Where Digital Precision Meets Handmade Expression ! MiScreen A4, the Perfect Partner for Creative Workshops

Introduction

Baby Lock Studio Nippori (https://www.babylock.co.jp/studio/nippori)

Baby Lock Studio Nippori Japan, operated by Baby Lock Inc., a global manufacturer of overlock sewing machines.
Amidst a shrinking home sewing machine market, this facility was created to spread the joy of making things. It centers around sewing machines while utilizing various other equipment to offer hands-on crafting experiences.
Opening two locations in Tokyo (Nippori) and Osaka (Senba) in 2021, it regularly hosts workshops using sewing machines. Beyond apparel made with sewing machines, it also features equipment like UV printers and laser cutters, enabling diverse crafting experiences.
What’s unique is that the company doesn’t view this facility solely as a place to sell its own sewing machines. Its goal is to enable unique creations by combining sewing machines with other equipment, ultimately increasing the number of users engaged in criation activities. To achieve this, it combines the latest digital devices with handmade craftsmanship.
This concept has gained reputation and workshops held there are now consistently booked solid.

What they use

  • The MiScreen a4

MiScreen a4

MiScreen a4 is a desktop-sized digital screen plate-making machine utilising the “RISO Dry Thermal Screen Making Technology,” which requires no chemicals like emulsions or water cleaning process.
Screen making can be easily performed without darkrooms and washout booths.
Operation involves connecting to a computer, transfer data, simply setting the Screen Master and then pressing down the unit. Screen making takes approximately 35 seconds, enabling the production of screens up to A4 size from your desktop.

Interview

  • Interview #1
  • Interview#2
  • Interview#3

Exploding in Popularity! A Workshop for Creating Original Bags with Screen Printing

Baby Lock Studio Nippori held a workshop where participants made original bags using the compact digital screen making machine the “MiScreen a4”.
The workshop involved using your own artwork to screen print on your preferred fabric, creating original material, then sewing it into a bag with an overlock sewing machine.
It proved so popular that even with advance reservations, a waiting list quickly formed.

The Unique Joy Beyond Garment Printers

Baby Lock Studio Nippori is also equipped with a DTG (Direct To Garment) printer. While it might seem easier to create original fabrics using the DTG printer, Ms. Takeda, a staff member at the company, says screen printing is a better fit for workshops. While screen printing allows for a variety of fabrics and the use of glitter or specialty inks, the main reason is that “the sheer joy of creating something is overwhelmingly greater.
“With the DTG printer, you create the data on a computer, press the start button, and then just watch the print head move. Screen printing, on the other hand, requires you to pull the squeegee yourself, and you don’t know if you did it well until you remove the screen. Even if it comes out blurry or misaligned, that’s not a failure—it can become part of the character. That kind of enjoyment simply can’t be experienced with a DTG printer.”

MiScreen a4: Combining Ease and Professional Quality

That said, screen printing faces challenges with screen making. Just watching a DTG printer is boring, but traditional emulsion screen making involves various processes like exposure and water washing, making it hard to focus on the actual creation.
Therefore, the company utilizes the MiScreen a4, which allows for a simplified digital plate-making process while enabling the enjoyment of analog printing.
It also offers the advantages of low production and sales cost, plus a lightweight body weighing approximately 2.9 kg/6.4 lbs, making it convenient to carry and ideal for use at outdoor events and offsite workshops.
Furthermore, MiScreen a4 was developed utilising technology cultivated in the professional-use digital screen making machine the RISO GOCCOPRO Series” used in printing factories. This ensures it delivers sufficient print quality despite its ease of use.
“When considering how to let many people easily enjoy authentic screen printing, MiScreen a4 becomes the choice,” says Ms. Takeda.

Making an Original Pouch with MiScreen a4 and an Overlock Sewing Machine

  • Step

1. Select your preferred fabric and ink.

2. Screen print the design onto the fabric using the screen made with MiScreen a4.

3. Place parchment paper over the printed fabric and apply heat with an iron to cure the ink.

4. Cut the fabric. The screen-printed fabric will become the pocket and shoulder pads.

5. Sew the lining, fabric, zipper, pockets, etc., together using an overlock sewing machine.

6. Attach shoulder straps, zipper pull leather, snaps, etc.

7. Complete.

Summary

Ms.Takeda noted that participants in the MiScreen a4 workshop tend to be younger than other workshop they run.
“Rather than being a hobby for housewives, I felt creators were participating with the goal of making their own goods. Combining sewing machines with digital devices to create something new is one of Baby Lock Studio’s aims. It’s gratifying to see young creators gathering here to make things with fresh ideas.”
Perhaps it’s the unique concept of MiScreen a4—neither purely analog nor solely digital—that is drawing creators of this era.

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