June 24, 2010

Copying Images Onto Fabric

Where Bloggers Create is available here 
I have reposted to add an addendum on how to make faux bubble wash (Scroll to end)


Copying Images onto fabric is so fun!
I would love to know how you do it and pick your crafty minds with a few questions.

This was my finished project.



I found a couple of vintage lithographs with a baby awake and one asleep.  Well, you know how our crafters minds work!  It was perfect for a door hanger for a babies room.

I took the two pictures and laid them on my copier.



Then I prepared the fabric.  The first thing I do is temporarily adhere the fabric to card stock paper with spray adhesive.




For this project I used a white cotton fabric, but you could use any fabric unless it needs to be washed.  We'll get to that question later.

Then cut away any fabric that is larger than the card stock paper.  Be sure not to leave any threads hanging that will tangle in your printer.




My printer feeds face down, you will have to figure out how your printer feeds.




Press color copy.  If you are printing a black and white image you will still need to do a  color copy as this will give you the true black and white copy.

Now just peel your picture off the paper and you are ready to finish your project.




I used some vintage lace, strips of fabric, buttons and a ribbon for hanging and
Wa La the finished project.




The front.



And the back




Now here is the age old problem of copying onto fabric.

Washing it!

This is how the fabric looked before and after a cold water hand wash.




The one on the right was after the wash.  It does not completely wash off or run, it just fades appreciably.

I thought I would experiment with Scotch Gard Fabric spray.  I was thinking maybe this will be a eureka step that will save the fabric from losing it's ink.




It will save the ink from running unfortunately it turned the fabric a yellow hue and the ink ran enough that it was not exactly a eureka moment.

Now, fabric that cannot be washed is Ok for some projects.  Maybe journal covers, framed pictures, or gift tags.




These are tags that I copied the image onto fabric then sewed onto tags.  I think it is a cute shabby look and no one is going to launder a gift tag.

When I do pillows I use this pretreated fabric from JoAnnes.  You print, wash, and then sew.  It holds the color and is washable.  It costs about $17.00 with your 40% off coupon.  The limitation is that it only comes in white.




So, here is my questions to all of you talented crafters out here.

One of my questions has been answered by
 Rebecca at A Gathering Of Thoughts. I have linked this right to Rebecca's post on how to make faux bubble jet!  A mixture of washing soda, alum, and fabric softener
Warning! When I go to Rebecca's site I spend hours, it is all eye candy!  I hope you don't have anything planned! 

  1. How do you copy images onto fabric?
  2. Does photo paper come in any other colors?
  3. I have read that there is something quilters use to wash the fabric first that will make it colorfast when you copy an image onto it.  Where do you buy it and how much is it?
  4. When people make really fancy pillows with a photo image and add lace, buttons, and glitter do they use photo paper?  Are these pillows meant to be washed?  How do you wash something covered with buttons, lace, and glitter?

Thank you for any and all input.  We can all learn something when we put all of our talents together!

Carol



28 comments:

Marsha @ Tattered Chick said...

What a sweet pillow!!

I iron my fabric onto freezer paper when I print on it. There is a solution for ink jet printers. Bubble Jet Set, Bubble Jet Set Rinse. I always wash my fabric before using it for any project.

xxoo

A well Loved Home said...

Carol" This is a great post. I'm excited to try it and can't believe what the Scotchguard does! Thanks for the comments on my store within a store. My antique booth is in Skyland Antique mall in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. I used to have a real store called "Shabby Chic and a Little Antique" just like this only about 1900 square feet! Thought I was going to have a heart attack after a year of working 12 hour days/7 days a week. This is just right!

Kirsty Vittetoe said...

It's cool to know how to copy image onto fabric! I peek into your crafting space too, very pretty, especially those curtains over the sewing machine.
Thanks for stopping by my blog to say hello. Happy crafting! : )

Laura Venosa Verbena said...

Love your sweet pillow! usually..for the fabric images you can iron on freezer paper to cotton or buy the quilters fabric sheets for inkjet printers only... hope that helps they can be purchased at Michaels or go on line to June Taylor. Glad we connected I will be back soon. xox Laura

Debbi said...

Carol, I use the freezer paper method too. Too bad you were not at the SLS retreat, I did a mini class on printing images to fabric with your inkjet printer. Shoot me an email thru here or SLS and I can send you the tutorial I did for the retreat.
I have never had a problem with mine fading, but I didnt wash them either. I set the ink with a dry iron before working with it. I have used a steam iron as I was creating and have never had the ink run.

Diann said...

Love this idea! I have never tried it so, I am no help with tips. But, I will be watching the comments on this project to see what others say!

Tallulah's Antique Closet said...

You have a great space to do all your creating. Thanks for sharing...Julian

Unknown said...

This is really cool...thanks for showing us. I've never done anything like this, but I love it!

Nancy

Sherry @ No Minimalist Here said...

Carol, I have been wanting to try printing on fabric. Yours turned out great...the door hangar and tags are adorable.

Thank your so much for your vote for my family room at This Photographers Life. I really appreciate your support!

Hubby and I are planning on a move to Orlando in the near future. We'll have to talk about the best antique malls and where I should have a space. Thanks again.
Hugs,
Sherry

Sherry @ No Minimalist Here said...

Carol, Forgot to tell you that I am your newest follower.

Anne said...

Wow! I'm so impressed to the point to where you came up to, which would be to the end of your post. I'm not much of a sewer or a crafter, but I would say, don't wash the dang thing! Leave as is. Your pillow is absolutely beautiful. Now you got me thinking. Hmm.

Stacey said...

I've always loved those vintage baby images. A good friend of mine decorated her little girls room in a variety of those prints. You are so smart to figure out different ways to use them!

Debbiedoos said...

This is fantastic....I wondered the same thing....your pillow and tags are just darling. Have a wonderful weekend. Debbie

Debbiedoos said...

Carol I just realized you never saw my last week garage salen post...you where away...but I featured you...go check it out sure to make you smile:) It is on the first page last post....

Unknown said...

Hi Carol! I love that pillow and I never thought to just photocopy an image onto my fabric. I usually just glue plain fabric onto cardstock with a glue stick, then I send an image from my computer to print.

Hugs!
Sandy

Kat said...

Carol, those pillows are so sweet. I have never done that before and your post was so interesting. Thanks.

Shell said...

Very cute image and pillow Carol!

I've used a different method, but so far, only on muslin. I copied some images from Karen/Graphics Fairy onto my computer and then printed them on Transfer Paper Sheets that I bought at Office Depot. The really FINE images come out great,,,as long as you iron your muslin really flat.
The pillows I've made and sold were made with Velvets and vintage lace,,,so I have just recommended, "spot cleaning."
Shell

Ginger said...

Write to Rebecca at A Gathering Place, she has a homemade preprint solution she uses. I'm sure she will show you where it is on her blog.

Anonymous said...

I was scared to read this post because I knew it would result in more projects I wanted to do. And it did! :) I was going to tell you to write to Debbi of Marionberry Cottage but I see she has already commented here. She and Bunny did a nice tute at the retreat on this subject. Off to wash my car now. It's gonna be a scorcher today. xoxo

Karen said...

er...can someone define freezer paper for me as I live in England & we probably use another term for it??? Thanks XXX

Lori @ Katies Rose Cottage Designs said...

I want to get that to work for me sooo bad but for some reason the paper gets stuck in my printer no matter how hard I try to get it perfectly cut ~ It looks like I have the same printer as you do ~ Have you had that problem at all with yours ?
I love love what you have created !
xoxo
Lori

Cap Creations said...

I love how you were able to do this! So neat!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Unknown said...

I use freezer paper too instead of card stock - however my printer right now doesn't always feed correctly because freezer paper is rather thin. So you just have to experiment. I always let it dry a few minutes and then heat set it with an iron. But I have to admit I've never made anything that would be washable. I dust my pillows or shake them out a little - but can't ever remember having to wash one - especially if they have special things sewn onto them. I don't like the printable fabric paper because it seems so thick to me. So that's my two cents for what it's worth LOLOLOL

Unknown said...

Thanks for sharing this...I always used the fabric you buy! LOL! I wondered how people were printing on their own fabrics...combined with Rebecca's advice hope you are having better luck...gonna try that myself. Also, My little sis lives in Orlando. Lived in Eustis for 13 years myself! I have been in Arkansas for 5 years now....time flies!
xoxo
Dian

laurie said...

I use a special copy paper and then I have a heat machine to press the picture on any fabric I want, but light colors work best

laurie said...

I use a special copy paper and then I have a heat machine to press the picture on any fabric I want, but light colors work best

Meli Wibby said...

I pinned this less than 24 hours ago and already have 45 repins and 12 likes! BTW, I also pinned your blog on my Pinterest Blogs and Websites board!

Meli Wibby said...

I forgot to tell you which Pinterest boards are mine... just search for "Meli" (the profile photo is of a turquoise window frame). Hope that helps and BTW, I really enjoyed browsing through your blog yesterday, such great tutorials!