Some notes about printing on fabric.
Printing your own fabric has never been easier than with today's technology. All that's required is an ordinary inkjet printer, pre-treated fabric, very basic computer skills and a spirit of adventure and imagination.
Read on for answers to some common concerns sewers have about fabric printing.
Do I need a special printer to print fabric?
Any inkjet printer will print on fabric and usually without any adjustments. It's best to print with dye-based inks or pigment inks, not photo inks for longevity.
In addition to printing standard size 8 1/2" x 11" sheets, most printers will print banner lengths, some up to 60". Sewers quickly add wider printers to their wish lists to avoid seaming.
What kind of fabric can I print on?
Inkjet printing requires pre-treated natural fiber fabrics like cotton, linen, rayon and silks.
The finer the fabric weave, the clearer an image will reproduce. A 200-count (200 threads per inch) cotton is ideal for sharp image reproduction; larger threads produce images with less clarity.
Ready-to-print fabrics are available from several companies (see Resources below), from denim to organza, depending on your project. All are treated to absorb and retain inkjet inks.
How does the fabric feed through the printer?
Pre-treated fabric sheets are adhered to a firm paper or plastic carrier for the printer rollers, feeding it through effortlessly just like paper.
Most companies recommend using one fabric sheet at a time in the feeder, and not leaving paper in the printer tray.
Once the fabric is printed, the backing is peeled off and discarded, and the fabric can then be handled like any other commercially printed fabric.
In addition to sewable fabrics for inkjet printing, iron-on and fusible printable fabric options are available. The fabric finish and hand varies from brand to brand, and by fabric type, so find one that's compatible with your sewing project needs.
So, I just peel the backing off and sew the inkjet printed fabric like normal?
Depending on the brand of fabric used, some manufacturer's recommend rinsing the fabric in water to remove excess dyes before using the fabric in your project. Rinsing will keep excess dye molecules from migrating to other light-color fabrics in your project during laundering.
Is the ink permanent?
The verdict is still out on this question, as research is evolving and inks are constantly changing. Like all commercially printed fabrics, the color will fade over time, depending on exposure to direct light and how much the project is used.
All printable fabric manufacturers recommend washing as little as possible to preserve the color integrity, and hand washing is preferable, though the delicate cycle of the machine is acceptable. The use of mild soaps (no bleach or optical brighteners) preserves color, as does air-drying.
What can I print on fabric?
You can print anything on fabric that you can print on paper. Thousands of images are available on CDs and by download from ScrapSMART.com, on virtually any subject you could imagine, from gymnastics and historical events to sewing and holiday themes. These ready-to-print images are available pre-sized, often in multiple size options, or as editable files. The pre-sized images require only a click of the mouse for printing, while editable files allow you to crop, resize, recolor or make other alterations to the pre-made artwork, depending on your needs and expertise.
In addition to ready-to-print imagery, you can also print photos taken with your digital camera (or a film camera with pictures saved to a CD). Or, you can scan items into your computer, or lay them on a flat-bed copier or all-in-one machine and print directly onto the fabric without need of a computer.
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