Quiltingboard Forums

Quiltingboard Forums (https://www.quiltingboard.com/)
-   Main (https://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1/)
-   -   Printing Photos on Fabric (https://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1/printing-photos-fabric-t209934.html)

Sande 01-02-2013 04:42 PM

Printing Photos on Fabric
 
I am making a quilt top for someone that wants to have 4 jpeg photos of his dog included in the top. Can anyone recommend a high quality method for transferring the photos to fabric? Should i use quilters cotton? There is a company at the local shopping mall that charges $20 for each photo (if you provide the fabric they might discount this) but can only print on an 8 by10 piece of fabric. I know you can buy fabric transfer paper and do it yourself but I didn't 't know if the quality of this method is long lasting.

Thanks for all your help,

Sande from New Jersey

Lilrain 01-02-2013 04:58 PM

you may be able to google and get ratings for different photo transfer sheets. I know some work better than others, some need treating after the photo has been printed on them. Some are not 100% cotton. All things to consider, and I am not sure where you coud get something printed that would be bigger than 8 1/2 by 11".

Lilrain 01-02-2013 04:59 PM

And that $20 price tag seems a bit steep to me.

Sande 01-02-2013 05:02 PM

$20 per seems steep to me too

Carron 01-02-2013 05:03 PM

Hi Sande, I print on fabric alot and use a good quality cotton, usually white. I iron a piece of freezer paper (the size of what your printer will take) onto said white cotton. Run it through the printer and then simply pull off the freezer paper, which can be reused over and over. I then will iron the fabric with the picture simply to heat set it. Works great every time and I have used this method on quilts that get used and washed. Hope this helps.

Sande 01-02-2013 05:24 PM


Originally Posted by Carron (Post 5757877)
Hi Sande, I print on fabric alot and use a good quality cotton, usually white. I iron a piece of freezer paper (the size of what your printer will take) onto said white cotton. Run it through the printer and then simply pull off the freezer paper, which can be reused over and over. I then will iron the fabric with the picture simply to heat set it. Works great every time and I have used this method on quilts that get used and washed. Hope this helps.

Wow! That sounds awesome. I am going to try this! Thank you, Carron.

mindless 01-02-2013 06:01 PM


Originally Posted by Carron (Post 5757877)
Hi Sande, I print on fabric alot and use a good quality cotton, usually white. I iron a piece of freezer paper (the size of what your printer will take) onto said white cotton. Run it through the printer and then simply pull off the freezer paper, which can be reused over and over. I then will iron the fabric with the picture simply to heat set it. Works great every time and I have used this method on quilts that get used and washed. Hope this helps.

I've used this method too....a lot. It works really well, & the fabric doesn't feel stiff like cardboard the way it does with some of the store bought transfer sheets (which I've also used a lot).
Just don't panic if the sheet gets jammed in your printer. Most printers have a 'back door' you can use to retrieve any misbehaving sheets. (guess how I know):eek: Make sure you iron the freezer paper down really well, & try again.....one sheet at a time. If you keep your finished quilt out of the sunlight, it will maintain a brighter color longer....sunlight fades them fast! &, if you use a small amount of white vinegar in the wash water, that will also help the colors 'set' & stay bright.
good luck!


I just found this: http://www.pabric.com/largeformatpri...FUlxQgodVmEA3w

has anyone seen it or tried it? It looks interesting.

pamesue 01-02-2013 06:11 PM

I have printed on fabric but I have always treated my fabric with bubble jet wash and rinse - I was told that by doing this you would never have to worry about fading.....

Not sure it was true or not but, this is what I have always done.

Sande 01-02-2013 07:55 PM


Originally Posted by pamesue (Post 5758041)
I have printed on fabric but I have always treated my fabric with bubble jet wash and rinse - I was told that by doing this you would never have to worry about fading.....

Not sure it was true or not but, this is what I have always done.

I researched bubble jet. It sounds like it will work so I will try to find it and give it a try. Thanks Pamela Sue.

quiltstringz 01-03-2013 06:50 AM

Check out www.bryerpatch.com/ Caryl Bryer Fallert has a ton of information out there.

lakekids 01-03-2013 10:03 AM

Let's face it - fabric fades - all fabrics - including photos printed on fabric treated with Bubblejet set. It really depends on how often the item gets washed and in what temperature water.

Most often photos on fabric are used for wall hanging quilts that won't be washed very often. Printing photos on fabric requires that the fabric be treated with something - either by you or by buying commercially prepared photo fabric.

Now I have never tried printing photos on fabric using a laser printer but using an inkjet the fabric MUST be treated first.

Of course you could always ust photo transfers. In that case the photo needs to be reversed before transfering. Also T-shirt type transfers create a plasticy type feeling to the photo.

Bataplai 01-04-2013 09:14 PM

I don't have inkjet or bubble jet, only laser. Has anyone successfully transferred photos using the freezer paper method on a laser?

Dixiejar 02-16-2013 03:19 PM

Hi Sande,
Can you recommend a model number of a printer? I need to buy a new printer. I know enough to look at inkjet type and not laser. But I want to be able to print higher quality photos on fabric and don't know what printer would be best for this.
Thanks,
JoAnn

Cyn 02-16-2013 04:42 PM

I have a laser printer also and would love to know if anyone has had any luck with fabric on freezer paper thru one. They are too expensive to experiment and ruin! Yikes

karen526 02-16-2013 04:55 PM

I bought some bubblejet on Amazon for a reasonable price.

QuiltingGrannie 02-16-2013 05:25 PM

Printing on fabric with your printer only works on the ink jet printers, not on laser printers. I've used the fabric sheets you can buy in a package as well as used fabric on the freezer paper method. Using the freezer paper method is cheaper by far and works well. The only problem I have had is that the color ink washed out, but the black ink stayed fine when washed. I do think I forgot to heat set it that time when I did it.

Phyllis

Carron 02-16-2013 07:53 PM


Originally Posted by Cyn (Post 5866201)
I have a laser printer also and would love to know if anyone has had any luck with fabric on freezer paper thru one. They are too expensive to experiment and ruin! Yikes

I have an "older than dirt" HP ink jet printer, it works beautifully. As for the laser I don't know but you could take a piece of paper and place a big "X" on it and see if it copies onto fabric. Just make sure your fabric is ironed onto the freezer paper well, no up turned corners for that will give problems.


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 06:20 AM.