Adventures in T-shirt land:from the workbench

So, maybe adventures in tee shirt land isn't the right title for my workbench post since I do more than make shirts... I dunno.

Just a thought.

Speaking of tee shirts, on Monday I posted a drawing that I turned into a screen. Screen-printing is a different way to convey an image than most of the art I did before I started screen printing. Things can be complex, but are also simplified. Now that I think about it I could surely write a whole post just about this... I always love how something that looks very basic on paper can be really awesome on a shirt. I think my robot is pretty cute :)

I hand dye my tee shirts, which is an interesting and fun process, and I mostly do it so I can offer a wide variety of colors to my customers without keeping a ton of shirts in stock, which I cant afford to do and don't really have the space for. Unfortunately it can be a little messy, and I really need to run to a thrift store one of these days and pick up some cheap pots. Adam snapped this picture of one of the pots I've used recently for printing.

it reminds me of growing salt crystals... and that is pretty much what is happening here since I add salt to the dye bath.

I am working on a couple of dress projects for friends. This is part of the top of a wedding dress I am making for my good friend Missl Command. I couldn't find white leopard print fabric... so I screen-printed it. I am almost out of white ink so I am at a bit of an impasse. I still have to print most of the skirt.

This is the other project I am working on. I these are damas dresses for a quinceanera. I have to make seven of them, and all seven of them are almost to this point and I will be fitting them this weekend. It was fun to make the first one, but I have reached the point that I really am ready for this project to be over.

Besides, I want to be able to work on my own designs.

Most of my time this week has been spent filling current orders and getting ready to hand over a bunch of stuff to Stilo Lifestyle for my consignment section in her store.

I have four sets of coasters that just got sprayed with some stuff that makes the design permanent, which is awesome, but it is also flame retardant. I think the thing I like best though, is that it makes my shiny tiles matte.

This is what my serger looks like right now... totally covered in projects, organized by what color ink I want to use. Right now have pillow sets, bibs, scarves, card holders, arm warmers and a few secret items. Up in the front is my notebook of screens. I use photoez paper for my screens, which I absolutely love, and one of the reasons I love it is that I can keep ALL of my screens in a notebook since they don't have frames. Although, If they had frames I suppose Autumn couldn't flush them down the toilet... (and yes, she has flushed a screen down the toilet. )

and as always, it is nice to have autumn as my helper when I am working, even with screens occasionally getting flushed down the toilet.

See you later!

♥Erica