Originally Posted by ckcowl

i've had pretty good luck preping fabric (or using already prepared for dying fabric) freezer paper backed and run through my ink jet printer...a couple tips...after printing set aside and let (cure-dry) for at least 24 hours, then heat set. and for me anyway after heat setting i am heat setting each time i press the blocks being made. have one set of pictures used in a quilt that is about 5 years old now, been washed...lots....although the colors may not be as bright as in the beginning they have not faded all that much, just the brightness is lessened. the pictures still look good.bubble jet and retayne are both products i've used to prep for this technique along with using the printer fabrics available in some markets...which by the way are NOT all created equal and range in price from (rideculous) to reasonable...i use the june taylor ones -- 10 in a pack for about $10-$12. made the mistake once of buying a package from joannes (my least favorite store out there, but thats another story) without really paying attention to what i was getting...paid somthing like $14 for it, got home and there was only 3 sheets and they were stiff...and did not work well at all...color ran right out of them after a week of curing and heat setting, took one to the sink, ran cold water through and the color washed right out...so, i would never waste money on those again...but that is the only time i've had a problem...done about 11 quilts with pictures in the past 6 or 7 years, they are all holding up well...with the exception of the one i took to a printer and paid big bucks to have printed for me (it was too big for my printer) that one turned out like 'plastic' and ruined first wash...
before actually making a quilt do some experimentation...
another consideration is the ink you use...when i purchase expensive ink cartridges for my hp printer the colors last and stay vibrant...when i have refills or (genaric) cartridges the colors fade and loose their vibrancy...