Here’s a nice, easy way to print wrapping paper or even fabric. I don’t know whether these would be considered relief or collagraph prints, maybe both. You could also carve a wooden rolling pin if you desired. But this way I can remove the cork and reuse the rolling pin. Anyway, here’s what’cha need to make some rolling pin prints:
Materials:
- Rolling Pin (got mine at Ikea for a few bucks) – if you get a wooden one like mine, you may want to seal it, but I just left mine au naturale. You could also use PVC pipe or cardboard mailing tube if you want thicker/thinner cylinder
- cork contact paper or foam sheets with adhesive back
-scissors and xacto knife and cutting mat
-measuring tape
-sharpie
- long piece of plexi glass for rolling ink out onto should be at least the length and width of your rollling pi
- water-based block printing ink or acrylic paints (or oil, just use vegetable oil to clean plexi and they take longer to dry). I like the block printing inks because they are thicker, more pigmented and have slightly slower drying time then plain acrylics. This gives me a few minutes to arrange stuff when working. If printing on fabric make sure your using proper paint or ink.
- brayer
- paper or fabric to print onto
First, measure your rolling pin. Measure the circumference and length.
Then, cut a piece of cork contact to the size of the rolling pin
Draw your design on the cork with a sharpie. I like designs that are interconnected because they look cool when printed, but you could certainly cut out individual shapes and that would look killer too.
Cut out using scissors and xacto blade. I found the scissors worked great for cutting away large pieces and the xacto blade worked well for cutting out the small bits.
Remove the adhesive from the back of the cork. Arrange the design flat with the sticky side up. (Make sure that the design fits within the size of your rolling pin). Roll the pin over the design so that it sticks to the pin. Roll the pin back forth and put plenty of pressure on the pin to make sure the cork is well adhered.
Fill in gaps. If you find that the rolling pin is tilting and the wood is touching your surface, you can cut some shapes to fill in the gaps. Like I did with the flower below.
Roll out ink. Squeeze ink out onto plexi in a long strip. Use the brayer to roll the ink and evenly spread it on your plate. You will need quite a bit of ink because the cork really soaks it up.
![](http://craftchi.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/20080818_0675.jpg "Squeeze out \")
Ink up your design. One thing to remember when inking up is to pick up the roll in one direction. Turn the roller and ink the other direction. This way you get as much as ink as evenly as possible on the cork.
Print your design. It’s a good idea to practice a few times on newsprint or some scrap before printing on your good paper.
Hang dry your prints. I used this kraft paper on a roll. It was curling up on me so I had to tape it up. You can also use a hair dryer to speed drying.
A word about clean-up. Another nice thing about the water-based block printing inks is that I can easily rinse my plexi and brayer off in the sink. To clean the rolling pin, you SHOULDN’T put under running water if you want your design to stay in place. The water soaks into the wood and your adhesive starts to give. This caused a petal off one of my flowers to fall off. I found it worked better to roll the pin over some damp paper towels or newsprint. However, when I was ready to remove the design, I just placed the rolling pin under the water and it slipped right off, allowing me to reuse the rolling pin.
I absolutely love your tutorials, Craft Chi. They are well described, easy to follow, and most importantly, fresh and exciting results!
Thank you.
Another fantastic tutorial! This is a great idea — thanks for sharing!
This is UNBELIEVABLY GENIUS!! Thank you one thousand times for this tutorial. I’m so freakin’ excited to try it.
So brilliant! Thanks for an awesome tutorial!
What a great project!! Thanks!
This is FABULOUS! My first visit to your blog and WOW! I’ll be linking to this in the Daily DIY and adding you so I don’t miss a thing!
This is such a fantastic idea and project. Thanks so much for sharing.
This is ingenious! Thanks for sharing a fun and fantastic project with complete, concise, and understandable instructions.
Thanks for your kind comments everyone. This kind of feedback helps keep me going! Also, feel free to offer any ideas, or tips in your comments!
Oh, Amy, you have sparked me! Great tutorial as usual from a naturally born teacher.
Thanks.
thank you Amy for this wonderful tutorial! I’ve seen roller printers around, but never really crossed my mind to make one myself! I may well do that now, what a great way to make personal gift wrapping paper or fabric (i’m thinking of making reuseable gift bags this year)!
Adding your site to my blog!
cheers!
Joey x
This seems one of those “DUH why didn’t I think of that” type things. Simple, fun and does the job! Will go into my to do when I need to print pile. Thanks. Also will be checking out more of your site.
Best. Idea. Ever!
This so far the amazing thing I’ve ever seen and I am soooo eager to make one sample for myself! THANKS!
This is brilliant. I will have the greatest wrapping paper ever.
Very cool! This could also be used in wall painting, I think.
fantastic! you are the smartest woman alive!
achei uma graça de idéia!!!!
vou fazer vários panos agora , obrigada!!!!
really awesome tutorial!
You are a brilliant genius! Cork! So great.
Ditto! You are brilliant!
I loved this idea so much that I ran off to Goodwill for a couple of rolling pins and got my two and three year old girls involved in making prints with thier foam stickers. Too much fun. Thank you!
Lindsey, thanks for sharing those images of your daughters making rolling pin prints that really warmed my heart! The prints are beautiful! Great idea using foil to spread the ink onto!
OOOO! OOOO! I’ve done this by wrapping string or rubber bands around the rolling pin – but contact paper cork?! In a pattern?! Brilliant! The mind boggles! And delights! And possibilities abound! Tee hee!
THank you for posting this. My crafty sewing friend wanted fabric to make me a skirt. And I’m never happy with any fabric prints I see so I’m making my own using this method. Seems quite up my alley, so thank you for the easy to understand tutorial!
Such a genius idea!! I love it! I remember making my own paper when I was a kid with potatoes and apples but this is awesome. I will definitely keep this one in mind for future projects….
Thanks for this wonderful tuto !
See if you can picture this: You make a great design in the middle of your square. Leave corners blank. So far, so good?
Now cut the square in exact 1/2 top to botton, and then side to side. Now you have 4 small squares. Breath. Without moving the pattern around at all, trade all corners for their opposites. Breath. Got it so far?
Now you have your design on the outside 4 corners, with the middle blank. OK???
Fill the blank middle with more design.
Put on the rolling pin just the way it is now.
Why do all this?
NOW you have a pattern that will match itself, side by side, and top to bottom. This is how wallpaper is made !!!!!
This sounds complicated, so try it with paper first. It really works!!!!!!!!!
Brilliant, thanks for sharing!
I love this idea. You are headlining my blog today.
This is a great idea for homemade wrapping paper! I’ve included a link in our homemade wrapping paper article. (Linked from my name!) Thanks for sharing =D
wow, I find your rolling pins absolutely COOL! That is a sweet idea for the holiday gift wrapping. Awesome.
I’m excited to look through the rest of your blog for cool artistic ideas!
Finally, a use for my long-neglected rolling pin! Thanks for sharing this fantastic tutorial!
This is such a clever idea, thanks so much for the tutorial!
wow, Amy! this is super-cool! thanks for the tutorial. and thanks to Joline for leaving the cool repeat pattern instructions in the commments!