• Screen printing at home is fun and the possibilities are endless. You can screen print on clothing, home linens and home decor. Three methods make home screen printing easy to do at home, each having its own price point and level of versatility. Deciding which method works best for you depends greatly on the type of artwork you like to create and the amount of money you are willing to spend.
  
  

Personal Screen Printing Machines

• With a personal screen printing machine, you can create and print your own designs with the use of your computer and an ink-jet printer. The machines come with everything you need to get started, and replacement supplies like extra screens and inks are available for purchase separately. These machines are the easiest method for screen printing with the least amount of mess. The screens that you make can be used many times over, making this the most versatile of all of the home screen printing methods. Personal screen printing machines can be costly, but they are worth investing in if you have many ongoing screen printing projects in the works. The machines can be purchased on-line or at a local craft store.
  
  

Screen Printing Photo Emulsion Kits

• Screen printing photo emulsion kits allow you to photo copy your designs onto a transparency with an ink jet or laser printer to be screen printed onto T-shirts and apparel. They come with everything you need including the screen, squeegee, printing inks, photo emulsion, transparency and instructions. This method is fairly simple, offers more design potential than the less expensive method, but not as much detailed design potential as the stenciling method. Screen printing photo emulsion kits are fairly inexpensive, at about $50 or more in 2010. The kits costs less than purchasing the supplies separately. They can be purchased on-line or at a local craft store.
  
  

Screen Printing with Stencils

• Stenciling is a fun and creative method that allows you to design simple one-color artwork, like shapes and letters, to be traced onto freezer paper and cut out as a stencil. The stencil is placed under the screen and the silk screening processes commence. With this method, multiple stencils can be created to add color or dimension to your design. Stenciling is not as versatile as some of the other methods, because there is limited use of the stencil. But it does allow for a lot of fun and imagination in creating your own simple artwork. Stenciling is the least expensive way to screen print at home. The required supplies include ink, screen, tape, squeegee and freezer paper. Supplies are purchased separately either on-line or at a local craft store.