Screen Printing

I never go a chance on Monday to say that the  screen printing went much better this week than last. I was careful this week to make sure that I kept the drawstring of the bag well away from the screen.

Although there was this one that looked as if someone had squashed the bee on the left!

All in all, I was only limited by the number of bags that I had. Now it's off to order more and to work out whether I want them all this size or whether it would be useful to have some in the next size up.
Still no sign from the quail, I have given up expecting anything from them although I will leave the incubator switched on a while longer.

Not as Good as I'd Like To Be

Yesterday afternoon was spent screen printing.I was in the Inc.Workshop in Leeds formerly known as Fac4. I love that place. I did a screen printing course there, three years ago but they also run courses on woodwork, upholstery, furniture restoration and picture framing and they have a laser cutter. I haven't quite worked out what I would like to cut but having it available is terrific. As well as courses, you can just go and use their equipment on a pay per hour basis. I'm not sure how much it is per hour as I still have 5 hours credit, but yesterday they charged me £30 for renewing annual membership, £6 for the use of two screens and £3 for a pot of ink.

 I have half a pot of ink left over, and they will keep the screens with the designs on, so my two hours next week shouldn't cost anything.
 My idea was to add value and interest to my soaps, by presenting them in little cotton bags, screen printed to my designs. It is their Unique Selling Point if you like management speak.
It is an excellent idea, and I can see in my imagination how they should be. Getting them to that standard is a different matter.
These are some  of the designs on paper:

 And this is how the came out on the bags

This one is where I was pressing on really hard and over compensated:

It might not show too well in the photograph but there are smudges round the G and the d. I seemed to consistently have trouble round the ds. We joked that if I changed the name to Gilligan Woo, I would have no trouble.
Here is a photo of the screens fixed in place ready to print:

And one of me actually printing

My problem is that  I was there three hours and produced about 6 usable bags. Admittedly the first hour was an induction to the equipment and most of the second hour was coating and exposing the screens but even so it isn't feasible commercially.
However I have booked myself in for two hours again next Monday and there is also a course coming up for intermediates in April. I did really enjoy it so if the worst comes to the worst and I don't improve with practice then I may just keep going as a hobby.