Custom Printed Fabric Elements

Lamanda2 · Post by **Lamanda2** » Wed May 28, 2008 5:21 am

-Cross-Posted with Eurobricks--

Hello Castlers!

For a couple months now, I have been doing more work with fabric, designing different patterns for minifig capes. Now, most recently I have done some designs on wavey flags as well as some small Star Wars shoulder capes (Based on the official shape).

Some of you may have seen some of these on Brickshelf already, as I added the most recent pictures to my gallery a couple of days ago.

Capes

Normal Sized Cape Gallery (The only one that has yet to go public... Temporarily, you can see most of them in this folder)

Short Cape Gallery (Just one design so far! I'll be working on more though.)

I also just made some new LOTR Capes (The Tree design, for lack of true name) in both standard and long sizes.

Standard
Long

Long Capes

I came up with the main shape of this cape in late 2006, during the CCCIV. I just recently made up a template and some patterns for it.

Long Cape Gallery

Cape Extensions (For use with Long cape design)

This piece is a bit more detailed, so I recommend it more for things like display figures, and for use in MOCs and such.
I'm quite proud of it's design. Took some work to come up with a template, but in the end, it came out very nicely. It certainly is a perfect "Lord's Cape". I just love the royal look to it.

You could kinda use it with a standard cape as well, but it does not work out too great, as it doesn't have a very nice fit to it. It was made to be compatible with my long cape design, so naturally, that is the best fit.

Flags

Flag Gallery

I made some designs in both Verticle and Horizontal variations. Since I can only print these on one side, I think the verticle styles would have nice benefits for being draped down the side of a castle or fort; that way you wouldn't get a look of the "faded" backside.

Recently; on May 10th, I opened up a store on Bricklink, so I've got a bunch of these I have been making in shop right now. Am am also holding a sale for 20% off all custom fabric elements at the moment, so now is a good a time as any to grab a couple.

..If one of you fellow Castlers do make an order, please type "Classic-Castle Sale" in the comments box while placing an order and I'll give you a bonus 5% off your whole order.

~Amanda

Heir of Black Falcon · Wed May 28, 2008 5:26 am

They look very nice Amanda! Great work. Your capes always look very nice but seeing them all up gives a good view of all your work at once. Thanks again. Look forward to seeing your future designs.

R

medieval_total_lego · Post by **medieval_total_lego** » Wed May 28, 2008 7:30 am

very very nice!!!!
amanda i made a question to you by bricklink...probably you found a customer

Lamanda2 · Post by **Lamanda2** » Wed May 28, 2008 4:19 pm

"....Thanks again. Look forward to seeing your future designs. "

Thank you for the positive comments! I hope to come out with some new print design, and capes styles in the not too distant future. It's kinda fun expirimenting with new things.

"very very nice!!!!
amanda i made a question to you by bricklink...probably you found a customer"

Thanks.
I answered your Bricklink question a little while ago.

~Amanda

FirebenderDude2 · Post by **FirebenderDude2** » Wed May 28, 2008 10:08 pm

SWEET! How do you make these?

Voran_the_Scholar · Post by **Voran_the_Scholar** » Thu May 29, 2008 12:15 am

Most excellent! Lovin these! I have your store bookmarked for future reference.

You do some awesome work, Amanda.

God bless.

Tom

The Blue Knight · Post by **The Blue Knight** » Thu May 29, 2008 5:58 am

These are outstanding! I may need to score a few from you. Please give me an over view of the process to make these. What fabric you use, how you transfer the image, etc. Nicely done!

Richard

armothe · Post by **armothe** » Thu May 29, 2008 6:29 pm

These are really great! Your gallery is one that I tend to browse on a month-to-month basis. I like what I see!

-A

Lamanda2 · Post by **Lamanda2** » Fri May 30, 2008 3:17 am

"These are really great! Your gallery is one that I tend to browse on a month-to-month basis. I like what I see!"

Thanks Armothe, that means alot coming from such an outstanding customizer like yourself!

"SWEET! How do you make these?"

"Please give me an over view of the process to make these. What fabric you use, how you transfer the image, etc. Nicely done!"

..No way! Those are trade secrets!

....

I made a topic a while back when I first encountered this fabric, should describe the process quite well. Here is the link.

Thanks again.

~Amanda

doc069 · Post by **doc069** » Fri May 30, 2008 3:55 am

Those are beautiful Amanda - your skills are outstanding.

I am curious as to how you cut them out so nicely though. I have been using skin biopsy (new) punches as they are razor sharp to cut the holes, but the outline is beyond my skill to freehand. I had thought about approaching some shop to make me a punch, but am not sure where to start.

I had also thought of using my wife's cricut machine - like an inkjet printer, but it moves a razor blade around instead of a printhead. Works well on paper, but not sure how it would work on fabric.

As a note about printable fabric, my aunt who is a quilter ( http://www.sharonquilts.com ) said that if you hot iron baker's paper to many types of fabric, that it can be run through any inkjet printer. Then you just dry iron the fabric after to heat-set the ink. Haven't tried it myself yet, but that is because of lack of time - darn doctor thing is getting in the way of my fun.

Anyways - thanks for sharing your designs - they are brilliant.

Lee

Lamanda2 · Post by **Lamanda2** » Fri May 30, 2008 5:38 am

"I am curious as to how you cut them out so nicely though...."

Very Carefully, with a pair of scissors (I had to buy a pair with comfy grip handles (Kinda), because it was very uncomfortable otherwise). Will my hands forgive me for the pain I've unleashed apon them, cutting out heaps of capes? ..Maybe

They are not perfect however. I'm sure if you took two side-by-side, you would see that. But I do try my best to cut them nicely. The designs that gives me the most trouble is the wavey flag, which is part of the reason why it is the most expensive design of mine (That and it gobbles up more ink and fabric).

I've heard that freezer paper can be ironed (Correct spelling?) onto fabric, allowing it to be passed through a printer. Only trouble is that I've had no luck finding any other good fabric, with such a high thread-count. But I have to say, for it's simplicity, I don't mind paying some extra for these fabric sheets.

I've looked at Cricut machines in the Craft Store, but was also unsure of it's ability to cut fabric, as from what I have seen, it seems to be used more for cutting paper, for things like scrap-booking, etc.

For anyone who is interested; I spent the day printing, treating, and cutting out some new designs. Some of which are just new patterns on my usual templates, but I also came up with some completely new designs.

Items of interest:

"Old Glory"(More countries to come, in due time)

Castle printed pauldrons,
-Crusader Axe
-Crownie
-Clover

Straight Flags,
Crusader Axe
Bulls
Classic Dragon
Classic Lion
375 Crown

I also made this new LOTR design, requested by a Bricklink member. It took alot of work to design, but I am very happy with the results.

I'm still running my 20% off sale in shop, and will continue it to the end of this week (When I come online Monday, I will remove the sale prices).

..However, the mention of "Classic-Castle" in the order comments section will always grant you 5% credit, sale or no sale.

Thanks.

~Amanda

castlebuilder100 · Post by **castlebuilder100** » Fri May 30, 2008 5:41 am

Wow those new ones look great. I especially like those straight flags. The think I liked most was that Rohan flag though. It is awesome.

Roaglaan · Post by **Roaglaan** » Fri May 30, 2008 9:48 am

I agree those are pretty amazing, great job. The Rohan flag is very well done, nice detail.

Roag

divonic · Post by **divonic** » Fri May 30, 2008 5:10 pm

these are great

I hadn't purchased anything from brinklink for quite a while but I just ordered a number of capes and flags.

Lamanda2 · Post by **Lamanda2** » Fri May 30, 2008 8:52 pm

"The think I liked most was that Rohan flag though. It is awesome."

"The Rohan flag is very well done, nice detail."

Thanks guys, I'm glad it was well-taken.
..The guy who requested the design gobbled up the ones I had listed, so I guess I'll have to print off some more so to have some in stock.

"I hadn't purchased anything from brinklink for quite a while but I just ordered a number of capes and flags."

Thank you - Invoice sent!

I went ahead and took the 5% off your order, as you are a CC member, and qualify for that discount. It's not much, but it's my little way of saying "Thanks" to the forum readers for their support (That and I like to add a bonus item or so to your order(s) as well.).

Got 3 new designs up today:
-LOTR Flag, Blue/Yellow Decorative
-LOTR Flag, Tree
-Urak-Hai Flag

~Amanda