Okay, so I used to do a bit of printmaking in college. Loved it. Like majorly. Now a million years later, I decided to try my hand at screen printing some little onesies with my new hare illustration.
In my head I was thinking: I want to be in control of the process. Control the size of the image. Handmade. Pick the best organic cotton onesies. Everything will be so easy once I have my screen made. Then I will just ink and press. And tag. And sell.
Beautiful thoughts...
Reality: I have to get my registration marks correct. Crap I messed up another onesie. There goes another $5.00. Frack I forgot to pre-wash these! Wait no one said anything about heat curing this ink. I'll buy a heat press.... scratch that it is $200!!! Ugh. I have no time for this. Wait I will have them professionally screened. What they can only print a 5x5 inch space with a 36 piece minimum?
Okay, now you see where my head has been. I have been mentally quite invested in this whole clothing line future for Gingiber. Like for weeks I have been on the phone, emailing, pestering every single screen printer here in Northwest Arkansas getting quotes and other information to find the best option for production.
Who knew it could be this hard?
I first had some samples made several months ago that turned out to look like absolute crud (see above image). And they cost me over $100. I thought that I was getting a big full body giraffe screen print. Not quite. (I must have miscommunicated what I wanted). Then I tried an online screen printing company (since none of the locals want to take my calls anymore due to my incessant pestering). Turns out the print looks cute (if not smaller than I imagined) but the onesie I printed on is unhemmed on the edges?
Who wants to buy that?
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And that brings us back to today. When I hand screened the bunny onesie. It looks lovely. But in all honesty I just don't have the time to commit to pressing, curing, and selling these in the manner that is needed.
Long post. All to say if you can recommend a decent screen printer who will actually print on an area larger than 5x5 inches on a onesie, let me have their name. Here seems to be a great company, Orchard Street Press. They do all over printing. But they are in Wisconsin I think.
I know it is done in this industry. Just not here in Arkansas.
And now I have sunk nearly $250 in something that has no financial return (right now). What to do?
Enough rambling.
Best. Blog. Post. Ever.
Stacie
