Just A Thought Or Two...: Sizzix Dies Meet Gel Press Printing

Tuesday, January 25, 2022

Sizzix Dies Meet Gel Press Printing

It's fun and interesting when opportunities happen such as this collaboration with Eileen Hull's dies and the wonderful creative products from Gel Press. Working with amazing products, and the willingness and desire to have some fun experimenting, is a great part of why I have always enjoyed crafts and making things.

I'm not new to the the gel printing process, but have only scratched the surface of what the process is all about. The more I experiment, the more fun and creative it becomes. I would consider myself more a novice on the topic of gel printing, but an eager learner and one to almost always be up to giving something a try. I just went for it with this opportunity.

Here is the finished project made with Eileen Hull's newest large Journal die. I will describe in a condensed version the process that I used for making prints on fabric and deli papers to create the covers of the journal and the inside signature folders. I was pleasantly pleased with the results of the designs on the fabric for the covers, that I chose to keep embellishments very minimal. I love the way the designs from the various stencils appear on the fabric. NOTE: The one thing about gel press printing is that many times it's best to not expect perfect print pulls and go with what you get!

I knew that I wanted to work with fabric for the covers. Never having used fabric in the past for gel printing, I researched a few videos and other information I could find to help give fabric printing a try.

The printing process began by gathering all the materials I thought I would like to use. In the past I had only worked on small gel plates and a variety of papers for printing. For this project I worked with a 12 x 12” plate from Gel Press giving me the opportunity to print fabric squares to use for covering the larger journal covers. The other prints I made with the deli paper and the large gel plate could be used as whole sheets or cut into smaller forms.

In the past printing experiences I have usually used acrylic paints but have also worked with other mediums like distress inks, distress oxide ink and alcohol inks. For the prints made here I used a combination of acrylic paints and distress oxide inks.

Stencils were the other tools I used for the adding the majority of the designs.

When putting the journal together, large paper brads were used on the spine, plus some glue, to hold the covers together. A strip of leftover fabric is glued to the inside spine to hide the prongs from the brads. Some batting was added to the outside, mat board covers to add some softness to the appearence of the finished journal. Just for a tiny touch, a simple multi-colored ribbon was added for a closure to tie near the spine of the journal.

Gel Press prints on fabric

Front and back covers-outside

Front and back inside covers

Outside Book Spine

Inside Book Spine

Inside the journal there are five signature folders made from sheets of decorative 12 x 12 card stock. NOTE: I used papers printed on one side only for two of the signature folders.

Two of the folders are covered with others prints pulled from the gel press plate with cotton fabric squares. NOTE: I used a fusible adhesive to apply the fabric to the card stock.

The remaining three signature folders are made using a double-sided decorative papers. Gel printed sheets made with the deli paper are used to decorate them.