Not Again!

It seems I may have been a bit premature about being realigned with the universe.  I guess I still need a 'do over button' similar to the 'easy button' featured on the Staples commercials!  I have yet to locate either of those buttons however, and the sane side of my brain says it's likely not to happen. 

I won't bore everyone with all the details, suffice it to say it's just a bunch of little stuff that keeps happening.  You know...... kinda like having an itch on your back that you can't reach.  I am trying to ignore it, but sometimes it just doesn't work!

Long story short, I sew and print bandanas to sell to animal rescue groups for their adoption events.  You may have seen these type of events at your local PetsMart.  The bandanas are printed to appear that the dog or cat is saying to the viewer, "Adopt Me".  They are meant to draw attention to the adoptees in the hopes that the animal will find his or her 'furever' home.  

Yesterday I had two orders for a total of two dozen 'Adopt Me' bandanas.  First I have to hem them up.

(No, I didn't sew my fingers thank goodness)

The next step is printing the pattern onto transfer paper from my computer to the printer.  The transfers are printed on specially inked paper that is not horribly expensive, but not so cheap as to want to mess them up since my profit margin on the scarves is minimal.  

I was humming right along and had printed all the transfers using up several sheets of the special paper.  After printed and cut to size, you are ready to print.  I have a big ole ugly heat press that I use and it has to be set at nearly 400 degrees to ensure the ink on the transfer melds into the fabric of the item.   Ready, set,....go.

Wait, screech, halt....something's wrong here.

Notice the transfer at the top of this picture....it's backwards right.  And the one below it is not.  Now you might think the one on top is wrong but it's not.  When you lay the transfer on the item you are pressing, the ink side goes down directly making contact with the item you are printing so the transfers must be printed in mirror image.  Like holding up a newspaper to the mirror and trying to read it.  It MUST be backward!

Well lo and behold, the unaligned universe got me again and I had forgotten to set the mirror image option on my printer.  Printing ALL two dozen wrong.  Or technically if you wanted to read them, they were right....but wrong for what I was doing!!

It's not all bad, there is more than one pattern to a page so I didn't waste 24 transfer sheets.  I would have gone back to bed if that had happened!!  I think I ruined only about 5 sheets, not a total loss.  Mostly a loss of my time as each transfer has to be cut out by hand before pressing.  (Kinda makes you feel like you are in kindergarten learning how to use scissors.  Or do they do that in first or second grade now!?)

Anyway....I got the orders done and shipped out yesterday.  Am trying to overlook this mis-aligned universe thing and will see what happens today.  Below is a picture of the big ole ugly heat press as well as a couple of the finished products.

Am counting on being realigned today but just in case that's not in the works, think I'm going back to bed!!