For the bursar

The school bursar (the chick with all the money and the magical order book) is an obsessive penguin lover, and I, being the librarian in need of monies to buy books, am an obsessive bursar lover.

So I printed her a teatowel (it would have been a set of tea-towels but my screen printing is still quite hit and miss and the others didn't work out)

yes I do realise they look a little short sighted but you can't look a gift penguin in the mouth can you?

If you have an inkling for the printing, get on over to the new blog of Leslie, where she shows you step-by-step how to build your own silk screen. And whilst your there, take the time to add her to your reader, blogrolls, sticky-note systems. You won't be disappointed - she rocks the craft.

Screenprinting

A couple of T-shirts for the vegetarian

because no matter what he says - I totally crack myself up.

more experiments in screen printing

After the success of the pillowcases (and no I won't be making any available for sale guys but thanks for the offer Mrs B. )I got to thinking about multicoloured prints. Of course each colour needs its own stencil so the time factor is a biggy. I knew from the outset that the danger of stuffing up was high so decided to work on paper instead of fabric.

Grey blob Blue blobs

red blobs
black blobs

and yes I made about 6 so the photos might not match up exactly - the grey blob disappeared and the photos suck. BUT I learnt that the registration thing is not too bad and if you wanted the "offset" look then its even easier. The paper is a bit less forgiving than the fabric (I was using a fabric screen) so I was happy with the amount of squidges and blurrs. All of this so far has been using a stencil method of screen printing, I just need a bit of time so I can have a go at the screen filler type method. I am truly fascinated by this idea, its is so easy and yet can be so detailed and complicated...my head is awhirl I tell you !

And if it is OK with everyone I think it might be my turn to win the lottery tonight - I mean I seriously need to give up the day job and play with screens and ink and fabric.... hmm...wonder if there is a government grant for noodling and fardarkling ?

pop !

Just like little mushrooms , some of the new beginner patterns are popping up completed.

Mary of Drapers of Mt Macedon has Sally in her shop.Look how she is snuggling that fabric.

Sue, who won a pattern here on the blog has already whipped up her own sweet Sally. (and is planning few more)I just love the bow- what a great idea! The gorgeous Minx, daughter of Moogsmum made a spotty Smith.
Isn't he fabulous?. Love the idea of the spots. I was so excited to see these and super excited to get the email from Minx telling me how much she liked the pattern and she also dobbed her mum in for a bit of swearing too.
I managed to stuff these guys and add their faces during couch time this week. They come together pretty quickly and I am thinking that these are going to be my new go-to gift for a while. I have to tell you I am secretly loving myself to death over these patterns, I am just so pleased that they work and that people like them and almost every fabric I look at is begging to made into a new dog.

This week in amongst the chaos I am going to make a couple of Gulliver's - these guys are about 27 inches long and take a bit of stuffing. If you would like to win a Gulliver pattern just leave a comment. Tell me what your go-to handmade gift is at the moment. Feel free to leave a linky so other people can check it out to!

(Off to the hardware shop-one step closer to the screen printing guys....)

Screen printing (love) or you can call me Buck.

On Sunday I attended and intermediate Screen printing workshop at Red Brick Gallery and had a ball! I have always loved the idea of screen-printing and of course some elements are similar to Mr Gocco (and you know I love Mr Gocco). This is not my stencil with very neat circles cut out- I have to admit I am more at home with a pair of scissors than I am with a cutting blade thingo- my curves were a little jagged in places.
This screen had had the design applied and the filler, then the design-y bit washed away ready to print. (also not mine)
Super cute two-toned rabbit printed on fabric
The delightful Laura (our teacher) with the screen all ready to go, pinning the fabric underneath. If you are local-ish (She is based in Melbourne) and you get a chance I recommend taking one of Laura's classes, its laid back and fun and relaxed but informative and Laura tells you everything you need to know. the FUN bit !!!! I could have easily become a screen-hog during this bit, it really is so much fun I just wanted to print and print and print.
The T-shirt. This design is Maree's, whom I met on the day. It worked out beautifully and she printed me one of her designs on fabric to bring home. Maree is the textiles teacher I wish I had when I was a kid.
This is a design that I took from the Ed Roth book Stencil 101. The plan is to use the screen print as a background to some embroidery.

I am mildly obsessing with a screen printing / embroidery combo something thingo, and have been for about a month...but if I try and put one more thing in this brain at the moment I am sure to have a meltdown. Why is it that the busier I am (and lo friends I am BUSY) , the more ideas I want to try out? It's like some sort of weird Creative hyper-drive... Remember Buck Rogers ? when he went through that coloured tunnel thing in his little rocket ? that's me guys - I am the craft equivalent of Buck Rogers.

(How embarrassment)