Make Your Own Onezies!
Instead of going out and buying some standard onezies for the baby in your life make your own! My sister is pregnant with my future niece or nephew and I wanted to give her a fun gift so I decided to make her some personalized onezies. So think of some fun images and text to create a handmade gift that is made with love!
Pick Out the Design You Want to Silk Screen
For my future neice or nephew I wanted to do a design with the skunk from bambi. It was one of my mine and my sister's favorite movies so I thought it would be cute. The internet is great for finding a nice image for you to use in corel or adobe illistrator to make your file for the vinyl cutter. If you can, pick one in black and white. These images are easier to bitmap.
Once I had my image as good as the bitmapping would allow, I traced my image in a different color. Once I was done tracing and had my full image outlined, I deleted the original.
I added text to make the onezie personalized. To run two different colors on the silk screen you have to prepare your file to allow this to work on the vinyl cutter.
Once that is all set up and everything has a hairline outline your file it ready to cut.
Once I had my image as good as the bitmapping would allow, I traced my image in a different color. Once I was done tracing and had my full image outlined, I deleted the original.
I added text to make the onezie personalized. To run two different colors on the silk screen you have to prepare your file to allow this to work on the vinyl cutter.
Once that is all set up and everything has a hairline outline your file it ready to cut.
Cutting Your Image Out.
Select any color vinyl you like. Using clear vinyl is the best way to go but I did not have any so I picked a random color. When you are ready to cut/plot, make sure you set the program to pause in between colors so you can set your origin elsewhere on the vinyl for your second image. Also be sure to mirror your image so it comes out reverse. You need to do this so when you stick your image to the silk screen it reads the right side up on your fabric.
Once your images are all cut out, there is the super fun task of weeding! Remember to only remove the parts of your image that you want the dye to go through. So in essence, the negative of your image is what you want to remain. Once that is all done you are ready to place your image onto the silkscreen. I used transfer paper to get my image off of the vinyl backing and onto the silk screen.
Once your images are all cut out, there is the super fun task of weeding! Remember to only remove the parts of your image that you want the dye to go through. So in essence, the negative of your image is what you want to remain. Once that is all done you are ready to place your image onto the silkscreen. I used transfer paper to get my image off of the vinyl backing and onto the silk screen.
Silkscreening!
Next stick your vinyl onto the silk screen. Make sure your silkscreen is free of clogs that will prevent the dye from going through onto your fabric. Make sure the entire screen is filled with vinyl so no dye can leak through where it is not needed to.
Seeing I used different colors on my project I also had to line up the registration marks on my vinyl to ensure my second color was placed just like I had it positioned in my file.
Stir up the colors you need. Be sure to mix your colors thoroughly to avoid streaks in your dye.
Place your fabric onto the platform. Insert your silk screen onto the vice. Make sure you line up where you want your image to be on your fabric then you can use tape to secure it down. Once that is all settled, do your flood pass and then place your screen down and run your real pass.
After your first color is done make sure to dry the dye before you repeat the process for your second or third colors. I used a hair dryer to do this.
Now you should be left with some fun onezies to give as gifts or put on your own babies!
Seeing I used different colors on my project I also had to line up the registration marks on my vinyl to ensure my second color was placed just like I had it positioned in my file.
Stir up the colors you need. Be sure to mix your colors thoroughly to avoid streaks in your dye.
Place your fabric onto the platform. Insert your silk screen onto the vice. Make sure you line up where you want your image to be on your fabric then you can use tape to secure it down. Once that is all settled, do your flood pass and then place your screen down and run your real pass.
After your first color is done make sure to dry the dye before you repeat the process for your second or third colors. I used a hair dryer to do this.
Now you should be left with some fun onezies to give as gifts or put on your own babies!