Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Lesson Learned

While I'm unemployed and not selling anything on etsy, I do this thing called Alchemy. Alchemy is a section on etsy that lets people post items they want custom made. Sometimes people except my bid, sometimes they dont. Recently I got accepted to make a replica of the Alice and Wonderland dress from the SYFY movie. First I made a Flat sketch. But as you can see the fabric has this diamond pattern to it, which she wanted. I decided I'm going to screen print it on.

I know how to burn screens but it's such a headache. So I decided to have my screen done for me. I go to a place in downtown called RheeTech. I heard it was cheaper there then anywhere else. It wasn't, it was the same. Though it wasn't cheaper it was still worth it. They did a fantastic job with my screen.

I purchase %100 cotton in white to dye it the perfect Alice blue. I cut my pattern pieces and ready to begin screening the diamond pattern. Little did I know what a disaster it would be. It started off great! And then it just got bad, really bad.

I'm going to have to start all over and I've lost half of my profit. All I can say is lesson learned. It is much easier to screenprint a design on a Tshirt then a pattern on a whole fabric. And I will probably not ever do it again.

2 comments:

Justine, juicygraphics.etsy.com said...

Hi Lilley --

It's nice to meet you. I found your blog through your Etsy shop, which was featured in the Etsy Finds email today. Yeah! Go, you!

Anyway, I thought you might like this info that my sister sent me a few weeks ago: you can get your own fabric (complete with repeating patterns) printed in small batches online. Woohoo! Since you're in LA, this may be available locally. I live in the Middle of Nowhere, so nearly everything good is only available through the internet.

Here are the sites she recommended:

http://www.spoonflower.com/welcome
http://www.karmakraft.com/
http://www.fabricondemand.com/

Neither of us has tried them yet, but the customer samples and photos are inspiring.

Good luck to you -- Justine

Lilley In Cali said...

HI Justine thank you so much!! I just red this, had no idea I had a comment. Thank you for letting me know!