Polka dots

I’ve finally had a successful go at printing and am SUPER happy with the results.  Though I must admit that it was a very messy affair.  I had wanted to take  pictures when in the middle of it all, but it was simply not possible. I was completely overwhelmed.  It was much more difficult than it looked when I watched my sister doing it.  I actually managed to drop the squeegee in the the paint, not once but twice. I had paint EVERYWHERE! 

Here are all the bits drying:

And here are a few of the finished bags:

  

I must admit that I am really proud of them!  I love the way that they have come out, they are even better than I thought they would be.  The messenger bag also has some ribbon that I got when in Sofia.  The two round bags have the prints and matching stitching. 

I look forward to using the other screens with the other images too, but they all need to be put out in the sun for a while.

Two hours later…

Two hours after writing my last entry about how much I needed some sunshine this is what my balcony looked like…

Yes, this is the exact same spot on the exact same day!!!  And yes, those are actual rain drops bouncing off the table!!!

 

New printing set-up (continued)

Straight away this morning I put my first screen of threee out on the balcony to dry.

The problem is that today of all days it’s overcast and threatening to rain which is totally annoying as it’s been beautiful sunshine for days. But now that I actually NEED it, it’s hiding.  Every few minutes I go out to the balcony to check the weather, the clouds seem to be getting darker and thicker.  I just don’t want it to start raining, I mean it shouldn’t affect the screen at all but I just don’t want to take any chances, especially after what happened yesterday. All I want is a couple of hours of bright sunshine so that I can finally start printing. Please…

New printing set-up

Yesterday evening we finally picked up my screens from the workshop and ever since then I’ve been super impatient to get started.  Sadly, this morning I had to go to work, forcing me to wait even longer.  Finally when I got back this afternoon, I set everything up, following the notes I had taken when my sister was here a few weeks ago.  Next I picked which bags I wanted to print on, as well as which images I wanted to use first. Then I mixed my paint, as I wanted a slightly different blue than what I received.  Before printing directly onto cut out sections of actual bags, I practiced on some paper as I didn’t want to ruin anything.  Sadly this is when things started going wrong.  I’ll tell you one thing, it certainly isn’t as easy as it looks. 

New silk-screen printing set-up: the screen is clipped on to a hinged bit of wood so that it can be lifted easily.

New silk-screen printing set-up: with a few on my images.

New silk-screen printing set up: with everything set and ready for printing.

Luckily I could skype my sister, a master printer, for help.  Everything she said, helped.  The first problem was a simple one, I had been doing it too slowly, as a result the paint would smudge. So I started doing it quicker and using the squeegee at a better angle, and straight away the images started looking quite good.  The screen was very sticky though, making it difficult to use, which she said was rather strange.  But we didn’t think more of it as the images were looking ok.  So, I moved on to a bit of scrap material, again not to ruin anything important.  You could barely see the image on the material, but at least there was no smudging.  She suggested adding more pigments into the paint. So I removed all the paint from to screen in order to mix in more pigments. It was when I was cleaning off the screen that things went wrong.  Basically the whole image started ripping off.  She said that that was really NOT normal, and that it sounded like the image hadn’t been ‘cooked’ enough onto the screen…  She suggested putting them out into the sun for a day or so to ’cook’ it further. This means that I have to wait longer

What annoys me though is that I paid the girl to do these for me, but I don’t think that I have the patience to get her to redo the whole screen again seeing as it already took so long (near a month) to get these done.  On top of that it was my favourite image, one that I had drawn myself. Let’s hope the weather is sunny tomorrow so that I can hopfully start in the afternoon.  Keep your fingers crossed for me.

An amazing day!

I’ve just noticed that the summer is finally here!  I know that it sounds weird but the weather has been pretty ordinary recently; raining far too often, being generally cloudy and very, very windy.  But last night I went out on a girl’s night out and we could actually stay outside and enjoy our wine without a jacket on until the terrace closed.

Today I went to handover my images to the women who will expose them onto my silk-screens. (I’m still unsure on the proper terminology.)  Anyway I was at her workshop this morning at 10:00 then got myself a huge coffee and sat along the river to just enjoy the nice weather and feel happy I am super excited about the learning to print and feel extremely inspired.  I think that my bags will be very different and much, much better with my new images. I will take pictures as soon as I start, of the new set up in my workroom, of my images and of course of my new bags!

This morning I had forgotten to take my camera, so I couldn’t to catch the moment. But I did find these great pictures on flickr of Frankfurt, I thought that it would be nice to share the view and feeling with you.  Click on the images to see Laternamagica’s photostream, he’s the one who took these great pictures.

Goals

One of my goals for this year is to learn how to print. I would like to be able to print directly onto my bags.  I think that it would really give them something special. In the past I have used prints from my sister and Kerstin, a local artist.  As much as I appreciate having their prints, I feel that they have a very different style. Their images, though nice, aren’t ‘me’. Also out of practical reasons they always print them on small material samples that I can then sew on to the bags.  So the mixing and matching of colours is not always easy.  It also sometimes gives the bag a bit of a patch work effect that I am not so fond of myself.  By learning how to print, I can then print directly onto the flap or body of the bag as well as pick my own images.

My sister's style

Kerstin’s style

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It all sounds so positive and easy.  But now that I have actually stopped to think about it all; what images to I actually want? And how do I go about learning all this? And even how do I set this all up in my workshop along with everything else? Well, in my case I am VERY lucky, my sister is coming to visit! She has studied printing and even teaches it back home in Quebec, Canada.  So, when she comes in a couple of weeks, she will teach me!  My only responsibility is to find some screens, paint and images. 

 

Easier said than done!  I have been trying to ‘win’ some screens on eBay but keep on being bid out.  These things aren’t cheap, even second hand. Plus there are so many types and sizes.  So far I have learned that the aluminum ones are better, according to my sis, as they are less likely to warp.  Plus a larger one, though more difficult to wash and store, is more practical than a small one for the range of images that you can use it for.  Also, you want one that is has a stretched screen as it is very difficult to do it yourself. 

I’m learning already, even before Cynthia arrives, but still don’t have one!  So I’m putting it out there. If you are from the area and you have a screen that you want to sell or you know someone that has one to sell, please contact me!!!! I know that it’s kind of cheeky but you never know!

Once all this is sorted I will still have to think up, draw up, look up, find, some images. So my second question is, what would you like to see? Do you like the birds? Would you prefer flowers? I do have some ideas but any suggestion is be good and very much appreciated

Work in progress

I spent most of Monday cutting.  Not just randomly cutting, but cutting and matching and creating.  I always tend to work this way.  When I buy new materials I cut all the bag exteriors I need, then mix and match them with colourful linings.  I think that it might actually be my favourite bit of all, as this is when I come up with all the different ideas.  This is when I choose or think up what will be on the flap of the messenger or shoulder bags, or the front of the round and shopping bags. Will it be a strip of the same colourful material as the lining or a different one? Or shall it be ribbons? Or buttons? 

When creating them all at the same time I feel that I get more ideas.  Then once all the different parts of the bag are cut, I pile them up as in these pictures.  So when I’m ready to start sewing then I just work my way down the pile.  Once it’s all gone, I start again.  By doing it this way I also have an opportunity to make lists of what  I need to get, a certain colour thread or zipper for example.  Or some more cotton of a certain colour that will match a certain exterior.  Luckily this coming Sunday is my favourite material market.  I shall tell you all about it next week.

As I wrote about yesterday, for the next week I shall be participating in the Blogparade so if you want to read other Fashion and Designer Blogs from Germany: click here 

New Etsy Shop!

I just opened a new Etsy shop!

There’s even a few new make up bags and small purses on there to discover so why not have a short brows. Obviously I will adding more bags soon! So be sure to pop around regularly. I hope you will see something you like.

Win a free Bag!

WIN an ALEX – Original Handbag!

To qualify all you need to do is to answer the following questions, plus add a short comment. 

   

   

                    

 

The poll is anonymous so please make sure to also add a short comment to be eligible for the draw.

For example, why don’t you share with us what you always carry in your bag or what is the weirdest thing in your bag at this very minute.

On Tuesday the 31st of March I shall pick three lucky winners!

Good luck!!!

New Tote Design

The experimenting continues. 

Yesterday and this morning I’ve been working on a new tote pattern.  I want a more feminine shape to the one I presently make.  I also thought that I could somehow combine my present Tote and Round Handbag to produce something in between.

  

So the goal was to produce something strong that you can stuff full of important and not so important stuff.  But still feminine and unique.  That could be closed at the top, which is a comment I have often had about my totes.  But I really wanted to remove the need for zippers as they are so difficult to sew in especially in a circular shape and expensive to buy.

The result is:

I think it still needs some tweaking but I quite the look of it.  I’m thinking of adding more pleats and interior pockets, what do you think? Are those good ideas?

I would love some suggestions or ideas from you all.