Extreme Quilter

Patrice, lol. I read your instructions and thought the packaged stuff was way simpler! What a pair we make.

I took a BJS class way back in the dark ages and never got on board with that stuff, but I'm now going to take another look, thanks to you.

Any opinions on how your BJS projects hold up to repeated washings? Any fading problems?

patricej

well the best quilts always use more than one block, don't they? :wink:

long-term washability depends on a variety of factors. the most important of these are the fabric and the ink. (yeah. big surprise. LOL)

for the most part, anything that doesn't fade by the second laundering is there to stay - just like any other fabric you buy. keep in mind, also, that i deliberately put my prints through the most abusive laundering i can come up with before i decide to use them in a quilt.

i don't make quilts for display. i make them to use. mostly kids' and baby quilts so far. i sometimes make lap size versions of more adult-type quilts. (either as prototypes or because i got bored with it before it got any bigger. LOL)

some day, i hope to incorporate my own fabrics into things i can sell. i need to know in advance how much they can stand so i can be honest with the customers.

i can't wait to find out if the new HP formula can match the quality i get from my Canon. no kidding. i'd have them both spitting the stuff out at the same time.

uh-oh. this is not good. i'm getting that feeling in my tummy and itch in the digits that usually means i'm headed online to get some without waiting to hear from somebody else. RATS!!!!

Extreme Quilter

Ruth, I would think a Lexmark would work for fabric printing as long as the fabric is either pretreated with Bubble Jet Set by you or purchased in packs of five or ten sheets per package by various manufacturers (sold at Michael's, JoAnn's, WalMart, etc.). Results will vary from printer to printer so you will need to experiment.

Extreme Quilter

Thanks, Patrice. I really must look into a Canon printer when my budget allows.

Would you recommend using BJS on cotton sateen, which is 200 count all cotton but with a subtle sheen? Comes in all colors.

kathy

what is it that gives the sheen? you gotta make sure there is nothing that is going to keep the ink from penetrating into the fabric

patricej

couldn't say. i've never tried it. not sure i'd see the point though, unless you plan to leave wide expanses of the fabric unprinted. the ink will "unsheen" wherever it goes. it's been a while since i tried printing on color fabric. the results were not impressive. however, you have put a bug in my brain that might cause an itch to try again.

Extreme Quilter

Kathy, that is something to consider. It only came to mind because I remember seeing a beautiful art quilt in a magazine where the quilter said she used BJS on white cotton sateen. This particular fabric is not as shiny as chintz. I've seen it at JoAnn's selling for about $8 or $9 a yard.

Quilter7x

This thread is almost four years old, but I recently took a class in printing on fabric. The teacher brought her stuff for us to use. We were all able to print and treat one fabric sheet in class.

I came home with five sheets of pretreated fabric ready to print on, but don't have the Bubble Jet Rinse she used in class. Has anyone used other products or created their own rinse? Sounds like it's a very important step or the images will fade.

patricej

the first rinse after printing is very important.

however, you don't have to use Bubble Jet Rinse.

any super-mild laundry detergent will do. Woolite is often recommended as an alternative.