How to Reuse Materials to Screenprint a Tshirt.
I have been screenprinting my own dorky T-shirts for a couple of years now and have a ton of fun thinking of new designs and funny sayings on a daily basis. A few folks have asked me to write a tutorial on how I make my upcycled t-shirts. So, here you go.
Before we get started, I will tell you that I have tried the traditional means of creating a screen for screenprinting t-shirts. So, I bought a pre-fab screen, put UV sensitive emulsion on it, placed my photo transfer on it, stuck it in the sun forever and then rinsed it off. What I gained from this experience is that it is expensive, super time consuming, and, for me, not worth it. Bearing that in mind, I moved on to making my own screens from reused materials and using glue to make my designs. It is much cheaper, still time consuming, and does not come out the way a pre-fab screen would. It is much more organic, painterly and much less graphic-like. So, keep that in mind when you read this tutorial.
How to Reuse Materials to Screenprint a T-shirt:
Materials:
Old Photo Frame
Curtain Liner (the sheer stuff you put behind the heavy stuff when you hang curtains)
Staple Gun and staples
Mod Podge
Paint Brush
Permanent Marker
Screenprint ink
Ink Applicator (Cardboard)
Old Tshirt
1. Find an old photo frame. Place it on top of a piece of drawing paper. Trace along the inside of the photo frame. Remove the photo frame.
2. Draw some 1 inch arrows towards the center of the square/rectangle you just drew on the peice of paper. This will remind you to stay away from the edges of your screen. You don’t want your drawing close to the edge because it is really hard to slide you ink applicator evenly along the edges.
3. Draw your t-shirt design! Don’t worry if you goof (you can see that I could not decide where to put the work RUN!) you can make your final decisions when you draw on your screen.
4. Staple your curtain liner to your photo frame. Pull the liner snuggly against the frame, then staple it. Cut away any excess curtain liner.
5. Place your screen on top of your drawing, flat side down. Your screen should be touching the piece of paper. Trace your drawing. Make sure you use a permanent marker. I made the mistake of using a regular one and it bled a ton and got into my screenprinting ink while I printed. Just so you know, the permanent marker will bleed just a touch, so if you don’t want that, use a pencil. I find pencil very hard to see so I use permanent marker.
6. When your drawing is complete, flip your screen and begin applying Mod Podge. So, here’s the deal with the glue. Place glue in the places where you DO NOT want ink to flow through when you are printing. Where ever there is glue, there will be tshirt when you print. Where ever there is NO glue, there will be ink when you print. You will need to let your screen dry for about a day.
7. Time for a test print! Place your screen onto a test piece of paper. Place screenprinting ink along one of the sides of your screen. Use your cardboard applicator and slide it along your screen. Do this until your whole screen has ink. Lift your screen and see your creation! You might see some spaces that need more glue. Rinse off your screen, let it dry, then add more glue. Text seems to always need two or three layers of glue.
8. Now you are ready to print on a T-shirt! Place something in the middle of your shirt so that the ink does not get on the backside. Make sure it is as large as your screen so that your print comes out evenly. Slightly pull the sides of your shirt and tape them to the table. The shirt should not have any wrinkles; you want your screen to be placed on as flat a shirt as possible. Print the same way you did for your test print.
9. Check out your brand new tshirt! Remove the middle piece that was protecting the other side of the shirt and hang up your shirt and let it dry. When the ink dries, place a piece of fabric or a towel over the screenprint. Heat up an iron on low and iron over the towel/fabric. This will help seal the ink to the shirt.
10. Wear your shirt with pride!
Top Ten List: Reuse That One Lonely Sock.
Okay, so I always thought that the dryer was the culprit when it came to stealing my socks. But, I only have a washer and I still lose socks. What is the deal with that? I am not in the mood to wear mismatched socks so I decided to look for fun and creative ways to reuse those lonely unmatched socks in my drawers.
Here are my 10 Favorite Ways to Reuse a Sock:
- eHow.com has some great ideas for reuse including tying a bunch of old socks together to make a super cheap doggy toy.
- Use socks to wrap fragile items you are storing.
- Make yourself a Sock Monkey!
- Make a blanket.
- Cover your hand and dust your house! Socks make a great rag for dusting; you can get to those hard to reach corners too.
- Frugal.families.com has some great suggestions including using them as mitten liners to make mittens even cozier and warmer.
- Use them to hold your panties, bras, and other fragile lingerie when you throw them in the washing machine.
- Storage for your glasses. Socks make great impromptu cases for shop glasses, sun glasses, and regular glasses.
- Protect your floors. Place socks over your table/dresser/book shelf legs when you move the furniture across a wood floor.
- MAKE ART!
photo courtesty of http://www.walyou.com
Recently, NPR wrote about an Exhibition where SOCKS where the subject matter.
What do you do with your lonely socks?
How to Reuse Silk Ties to Make a Neck Warmer.
I know, it’s supposed to be summer, why am I making neck warmers? Because it is STILL COLD in the BAY AREA! I know, I can’t believe it either. It is raining today, which is pretty odd ball if you ask me. But, hey, such is life. And, a little rain never hurt anyone. The garden in the back yard is loving it – let’s just hope the warm sun comes out tomorrow to do it’s part in the growing a garden cycle.
So, seeing as it is still super chilly at night around here (I wore a pea coat to dinner last night!) I have decided to give making a neck warmer/scarf sort of thing a try. Bonus to this item, you can switch it up when it finally gets warm and use it as a headband!
Here’s How to Reuse Silk Ties to Make a Neck Warmer:
1. Take two ties and place them big end to big end. Cover one tie with the other and sew across the top.
2. Cut one of the ties so that only about 6-8 inches of it is left.
3. Cut out some of the inside of the tie you just cut. Fold the ends so they fit inside the tie and sew it closed. Yay for creating a nice seam!
4. Take a third tie and place it one top of the middle tie (the one you just cut) and sew along the top and sides.
5. Take the two smaller ends of your long ties, cut out the insides, fold them in on themselves and sew seams (like you did in step number 3.)
6. DECORATE!
7. WEAR IT!
Top Ten List: How to Reuse Expired Credit Cards.
The advise I have always followed when getting rid of an expired credit card was to cut it up into itty bitty pieces and throw half of it away one week and the other half of it away the next week. This is to avoid identity theft and such. But, I thought that this time around I would find fun and creative projects and uses for my old expired credit card.
Here are a few ideas:
- Replace a lost collar stay in a dress t-shirt.
- craftstylish.com gives a great tutorial on how to turn a bunch of old credit cards into a mosaic picture frame.
- Make a guitar pick.
- Mark your books. Credit cards make super simple bookmarks that won’t fall apart on you quickly like some of the paper ones sometimes do. And, if you get the itch, you can decorate them (:
- Use it as your “razor” when you use a cream based hair removal like, Nair. They usually provide a sponge in the box, but a credit card seems to work much better.
- Use them to mark your flowers and veggies in the garden.
(photo provided by green-talk.com)
- Make jewelry! I love that a site called creditcardfinder.com has a post about credit card jewelry. Here is my favorite from their post.
There are some great credit card jewelers out there.
Prized Possessions / Camila Blue / Edith M Designs
- Credit cards make excellent shoe horns!
- Make a small Magnetic Flower Box. So cute! Thanks instructables.com
- Make art! I am such a fan of reusing material for artmaking as opposed to buying new. Everything starts to look like art because everything becomes a potential material. It puts a new perspective on what materials can be used to make art (:
Last summer, the Graphic Design Museum in Breda, Netherlands had an exhibition entitled Credit on Color. There was a large scale work of art made soley from credit cards. My favorite piece of credit card art that I have discovered so far.
And, last but not least, I am a bit weirded out and totally intrigued by these Rat Pins made out of credit cards.
Check out the artist, Maureen Duffy, and her shop on etsy HERE.
I am sure there are many more creative reuses for a credit card. If you have any, leave a comment. I would love to read any new ideas for upcycling, recycling and reusing expired credit cards.
Quick Tip: Water less.
For those of you with a cushy comfy summer lawn try to water it as little as possible. The best time to water a lawn is sunrise or sunset. It is better for the grass because the water isn’t too hot and it is a better use of water because it evaporates slower when the sun is less intense. The means less watering all around!
Tips on Having an Eco-Friendly Wedding.
I celebrated my 1 year wedding anniversary just over a week ago, so I figured as a celebration of that and all of the weddings to come for many happy couples in the future I would put together a list of ways to keep your wedding eco-friendly. These days weddings can go from super casual to super elegant, are held inside a church or with no shoes on a beach in Hawaii. Different people have different tastes, but I think being eco-friendly is something that won’t “harsh” anyone’s “scene” as they say.
Here are a few ways to have an eco-friendly wedding:
Digital Announcements/Save the Dates. Usually the first thing that is sent out when a couple gets engaged is an announcement and/or a Save the Date card. Why not design your own digital card and send them out via email? I know not everyone has an email account, so only order paper cards for those folks and send emails to the rest. You will cut down on costs and paper waste!
Paperless RSVP. I think the world is ready for an email, website, or phone RSVP. I don’t know about other married couples, but I had to make several calls to my invited guests in order to get an official yes or no. If people aren’t going to RSVP via those cute small paper RSVPs then what’s the point in sending them? Ask for RSVPs via phone, email, text, website, facebook, whatever. Just start a spreadsheet and keep track right from the beginning. Again, you will save money (No stamps!) and paper waste.
Recycled Invitations. The invitation is one of my favorite parts of a wedding. They set the tone and mood for the wedding day. They let your guests anticipate what to expect. If you are having a company make them for you ask for 100% post-consumer recycled paper. That is the best “recycled-type” paper you can get. It means that the paper was used, recycled and then re-made into new paper. When something only says “recycled” that can mean several things. Most of the time it means that it has not been used by a customer, but was picked up from the paper factory floor and added back into the paper making cycled. Still good, but post-consumer is even better.
Make your own paper. I had so much fun designing my wedding invitations and making the paper for them. The best part was that I took old letters, cards, etc. from the guests that would be attending the wedding and used that paper to make new paper for the invitations. I got to decide on the color, size, shape, everything. It was hard work, but worth it in the end!
Local/Organic Flowers. If you are against dried and fake flowers and want fresh flowers on your wedding day buy them from a flower shop that grows them locally and organically. The problem with fresh cut flowers is not that flowers are bad for the environment; it is that they come from miles and miles away. Think of the amount of carbon emissions it takes to fly or drive a flower from somewhere in South America to your city (if you don’t live somewhere in South America (: – I think you get my point). If you do use flowers, think of eco-friendly ways to display them. Save some jars and use them as vases; wine bottles work well too!
Non-floral center pieces. Non-floral doesn’t mean no flowers. Buy flowers in a pot so they can be planted after the wedding. Or use dried/paper flowers. I have seen center pieces with edible fruit, cactus, photographs in repurposed frames, candles, and so much more. You can get really creative with center pieces when you think outside the flower box.
Recycled/Soy Candles. Candles make a great alternative centerpiece! Companies are starting to jump on the eco-friendly band wagon which makes it easy for folks like us to get what we want. Companies that re-melt and reuse old candle wax are starting to pop up everywhere. Also, get soy candles whenever you can, they let out less toxins then regular wax.
Don’t throw those center pieces away. The last thing you want to do is use something for about 5 hours. Concentrate on making your centerpieces something you can give away to your guests that they can enjoy for even just a bit longer. Plants are great for that, framed photos, and vases too!
Local/Organic Catering. The caterer for our wedding was so understanding about my eco-friendly needs. We discussed the food being locally grown and organic. Ask your caterer what they do with leftover food. Do they donate it? Do they compost it?
Bring your own Food! This is ambitious, but possible. If you are having a morning wedding and are serving brunch type food, check out your local stores for organic and local pasteries. A cocktail hour reception would allow you to do the same thing. This gives you control over what companies you are purchasing your food from.
Avoid Disposables and Plastics. Use glass dishware and silverware whenever you can. If you are getting married outside in a park or on the beach and aren’t allowed to use glass, try acrylic dishware. If you have to use disposable, make sure it is made from compostable material.
Eco-Friendly Wedding Dress. Check out this one from treehugger.com. Now, I know this isn’t for everyone. But, there are new options for eco-friendly wedding dresses. You can buy a dress made from organic materials. An example can be found at treadheadcreations.com.
Reuse a wedding dress! I was so happy when my mom agreed to let me wear her wedding dress! There was no other dress that compared. I altered it a bit, but the main part of the dress stayed the same. I hope some day my daughter will want to wear (:
Other ways to upcycled a wedding dress are to shop at second hand stores or make your own from recycled fabric!
There are many small steps and big steps you can take to have an eco-friendly wedding. You just have to be willing to think creatively and sometimes spend a little bit more money (food, invitations…). But, where you spend more on local and organic food and flowers you will save by sending paperless announcements and RSVPs! And, just think how happy you will feel leaving only small traces after your wedding ceremony and reception. I know it made me feel great to consider the environment when I planned my wedding.
Any other tips I missed? Tell me!
Thanks Verizon Wireless for taking a step in the right direction.
So, I have joined the many folks that own a DROID. Thanks to Hill and Usher for providing the phone for some future community art projects I have planned with my collaborative partner down at Art is Moving!
When I opened my box I found a prepaid envelope asking me to recycle my old phone. I was so happily surprised. What an awesome way to catch people while they are in the mind set of changing phones! Not only will Verizon recycle your old phone for you, they created a program called HopeLine that donates to non-profit organizations that focus on domestic violence awareness and prevention.
In Verizon’s words:
HopeLine® collects wireless phones and accessories from any wireless service provider and refurbishes or recycles them in an environmentally friendly way. Since October 2001 when Verizon Wireless launched its national recycling program, HopeLine has collected more than 7 million phones; properly disposed of nearly 1.6 million phones in an environmentally sound way; refurbished the remaining units, funding more than $7.9 million in cash grants for domestic violence organizations; and distributed more than 90,000 HopeLine phones with the equivalent of more than 300 million minutes of service.
(from www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline)
And, you can send wireless phones from any company, they don’t have to be from Verizon. They even have a pre-paid label you can download from their website HERE. You can also bring in your old phones to any Verizon Store.
Thanks for thinking of the environment and social justice all at the same time Verizon!
Quick Tip: Summertime dishware.
I know that many of us are spending as much time as we can outside at the moment. That means BBQs, swimming parties, you name it! One quick tip to save yourself some trips to the store, piling up the trash and help the environment out a little bit is to buy Reusable Outdoor Dishware.
Acrylic dishes are really great for outdoor use. No worries about glass by the pool and they last for many many pool parties. No need to have tons of trash bags full of stuff at the end of a party. Just compost the food, wash off your dishes and you’re good to go!
If the plans call for disposable, then choose plates from recycled materials.
Have a fun summer!
How to Reuse Playing Cards to Liven up an Old Headband.
Headbands are so fun and functional. They make me look a bit dorky, but since I’m a dork I don’t mind. I have this old white headband that was yelling “Help me, I’m boring!” at me the other day, so I decided to give it a little accessory.
If you have an old headband that needs a bit of freshening up, needs a bit of color or pizazz, Here’s How to Reuse Playing Cards to Liven up and Old Headband:
You will need 4 playing cards, one button and a hot glue gun for this project.
1. Cut two petals from each card.
2. 4 petals will show the suit side, the other 4 the back side. Glue the petals together alternating a back side showing next to a suit side showing.
3. Glue a button to the middle of your new flower.
4. Glue the flower to your old headband and it will magically be a new playing card headband!
A Cheap Couch is Easy to Find.
I think we have owned this bear of a couch for about 4 years now. Don’t get me wrong I love it for so many reasons. I also hate it at the same time. It is falling apart at the seams and, although I love the color orange, I just don’t like it in this case. The couch is a bit of an eye sore, so I’m going to use it to practice upcycling large items. I haven’t tried to conquer something large yet, so this will be my first shot.
In the coming weeks I hope to show you some progress on making this super cheap and comfortable couch into a super cheap, comfortable and attractive couch.
Stay tuned.
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