Fabric for the printer

[Joan J.]

Hey all --

I need to print an image on fabric and generally use the fabric sheets you can purchase, but don't have any on hand. I have an ink jet printer and I'm hoping someone has a technique I might be able to use without having to make a trip to the store.

Thanks. Deb

[Joan J.]

What I have done is to iron muslin to freezer paper, cut it to the right size for your printer and load it into the paper feed. You'll have to do something about making the ink colorfast. Also, you may need to use two layers of freezer paper. Hope this helps!
Sherry in S MS, where it's cloudy and warmish and I have a rotten cold.

[Mary K.]

Sherry - do you treat the muslin at all to make it colorfast? Mary Kay (where is was -18 degrees when I woke up this morning!)

[Mary K.]

Mary Kay-No I didn't! Mistake! I didn't worry about it because I was just playng around. But the little quilt I made turned out really cool and now I'm all paranoid about it getting wet! There is a product called something like Bubble Jet Rinse that will do the trick though. I've seen it at my LQS and on line.
Ummm...18 degrees? Holy crap! :shock:
Sherry

[Mary K.]

I use Bubble Jet Set 2000. I print a lot. There is also a rinse product to use after. I don't think it would do any good if the first product was not used. I have used the rinse and I find no difference between rinsed and not rinsed. I do however highly recommend the Jet Set. I also use PFD broadcloth for my printing. The high thread count gives me much clearer prints. And the lack of finishes on the PFD fabric makes the ink more likely to penatrate the fibers. Have fun printing. If you run into problems, feel free to contact me. Betty Ann

[Mary K.]

Thanks all. Sounds pretty easy. I have alot of PFD on hand since I dye my own fabric and I'll see if my LQS carries the bubble jet solution.

(Mary Kay -- The image you used for the challenge looked wonderful. Did you print that on fabric?)

Deb

[Mary K.]

I've used muslin and also regular white cotton fabric. I iron the freezer paper first before cutting it to size (freezer paper seems to shrink when ironed) and ironing it to the fabric. I ironed the printed fabric. My quilt is a bed quilt and has b een washed many times. The inks have faded some but not a lot. Jan

[Mary K.]

Here are my tips:[list]Use white Kona cotton, Bubble Jet and freezer paper. The high thread count helps prevent threads from getting caught up in your printer.[/list:u][list]Edit your image to increase color saturation by 25%.[/list:u][list]Make sure all of the loose threads are removed before inserting into your printer.[/list:u][list]Heat set after the ink dries and if you wash, be sure to not twist or wring.[/list:u][list]Drip dry or dry flat.[/list:u]

[Mary K.]

I did a test and it came out great. Ironed some muslin to the freezer paper and it ran through the printer with no problems. The color did seem a bit dull so ended up doing a little painting to liven things up. I was happy to see Nancy's suggestion for increasing the color saturation. I hadn't thought of that and will give it a try.

Deb

[Mary K.]

I used the already prepared fabric for printing sheets for the Army Navy program cover. I think the fabric sheets were relatively old, so some of the aging seemed to add to the aged look and feel of the program. The color was a bit dull in some spots, so I did add some painting here and there to liven up the piece.

I am going to try your recommendations, Nancy! I have been looking for an alternative to the expensive prepared fabric/photo sheets..... thanks for the recommendations!

Mary Kay

[Mary K.]

I've never purchased the fabric sheets because they are too expensive, even when on sale. Beside that, I certainly wouldn't want to use them for test prints, which invariably you will need to do to ensure the proper color, centering, etc. Also, if you don't want white (unprinted fabric) to show in your seams, you can edit your image to extend the color into the seams. I recently used this technique in my piece of a group slice quilt. Unfortunately, it's not completed yet, so I don't have a photo.

[Mary K.]

I have never used Bubble Jet Set 2000, where is it sold?

JoAnne

[Mary K.]

I've never purchased the fabric sheets because they are too expensive, even when on sale. Beside that, I certainly wouldn't want to use them for test prints, which invariably you will need to do to ensure the proper color, centering, etc. Also, if you don't want white (unprinted fabric) to show in your seams, you can edit your image to extend the color into the seams. I recently used this technique in my piece of a group slice quilt. Unfortunately, it's not completed yet, so I don't have a photo.

Can't wait to see your Group Slice Quilt, Nancy! Thanks again for all the tips - I have a good feeling about trying this out and not doing the expensive pre made photo fabric sheets any more!!!

Have a good weekend!

Mary Kay

[Mary K.]

I get Bubble Jet Set on line. Go to http://www.cjenkinscompany.com. This product is also avaliable at Dharma Trading Company so if you are ordering PFD fabric there, you can get the BJS too. Betty Ann in Foggy Florida

[Mary K.]

I purchased Bubble Jet and the Rinse at a local fabric store/quilt shop. Please note that it works with inkjet printers, not laser printers.