Mamacandoit

Hi everyone

I'm frantically making a quilt as a Christmas present.

I've made up some 9-patch blocks and my plan is to print some photos onto photofabric, cut out the photos to be the same size as the 9-patches and then sew the quilt top.

I've chosen the photos but is there an easy way to print them off so that the photos are 4in squares?

thank you!

Sheilz

I tried printing pics myself but ended up sending them off to be printed because the stuff I got just made a rubbery image on the fabric like a cheap transfer on a t shirt. I'm sorry thats the only experience I've had of that. I hope some one comes along with useful advice

WandaVA

I would scan the photos and size them to the desired size before printing. I use WordPerfect to re-size photos (it also allows me to "mirror-image" photos, if I'm using iron-on transfer paper)...but there are other programs for re-sizing (such as Irfanview, which is free and easy to use). Also, with WordPerfect, I can put four 4" photos on one page, and arrange them to allow for seam allowances.

If you do not have WordPerfect, there are some free word processing programs (such as OpenOffice) that may have the same capabilities.

If I can be of help, just let me know.

tk7401

I made a quilt for Mom with all photos and used Bubble Jet Set 2000 and Bubble Jet Rinse purchased from http://www.cjenkinscompany.com/Bubbl...t_2000_s/3.htm.
It worked great. Cut the fabric 8 1/2 x 11 treated, dried, ironed on freezer paper and ran thru inkjet printer. I washed a sample 10 times with no "special" treatment and it never faded. It was really fun and Mom loved it.

Ariannaquilts

Since you're in a hurry to finish the quilt you may not want to do this process with plain fabric that you then have to put into the solutions. I would just use the package that is sold for this purpose, it's just simpler. Use the word program where you can resize as you need to. Every memory quilt I've ever made except for the first time I did this way. They still look good after several years.

Jeanne S

I use a photo fabric called "PhotoFabric" by Blumenthal Crafts. It comes on a roll with a stiff paper backing. I cut off a piece, generally close to 8"X11" and it runs through the printer just like paper. After printing, let it set for 30 minutes. Peel off the paper backing then Soak the printed fabric for a few minutes in cold water -- if any ink bleeds off (which seldom happens) change the water till it stays clear. Then lay flat to dry. I then iron it and it is ready to sew in the quilt. I use this stuff for photos and my quilt labels and it is holding up great.

Prism99

Jeanne, is it the poplin PhotoFabric?
http://www.amazon.com/Blumenthal-Lan...dp/B000F3FT3K/

or the twill PhotoFabric?
http://www.amazon.com/Blumenthal-Lan...dp/B000F3HMWQ/

Mamacandoit

Thanks for the replies.

I'm using the Blumenthal fabric.

I'm really struggling to get the photos set up so that I don't waste loads of the fabric paper though.

Jeanne S

Prisim99,
I am using the poplin fabric. It is fairly lightweight, similar to regular quilting cotton fabric. I did not know they made a twill fabric, so don't have any experience with it. But the poplin fabric works great.

Jeanne S

I have not printed photos or labels larger than 5x7, but this is what I do: I edit and crop the photo to the finished size I want, then print a test photo on regular copy paper. Then cut a piece of the photo fabric the width of the roll and a couple of inches wider than my photo or label. I use regular scotch tape and tape the photo fabric onto the piece of paper with the test photo printed onto it, with the photo fabric directly on top of and centered around the test print. Then I run that back through my printer. (My printer prints on the underside of the paper in the tray, so I put it in the tray upside down with the taped photo fabric on the bottom ) I have not had any issues with both layers feeding back through the printer. Hope that helps a little!