Heat Sealing Vinyl Tarps

I had tried some experiments with a soldering iron to make a heat seam on vinyl tarps. But I couldn't get a good looking, scorch-proof result. I think the commercial ones cost an arm and a leg. As I recall they are like flat irons for the hair, only more robust.

So I recently got a Seal-a-Meal from Canadian Tire, and I thought I'd try fusing two pieces of recycled billboard vinyl tarp together with it. I had to do it twice with this particular vinyl in order to attain a good enough seal. But the ink doesn't migrate onto the machine and I'm happy with the result.

Test tarp with two sealed edges.

I don't know all the applications for seaming the vinyl this way, but one I can think of right now is making vinyl envelopes for my art cards. I had been sewing them but this method is quick and fun.

Well what do you know, the seal is waterproof.  I filled it full of water, no leaks.

Billboard Recycling, Where it's At

The average tarpaulin used for advertising is 60-70% PVC, with an internal polyester fibre mesh. Source: Vinyloop.com. <-----------These folks are working on recycling tarpaulin material and they have a pilot project underway in Ferrara, Italy. The process involves separating the PVC from the fibers. The PVC is treated and recycled and the fibers can then be used to create polyester felt.

As they don't have a tarpaulin recycling plant here yet, and they don't qualify for the Calgary Blue Box recycling program, we might as well make stuff out of them!

Vinyl Feather Guard Prevent Window Bird Strikes

I got this idea and I just had to make a video to along with it!

Making "Grow Bags" for plants from vinyl banners

Thanks to SouthCentre Mall for used banners

From Krista Moroz, Public and Community Relations Manager at SouthCentre: "What a great concept and very environmentally friendly. Southcentre often has banners that we are finished with and would welcome the opportunity to avoid sending them to a landfill. "

So I got three CIBC Run for the Cure banners in grey with pink accents.

Here's a picture of my latest soap tote on Etsy.

First Soap Tote Sale!

Yay me! I'm a businesswoman, woot! The client wrote, "I'm excited to receive it! I travel a lot and usually throw my soap in a plastic baggie. I was excited when I found this cute bag instead."

Vinyl Adhesive

Sewing appliques is time consuming, especially since my 1948 Singer does not have a backstitch. Lots of turning. I wanted to find an adhesive that would work for vinyl to vinyl applications on wallets, purses, and my soap totes.

At my local big box hardware store I found Lepage Flexible Plastic Adhesive. Works great, have to be careful not to get it on to the outer dyed surfaces because it removes the finish. Can't wait to make a wallet and field test it. When you try to pull it apart it leaves the outer vinyl layer so that you can see the inner mesh of the banner. Also works for vinyl on glass. So you could use it to stick vinyl letters to glazed tiles. Ha! now I can put "flush" onto the toilet tank!

Graphic Design Course Book Cover

I have to design a book cover using only text and geometric elements plus one other color along with black and white. Here's my first attempt. How is it coming across, do you get what the book is about? Comments appreciated! I will tell you what my teacher thinks of it after next Tuesday's class.

Update: Well, it didn't work, people didn't get it. I thought with the additions I had from the first draft, the word "Recycled" and the "Things to Make with Them" that the design would work. But, they didn't. My problem is that I was having trouble coming up with a new idea so I went with this one. Someone also thought that the grommets were part of a film strip.

I guess I learned that sometimes what is needed is to go back to square one rather than being committed to a design that isn't working.