The Next Flag Iteration

A reasonable person would ask if this flag obsession will ever end.  As things stand at the moment my answer would be, possibly - maybe even probably - not soon.  The thing is, I have promised a few more sets and then Vancouver will be doing Open Studios in November and I'm thinking I would like to have some for sale then.  We'll see if that happens since so far only the fabric has been prepared, cut, and the background printed.

Background?  you ask.  Well, I had the bright (?) idea to print a metallic gold background thinking that the woodblock prints would be more readable, maybe.  To confuse matters more (because why keep it simple, Stupid, when you can complicate it beyond all reasonable standards), I thought this might be as good a time as any to try out the Yudu machine I purchased over a year ago.  You see, I had a coupon.  Need I say more?  but, I will.  I had a coupon for 40% off, and the machines were on sale, and with it all added up they practically paid me to take it off their hands.  So, I did.  I think the machine was about $20 and then I probably spent a hundred on supplies for it.  Yeah, I've been known to exaggerate, but I do recall that the supplies were about 3 times as much as the machine.  AND, since it was such a good deal I should have smelled a skunk.  Michael's Art & Crafts, the skunk, no longer carries Yudu or any of the supplies - so now I must find a place to mail order, I guess.  Because, I love this machine.  It is so easy - and the light table, exposure unit, drying rack, registration posts, printing and everything is in one compact unit.  True, you are restricted to about 12 x 16 inch image but that is big enough for me.

As you can see there is even a timer to set for exposures and drying times.  So, supplies are the only problem, but there are several places on line from which to order, so I'll give that a try and report later.

Two yards of 45" broadcloth will make sixteen 11 x 16 inch flags.  I masked the screen to the size I want for the background and printed away.  These things were hanging willy nilly here and there all over the studio and the clothesline in the garage to dry (80 of them) and then I ironed them to set the ink. (That's more than I've ironed in 30 years). The metallic gold is a water based fabric ink which needs to be heat-set for it to be permanent.  I've tried printing regular old black etching ink over it and it seems to work very well, so that is what I plan to use for the woodblock images.

Here the little lovelies are - all ready for the woodblocks when I return from Turkey.  My Alter-ego wants to get busy printing, but my lousy conscience is saying, rather sternly, "If you are going to be ready to depart the day after tomorrow at some ungodly early hour then you had better start laundering and packing and you can print when you get back home."  That Conscience gal is named Constance because she is Constantly forcing me to do the practical thing.  There is a name for women like her and it starts with B and ends with H and has 5 letters.  And, she's a nag.  But, I suppose I should let her win this one...