[TYVEK]

when i very first started, i was using contact paper and would trace the design on the contact paper. then would put it on the disc and cut it on the disc. not the best way by any means, but when you are working with contact paper most transfer tapes will be to sticky to work with transfering your cut image to the disc.

after breaking down and ordering vinyl (white is the easiest to work with) off ebay my practices have changed. what i do now is find the design i want, then make it the right size on the computer or copier. i lay that on my light table(home made and inexpensive to make) then lay a 11"x11" square of vinyl over the top with the backing side down. once i have the design centered on the square of vinyl i tape them together so the design wont move around underneathe the vinyl. next i start cutting out all the parts of the design that i want black.

if it is a multicolor dye i will take a fine sharpie and draw the lines where other colors will go later on. after all the black parts have been cut, i remove the vinyl from those places. then i put on the transfer tape covering the whole design(i use blue painters tape because i can get it really cheap) once the transfer tape is on i take off the design from the back and slowly pull the backing off of the vinyl square. once the backing is off i put the vinyl down sticky side up. if the disc is clear then i can line up the design with the disc easily and lower the disc down on the desing by only holding the rim. if the disc is not clear then i trace a circle on the vinyl with the disc before i do any of the above steps. that way you can use the circle to line up the disc with your design.

once i have lowered the disc onto the vinyl, i give it a good press to help get as much vinyl adheared to the disc as possible. then i will flip it over and start working all the air bubbles out towards the sides of the disc using a credit card or something like that. then wrap any ecxess vinyl around the egdes of the disc and its ready for the dye bath!

i know that is a long explanation, but it should be pretty detailed.