Today I am sharing with you my new Lumi Silkscreen kit.
But let’s start at the beginning. Before I could receive my Lumi silkscreen kit I needed to upload an image. I spent quite a bit of time thinking about what image I wanted and finally decided on a fern. After surfing the web with no luck, I opened up my Silhouette Designer software where I found my Australian-inspired image I had drawn awhile back. After many tries, I decided against the dots and made them into leaves. Once I was satisfied with my fern, the only thing left was to decide on the size and then email the jpg to Lumi.
Here are the first and last drawings. It always amazes me what I end up with!
It wasn’t long and my silkscreen kit arrived. But before that happened, they emailed me a picture of my screen. Pretty neat!
The kit includes the unframed screen, black or white screen printing ink, and a squeegee. So I test drove the screen with their black ink on some scrap fabric. I taped up the screen with painters tape. My duct tape would not hold up for some reason. After using the screen, I tried another roll of tape and it worked fine.
And here is the image as I pull the screen up.
So after the test run it was time to make my mug rugs. I used some of my dyed fabric from my stash and assembled it on my padded surface.
Next I mixed some textile paints to get the green I wanted. I love mixing paints because I always have the color I need.
I then tested the color on a piece of the fabric to make sure it was the green I wanted.
Once I was happy with that color, I took my new squeegee and pulled the paint over the screen.
And here is the result.
Then I added fusible fleese and the backing, and serged the edges. Here they are again.
These silkscreens are similar to thermofax screens although they feel a tad thinner. I used a different roll of duct tape and it’s framed and safely stored away until my next use. However, you don’t need to add a frame, but I feel better having that stability.
The image really turned out perfect. I pulled a lot of prints and they all came out clear and clean.
I received the kit so fast. Within a couple days from emailing my art, it was in my mailbox ready for me to play with.
The prices are reasonable: $15 and $25 (depending on size) and that includes black or white screen printing ink, and a squeegee. I can see using this squeegee with my other screens. I would be happy if they’d offer an option of screens only with a reduced price.
Their website also includes images you can use for your screens if you don’t want to create your own, step-by-step instructions, and a video on how to use these screens.
Great product!
Disclaimer: I received this kit from Lumi. The opinions expressed here are 100% my own. I was under no obligation to offer a positive review and received no monetary compensation.
Very interesting. I didn’t realize this was a service. For some reason I thought it was something like photo emulsion or something where you make the screen yourself. The screen looks very nice and sturdy. Do you think it will last longer because it doesn’t have the plastic that a thermofax has? Like you, I wish they offered the screen without the ink and squeegee because if I continually order screens then I am going to end up with quite the collection of squeegees!!! Thanks for the review!
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Lisa, The screen is so similar to the thermofax, but as I said, not quite as sturdy. I don’t know how it will last. I’m going to ask them about just the screens.
These are pretty, but I’m most interested in how you managed to make such neat corners with the serged edges. Do you manage to turn a corner or do you end and restart the next side? And what do you do with the loose threads at the end? I’ve played with my serger but just rounded corners so I’d have only one end but I don’t know how to secure the threads.
Hi Kathleen, I don’t turn corners. I serge straight to the end of a side and then continue to the next one. I love it – I feel like I’m driving fast. I cut the ends and then add fray check to the cut ends. If I were sewing larger pieces I’d weave the end back through the stitching on the back side. Thanks for dropping by.
Thank you for writing about this!! I’ve wanted to silkscreen, but haven’t had time to work out all the kinks on creating my own screens. Amazing looking mug rugs too!
Lynda, I was going to ask about the similarity to thermofax too, but I see you already covered that. I do love your mug rugs, and it inspired me to think of converting some squares I have on an unfinished project into some of my own… thanks!
Judy, As I said they are not quite as sturdy but they do make great prints. Glad you liked my mug rugs. So easy to make when I just put the pedal to the metal on the serger!!
Alicia, You are so welcome. I am going to create my own screens (and will be writing a post about it), but it’s nice to have something ready that I can use right away. Thanks for dropping by.