Monday, November 14, 2011

Using the Yudu without the Yudu

So I bought the Yudu Screenprinting machine cause wouldn't it be amazing to make silk screen prints at home?  Well I bought at a crazy sale, but returned the thing because it was MASSIVE.  I didn't feel like taking up a quarter of my closet just to store the thing. 

I little while later I was tasked to make some family vacation shirts, which means I've got a screen printing project on my hands.  Is there way I could still make some Yudu silk screens without having to buy that giant devices.  I have done a few tries and figured out how to make these without owning the device.  Please read tutorials before attempting this, my comments are purely supplimentary suggestions to provide extra insight.

Yudu instruction:  wet the screens and put on the emultion scrapping out the "spider webs" with the yudu squeegie:

SmallRiniLady's tip:  instead of scrapping the emultion to get rid of the spiderwebs, wet the underside of the screen with a wet paper towel.  Getting it wet will be it to stick to the screen

Yudu instruction:  let it dry in the drying tray, dries in pitch black to avoid the UV lights, and with Fans.

SmallRiniLady's tip:  Who needs a specially blacked out tray?  I just stuffed it under the bed and let it dry over night.


Yudu instruction:  Burn the emultion screens in the UV tray which is timed to 8 minutes.

SmallRiniLady's tip:  In the brightest sun, lay the tray out for 8 minutes. 

There are some glithes I still had trouble with, because the sun came down from an angle, some of my lines came out slightly blurry.  Remember I'm being cheap by not owning the device, hopefully the real deal comes out with better results. 




Yudu instruction:  wash the unburned emultion off

SmallRiniLady's tip:  um pretty much no difference but don't scrap with your fingernails, it will tear the emusion.


Yudu instruction:  pour the paint on the screen and scrap with the yudu squeegie

SmallRiniLady's tip:  screw the squeegie, a plastic card (maybe an old credit card) works just as good and saves the pocket book $15.  Also use the paint on the non emultion facing side of the silk screen (which means the photo should be burned negative, explainations why below)


Now for additional review comments.
The Yudu screens make great silk screen prints . . . the first 5 times if you follow the the Yudu instructions and scrap on the emultion.  This is because the emultion although solid, is still soft and will break down as it is scrapped.  I did notice that if you scrap on the silk side with the emultion side facing your cloth/paper than less scrapping action leads to the deteroation of the emution print to be slowed down.
Bottom left:  First run through the silk screen
Top:  After 20 runs, the lines are getting blurry or jagged
Bottom right: After the 23rd run, I flipped the screen to try, looks like it worked much better, unfortunatly since I didn't plan for it, my image is mirrored (which doesn't work well with things like text)

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Pumpkin Pie (Fixed itself)

I tried to make a store bought frozen pumpkin pie for thanksgiving one year. Something happened though. While I was traveling to my mom's place (2 hour drive away) it had melted.  And when I put it back into the freezer, I didn't know all the pie inside has spilled all over inside the box.  When I took out of the box I had to scope out the overflowed pieces and pile them onto the pie.


But look how it turned out.  It's like magic

Monday, November 7, 2011

Mini Pan Am

So recently I posted about some Pan Am hats I've been making lately http://craftersindisguise.blogspot.com/2011/10/pan-am-flight-stewardess-hat.html, but remember.  I have a thing for miniatures.



~giggle so guess what I did!



I made a miniature version of the Pan Am hat.  And it's worn with an hair elastic,  giggle, ok so I use elastics for pants, but whatever it gets the job done. 

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Impromptu Kanzashi Hair Comb

Kanzashi Flowers are a Japanese process of using fabric squares to make flowers, often used for weddings.  Kanzashi flowers are always great way to use up fabric scraps. 

I did this project in about 15 minutes before work one day.


Here I'm starting with some squares I cut from the scraps of my Halloween costume

Fold Once, into a triangle


Fold Twice, into a smaller triangle

Fold Three, into an even smaller triangle, and vola a flower petal

Glue down 4 onto a hair comb

YAY, cute new Hair comb.

Ok there's still a little bit of work I need to do on it.  Can still see the metal on the hair comb, and it has problems staying in the hair in loose hair.  But I'm sure with a little bit more time and more creativity this project can be refined to a wonderful product