Getting custom-printed shirts on Etsy

I have always coveted so many of the cool screen-printed T-shirts I see on Etsy, but I was always sad and frustrated that most of them were not available in my size. I'm not even that unusual of a size, I wear an XL in most bricks&mortar stores. But the blank shirts used by most Etsy screen-printers are either American Apparel, or Alternative Apparel, and unfortunately both of these companies have strange sizing and their largest sizes (in women's shirts) are still too small. American Apparel, for example, goes up to XXL but it's equivalent to a L in normal sizes. I could always buy the men's shirts, but they aren't really a flattering cut on me. So I have gazed longingly at the cute T-shirts, like a little hungry orphan with her nosed pressed against the candy store window. (only, not that little. hence my problem!)

So recently I decided to contact some Etsy sellers and ask if they would print their awesomely cool designs on blank shirts I supplied. It's not difficult to find shirts that fit me in stores like Target or Old Navy. I know these are probably sweatshop made, but what can you do when all the "socially conscious" brands don't even acknowledge that women exist over a size 12?
Anyway, the sellers all said yes! And I had lots of blank shirts already in my wardrobe, so then I had to decide which designs to get printed on which color of shirt. I was now like the little kid inside the candy store, overwhelmed with all the appealing choices. In the end I ordered eight shirts from four different sellers. They all came out fabulous and it makes me wish I'd done this a year ago!

Behold my new summer wardrobe of cool shirts!:
These two are from SalmonStreetStudio


These three are from Ahpeele. Several of them have a design that wraps around to the back, which is very cool.


These two are from CircularAccessories


I also got this design on a black V-neck, from Satisfactory. This photo isn't my shirt, I just didn't get around to photographing that one.



So I am super happy with all the shirts and I can't recommend these shops highly enough. They were all very friendly to work with. If you also wear a larger size and feel frustrated or left out because you can't buy the cute shirts on Etsy, just try asking them about this option to supply your own shirt. It does take a bit more effort and you have to think about colors and style, so it's not as spontaneous as just buying "off the virtual rack". But it's totally worth it when you see the results.

I'm featured on The Budget Casa

The Budget Casa featured my plastic bag fusing tutorial!
If you don't want to try fusing yourself, check out my Etsy shop for finished items made of recycled plastic.

Shout Outs!

Time to give some shout outs to some amazing, cool, talented and GENEROUS Etsy members who have contributed to my plastic fusing mania by sending me some great plastic bags.

First there was my trip to England in July. I brought back some great orange plastic bags from Sainsbury's, a supermarket chain in the UK. But I used them up so fast! I was sad. My boring U.S. supermarket uses boring white bags. But I knew the Etsy community could make me happy! I posted a plea to UK Etsians to collect and save their Sainsbury's bags for me. Two smashing Brits came through for me, yay!
Thank you to http://magpienest.etsy.com and http://duckduckGoosestuff.etsy.com for all the gorgeous orange plastic!


They actually sent much more than this, but I used some of the bags already.


custom trick or treat bags, front and back are fused plastic and
sides are black cotton with silver reflective safety stripe


Then came Halloween, my favorite holiday of the year. And Halloween candy comes in the coolest plastic bags. All these great bags were sent to me by http://funkyquail.etsy.com and http://luna2005.etsy.com.


I have already fused some of the donated bags into projects

(that's a Sainsbury's bag as the background)



And last but DEFINITELY not least, is the amazing huge bundle of uber-cool Japanese plastic bags, sent to me by the extremely generous http://pipi.etsy.com. I just received them this week. I can't wait to start fusing these!

There's gotta be at least 50 bags in here.
Here is just a small sampling of the amazing Japanese plastic bags, with incredible cute and colorful graphics!


SQUEEE!!!
Thank you to all of these sellers for sending me such beautiful bags.

To learn how to fuse plastic bags yourself, check out my tutorial in this blog.
To purchase some of my fused plastic creations, visit my Etsy store. And be sure to check back in my store frequently to see some of the great bags above transformed into cute and funky accessories!