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Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Don't Waste Printer Fabric

There's been a discussion about printing on fabric on a couple of lists to which I belong. I just want to add some of my tricks for printing on fabric when you don't have a full 8 1/2" X11" sheet of fabric that is prepared for permanent printing or you may want to print on a smallish piece of fabric. The commercially available pre-treated fabric sheets are expensive, costing upwards of $3/ sheet for my favorite (EQ), so I want to make sure that I use every single square inch.

Whether I am printing on regular fabric or the pretreated variety, I first print my word/image on a sheet of paper.

As soon as the paper comes out of the printer, I draw an arrow on the paper to remind myself which end goes into the printer first. Then I take the piece of fabric and center it over the printing on the paper. Usually you can see the printing through the fabric, but if not, hold it up to a window or use a light box.

 

Tape it down while smoothing it down really well, and put it through the printer again. It should go through like a charm as long as the printer can grab even the tiniest bit of paper.

Remove the tape and trim to size.

Pre-treated fabric, such as the EQ Printables, is adhered to a backing. If you are only going to use part of a sheet of this product, cut out the section you are using and do not remove the backing from the section you are not using.

  • Then, as above, print your image/words on a piece of paper. Spray the back of this product with reposition able glue. Then place it over the printing.
  • Smooth it down and send it through the printer.
  • Remove the backing from the fabric and you're good to go.

 

I save every little scrap and I have used pieces as little as 1"x2".

 

 

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7 comments:

  1. Cathy PerlmutterApril 13, 2016 at 4:45 PM

    Brilliant!I've never tried anything like this. The tape really doesn't get caught?! I will definitely try it, thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Pinkadot QuiltsApril 13, 2016 at 8:23 PM

    Great tip!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Holly RApril 13, 2016 at 8:46 PM

    Thank you thank you thank,you. I end up throwing them away because I couldn't figure out how to do what you did! Thanks again. Missed you at Guild today.

    ReplyDelete
  4. ellenApril 14, 2016 at 9:43 AM

    of course the manufacturers wouldn't want this to be publicized, because it might cause less printable fabric to be purchased.

    i have an embroidery machine and have the same problem with the stabilizer that you hoop. a tiny bit may get used and the rest is waste. i sew (not tape) a patch over the part that was used with a basting stitch. then i am able to reuse the sheet again. no problems whatsoever.

    ReplyDelete
  5. samApril 14, 2016 at 12:15 PM

    Awesome tips. thanks Cheryl. Can't wait to try it. I always have small pieces left from quilt labels.

    ReplyDelete
  6. sonjaApril 16, 2016 at 3:47 AM

    great info! Thank you Cheryl. i will read it once again, so i can absorb your helpful, like minded waste not, info.
    mahalo. sonja

    ReplyDelete
  7. Georgia Manning LewisMay 7, 2016 at 12:42 PM

    Great ideas, Cheryl and Ellen.

    ReplyDelete

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