How to Print on Fabric

Printing on fabric can be a great way to add photos and other personal touches to a quilt. Kelly Hanson shares with you two of her favorite products to use when printing on fabric and explains how to use them.

Set Up

When preparing to do any kind of image transfer technique on a quilt project you want to ensure you are using the right kind of printer. For printing on fabric you want to use an inkjet printer with high quality ink. This will help ensure that you get a good quality photo that will last.

Products

Another key factor in how long a photo printed on fabric will last is what product you are printing it on. While one way to transfer images to fabric may be to simply tape a piece of fabric to printer paper and run it through your printer, this doesn’t alway create a photo that can stand up to repeated washing. Kelly shares one of her favorite product to use instead that can be laundered: Threads, a 100% cotton poplin sheet of fabric that you can run through your inkjet printer.

Another product Kelly likes to use is called EQ Printables. It is also a sheet of cotton fabric that can be used in a printer. With either product she is using, Kelly explains how she begins by printing and image on the fabric. She then lets it dry and uses a series of several steps including washing and pressing to ensure the image is set on the fabric. Once it is dry and the image has been set, you can remove the paper or plastic backing from the fabric sheet and you are ready to use it on your next quilting project, whether you incorporate it into a block or applique it in place.