Printing Photos on Fabric - Do they stand the test of Time/Washing?
 

Hello,
I was asked to create a memory quilt using photographs by a friend and I am wodering if anyone has had pics printed on fabric and if so how long will they last? I am concerned that after many washings they will not hold their color.

If you have done this can you please tell me where you had them printed and how they have held up over time.

Stephanie

I have printed on Printed Treasures fabric, following directions, from an HP inkjet printer using standard ink cartridges. I only printed the labels, and have been disappointed that they have faded quite a bit with not that much use. If I were going to use pictures on the front of a quilt I would get them professionally printed. I know Spoonflower does this, and have seen other vendors at quilt shows that will print them for you.

I have also used Printed Treasures in the past and have also had problems with the pictures fading. I'd try Spoonflower. I've heard good things about their printed fabrics.

for the very best, longest lasting results use Bubble Jet Set to pre-treat prewashed all-natural fabric (e.g. 100% cotton or silk.)
the product is manufactured by the c jenkins company.
they also sell pre-treated fabric sheets (c jenkins miracle fabric sheets) and freezer paper sheets. the FP is more expensive than the stuff at the grocery store but it's nice and flat and especially designed for running through printers. (i still get mine at the grocery store. lol)

they have a few different solutions for HP printers, epson/pigment printers and all others.

printers with pigment based ink will give the best results.

some of the new laser printers will also give permanent results. experiment if you are brave enough. it's soooooo much fun when the fabric and freezer paper get stuck in a laser printer.
after printing it's a good idea to post-rinse with synthrapol.

the products are sold by a lot of vendors at a range of prices, so shop around.

I made a large memory quilt for my parents. They loved it. Unfortunately it faded very badly over time where the photos are extremely light, but so did the quilt fabric I used. I always caution people that if they plan on displaying the quilt not to put it any where there is direct sunlight or heat.

I’ve had fair results with Printed Treasures, and no luck at all with Bubble Jet set - even using their final rinse solution. I loved the way pics looked with Bubble Jet Set, but the pictures completely washed out over time. Here’s a picture I used with the Printed treasures. It’s been washed about a dozen times
: [ATTACH=CONFIG]591499[/ATTACH]

I have had good results using the fabric sheets from Betty's https://www.bettysphotosonfabric.com/
She also sells a spray on sealant that does not make the fabric stiff.
I have tried Printed Treasures and other brands, but my best results were with the fabric sheets from Bettys.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]591530[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]591531[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]591532[/ATTACH] Here are some pics of memory quilts that I made using Betty's fabric sheets - the quilts have been washed.

Thank you everyone! I will look into your suggestions but think in the end I will most likely gracefully decline. Betty's fabric sheets look promising though......

Jo-Ann's sells special packs of fabrics to run through your home printer. The newer printers use inks that are much better than the older ones & I think the colors last a lot longer. We used our home copier both times I used that method. I haven't had any complaints yet!