wannaquilt1

what do you use to make a photo quilt? I have iron on sheets where I got 5 sheets for $11 at Michales, but this seems expensive to me, does anyone know of any other or better way of doing it so it's not so much? I'd like to make one for my mom that has maybe 10 pics?

trif

I use printed treasures photo fabric. It is a bit pricey but good quality. I buy mine at joanns with a coupon, which does help with the cost. I have used other brands and haven't been as happy. I figure if it's a photo quilt it's "photo's" should be the focus. Good luck and have fun with it.

Janquiltz

I make my own fabric sheets. Use prepared for dyeing fabric or get a good quality muslin and wash it to get the sizing out. Cut a muslin strip 9" wide WOF. Cut freezer paper about 8 1/2" wide and same WOF as your fabric. Sub-cut freezer paper to 11". Iron freezer paper on to the fabric strip, then cut fabric strip to 11". Your letter size fabric backed with freezer paper is ready to go through the printer so that you can print your photo on it. One hint is to cut a small diagonal piece out of each leading corner of your fabric sheet. This is suppose to allow the paper to feed through the printer properly. Another hint is to make sure whether your fabric sheet should be fed in to the printer fabric facing down or facing up. I usually write "fabric face up" and put the paper face up I print something to see if what I printed prints on the front or back and then feeding one fabric sheet at a time I print my pictures.

I let the photos rest for 24 hours to ensure that they are completely dry. You can remove the freezer paper at this point. Then I heat set them with the iron on cotton and press picture side down. Then I hand wash each fabric photo - let air dry and press again. Good luck. PS Your iron on sheets are probably meant to be used to put a picture or whatever onto the front of a tee shirt. I believe that this type fabric sheet makes a "rubber/plastic-type" print.

wannaquilt1

Oh that sounds great! And alot less $$$$$. What does WOF stand for? Do I use adheasive or anything to get the muslin to stick to the freezer paper?

purrfectquilts

When making your own fabric sheets, it is best to use the Bubble Jet Set and Bubble Jet Rinse to treat the fabric first before ironing it to the freezer paper. Most printers, even those that use Durabrite inks, will wash out most of the print if not treated with Bubble Jet Set.

Check out www.cjenkinscompany.com for lots of good information about printing on fabric.

The sheets that you bought at Michael's, which sound to us like iron-on transfer sheets....will eventually crack with washing and your pictures will be lost or ruined.

Printing directly on the treated fabric makes the pictures last longer and be more vibrant. However, with time, they will fade. Keep the finished quilt away from sunlight and do not wash very often. Good luck!

sumcoop

I used June Taylor sheets from hobby lobby and heat set....THEY WASH OUT the pic...DO NOT USE THEM. Bubble set was not available here.
Lesson learned.

janeknapp

WOF - Width of Fabric

sewmagic

Here is a video from Sewing with Nancy. Hope that helps!
www.nancysnotions.com/category/video+demos/printing+photos+on+fabric.do

CoriAmD

I have used the "photo" transfer sheets. I print several pictures on one sheet (remember to reverse the picture so when you iron it onto the fabric, it shows correctly) then cut the individual pics out and iron on. Be sure to get the PHOTO tranfer paper, NOT the iron on tranfer paper (ask me how I know this... ha ha ha) These quilts can be washed but I do recommend to the people I make them for, not to wash them any more than absolutely necessary.

clsurz

What she said below is how I also do it.