provided……

The artwork, as a pdf template. Download here and print out before you start.

Step by step….. 

       1.     Stick your foam sheet to the surface of the acrylic block, take care not to press to hard onto foam as it marks easily.

2.     Print out the design and draw onto tracing paper using a soft pencil. 

 3.     Transfer the design onto your foam by placing the tracing paper upside down and lightly rubbing over the lines with your fingers.

4.     Using a sharp craft knife cut out the design and carefully peel away the excess foam. To get the detail on the wings and leaves use a sharp pencil and press firmly into the foam drawing the lines, these will appear as white lines in the final print. 

 5.     Mix your paint to the colours you are going to use and prepare your printing surface and place a piece of newspaper inside your bag to stop the paint coming through to the other side.

 6.     Use your masking tape to create a border around the edge of the bag and to stick bag down so it doenst move during printing, use extra tape at the top of the bag to protect the handles. 

 7.     When you are ready to print use a sponge roller or sponge to apply a thin, even coat of paint to your block, use a cloth to remove any excess paint on the edges of the block. Place the block face down onto the fabric, start in the centre overlapping the bottom edge a little. Press firmly on the back of the block. Carefully peel the block of the fabric to reveal the print, load the block with more paint and repeat the printing process lining up print by looking through the acrylic block. 

 8.     For an interesting design feature, for just one of the prints change the colour of the bird. Clean off all the original colour from the bird first with a cloth then load up the paint in the same way but with 2 different sponges.

 9.     Once you have covered the whole surface of the bag use a paint brush to touch up any areas that need it and allow to dry. Carfully remover the masking tape to reveal a nicely framed print with clean edges, iron on a high setting to set the paint and you bag is finished! Now show it off !

 TROUBLE SHOOTING

·      Egdes of print bleeding out – too much paint

·      Image faint – not enough paint

·      Mess marks all over fabric- edges or block need cleaning

·      Image over lap – you have not lined up the prints correctly, go with it, it could create a whole new design!

·      It looks a mess – embrace imperfections that’s the nature of hand printing and just have fun!

The main thing is to have fun, play and learn as you go!

Happy printing

Jenny

some links to credit me if your are going to share

https://twitter.com/jennymccabe
http://pinterest.com/cooandco/boards/
https://www.facebook.com/www.cooandco.co.uk

EXTRAS- here are a few links to where I buy stuff from
www.handprinted.co.uk - great for everything handprinted!
Ebay is a great place to look for acrylic sheets- here is a good company

Ebay again great for bags but if you want to buy more than one - Clever baggers are great