Monthly Archives: July 2026

Poor Man’s Printmaking Press

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I’ve long wanted a printmaking press but always felt it was a bridge too far in the art supply/equipment acquisition department. They are big, they are heavy, they are fussy and I just don’t do enough printing to justify one.

However, one day as I was pondering my lack of a press for linoleum block printing, it occurred to me that the old Sizzix die-cutting machine I bought for Laura in her scrapbook phase that was still lurking in one of my art supply storage units might work as a tiny printing press. Several times I’d thought I should get rid of it, but somehow I just couldn’t. Meantime, I’d seen online hacks of old credit card imprint machines to make small linoleum block prints and that was cool, but those machines are hard to find and there’s quite a bit of adjustment required to make them work. Plus the size limitations are pretty extreme. Would the Sizzix machine work?

Well the answer is yes.

This is the second 2” x 3” landscape I’ve printed. Next I want to try 3” x 5” and those are really the outside dimensions that this little press can manage, but I’ll be on the lookout for other obsolete die cutting machines that might provide a larger printing area. Still, I think this will remain my favorite for its ease of use and the fact that you don’t have to roll the plate through the press and run the risk of things shifting.

I am also now inspired to finish my 3” x 3” letter series. I can print those blocks in this press as well.

Here’s the setup:

Why do I sew?

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Well this is a HUGE reason. These 2 nightgowns, purchased several years apart, are both from Land’s End and both are a size medium. I bought the new light blue one because I liked the navy blue paisley one so well. It fit just the way I like my nightgowns to fit and was made of lovely pima cotton. The new one is easily 2 sizes larger than the old one while still claiming to be a “medium.” No amount of laundering is ever going to make that bigger gown approach the proportions of the original.

I make a lot of my own clothing, but until recently I didn’t make lingerie or nightgowns. First I had to capitulate on wireless bras (couldn’t find one to fit in any store so yes, I now make my own) and now, possibly, nightgowns. Luckily, I’ve got the equipment, the fabric, the pattern and the notions. I’ll be on the lookout for the time.

Die Hard…

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As in “old habits die hard.” On my current sewing project, pins don’t work with the fabric so I’m using these wonderful Mini Wonder Clips instead and they have their happy little home right next to my pincushion. I turned to look at the end of sewing a seam and found a pile of the Wonder Clips right where I placed them after removal, without thinking, without looking, just sewing along on autopilot.

Yeah, not exactly where they belong, but close:

Incidentally, because these clips don’t naturally stand at the ready like pins in a pincushion, I find it’s helpful to stage them like this before use:

And even though they are mostly made of plastic, when I drop them I can still use my handy extending magnetic pin retriever to retrieve them from the floor due to the steel in their little springs:

You notice it’s when and not if I drop them. Every sewing enthusiast needs one of these telescoping magnets for retrieving errant pins, needles, machine screws, bobbins, etc.

Ooh, and if you happened to notice that little bent awl from Clover in the first photo above, there’s another fine sewing gadget you could live without, but once you have it, you will think you just can’t live without it and will order up a spare just in case it wanders…like my thoughts.