Silk Screen and Squeegee – ideally approx A4 in size [A quick Google or Ebay search will provide you with reasonably priced equipment – I use a wooden framed screen with mesh 43, this is a standard fabric printing mesh]
Also try Art Van Go [UK]

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Procion dyes with Manutex thickener Available HERE [Kemtex – Reactive Dye kit, you may have some of your own already] I would suggest that you may need at least 500gms  of extra manutex F700 powder to run alongside this dye kit. (Manutex is also know as Sodium Alginate: it’s a seaweed based thickener)  You may prefer to buy all the elements separately from Kemtex, get slightly larger quantities and be more selective with your colours [if your don’t want to over do it, stick with primary colours as you can mix other tones from there 5 or 6 colours would be a minimum I would think].  Urea and Soda Ash/Bicarbonate of Soda are also in the kit…you will need those too [Either soda ash or bicarb – both work]

500gms of urea & or soda ash/bicarb would always be useful

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Other suppliers:
Art Van Go [UK]
Maiwa.com [Canada]
Dharma Trading [USA]

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Fabric – approx 2m to start with – 100% cotton white/natural coloured.  You’ll need more as the addiction takes hold! Opt for a plain rather than a textured weave for now. [Silk, linen & viscose are also great to use, but more expensive when you’re learning the process]  Give your fabric a wash in the machine before we start to get rid of any processing coating that may have been applied [no need to soda soak!]
I use fabrics from Whayles [Bradford] Ltd in the UK – they deliver abroad, but you’ll also find the companies above useful.

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Craft knife/scalpel with cutting board or scissors

Copier/printer paper

Kitchen roll

A few paint brushes/mark making tools

Masking tape

Plain flour

Yogurt pots/jam jars/mixing containers – start collecting, a dozen should be fine

1 litre plastic measuring jug

An electric stick blender: Wilko have a very inexpensive blender [the type you stick in a saucepan to liquidise soup!]

A wipeable printing surface: pond liner, heavy plastic, laminated table cloth: as large or small as your work space will allow. 

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DIY Screen Print Table

Create your own DIY screen print table. Don’t be put off printing your own fabrics. Here’s a quick and easy print table to make yourself then you can join my Silk Screen printing ONLINE workshop JOIN HERE!

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You’ll need:
-A panel of wood: as big or small as you can muster.  DIY stores supply MDF or chip board up to 8ft x 4ft!
-Carpet underlay – felt or rubber type
-Pond liner or heavy builders plastic
-Craft knife &/or heavy scissors and a staple gun or hammer and tacks/gaffer tape

 

Ply, MDF or chipboard; a layer of underlay; rubber pond liner

The carpet underlay gets held down onto the board with staples, tacks or gaffer tape – this provides some ‘give’ in the surface. I have found pond liner to be the nearest/most economical table surface – whilst not fully heat resistant it copes with everything I have to throw at it.

Wrap the pond liner around the board, stretch and staple in position – you can use fancy hosptial corners if you like!  On large pieces of liner there can be folds and creases – a hair dryer/heater and some stretching helps ease this away.  I also like to scour the surface with wire wool before I start working – I tend to use masking tape to stretch my fabrics and it needs something to ‘bite’ on to.

Your new print surface can now be placed on top of your dining table, on trestle legs etc., etc..  then when you don’t need it lift it off and store away…under the bed, behind the piano, in the shed…