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    Home » Crafts » Printing on fabric using your home printer

    Printing on fabric using your home printer

    Published by Gail | Published March 22, 2019 | Updated April 29, 2022
    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    Have you ever wanted to do some printing on fabric, maybe to make a pillow or a small sachet? This will show you how I used label sheets to print on fabric. #MyRepurposedLife #repurposed #fabric #printingonfabric #pillow #diy via @repurposedlife

    Have you wondered about printing on fabric using your home printer? It is pretty easy. First, let me tell you that I do NOT recommend that you put fabric through your high dollar, fantabulous printer. I have an old INKJET printer that I was about to retire. It seemed like the perfect time to figure out how to print on fabric.

    Have you ever noticed these labels when you’re shopping for return address labels? They are full sheets. You can tell I have had these for years. I got them from someone when I was still teaching. For this printing on fabric project I used these labels in addition to  some leftover drop cloth fabric. I peeled the backing off the label, and put the sticky label directly on the fabric. Then, I carefully cut the fabric out even with the label. I say carefully, because I didn’t want the drop cloth fabric fraying. Something tells me that my printer would not want a bunch of strings invading it.

    Apply fabric to full sheet label

    I got my graphics at The Graphics Fairy. If you don’t visit  there on a regular basis, you’re really missing out on some great images! I am a follower, so I don’t miss a single post! This is not the regular home for my printer. But because I was trying to get it to play nice with my laptop I brought it into the living room and set it on the coffee table.

    Carefully feed the fabric and the label sheet through printer

    You can see that the ink smudged a little in the corner. Since I was sitting right on the couch while it was printing, I was able to see that it miss-fed slightly and fixed it. But it still smudged. Adds to it’s character, right?

    Image printed on fabric using label paper

    This shows the image still attached to the paper.

    I put some Fray Check around the outside edge of the “frame” on the image. After the Fray Check dried I purposely frayed the edges to get a soft edge. I haven’t decided what I’m doing with this one yet.

    Printing on fabric with graphics

    This is another graphic I got at The Graphics Fairy.

    I’m not sure why I love everything French, but I do!

    I love the way the image looks on the drop cloth fabric!

    Another! I’m sure there are friends out there that know what these say. I, of course have NO idea! This image here.

    This was the first image I printed. Something happened there on the right. That was the last edge to come out of the printer. I’m not exactly sure why that happened. I think if I frame it, that part won’t show.

    So, there you have it! My way of printing on fabric. I printed all my images out as 8x10 images. I did this in case I decide to frame them.

    EDITED TO ADD:

    I made a small pillow out of one of the images I printed.

    Pin it! 

    Like this idea of printing on fabric? I also printed on bead board wallpaper. You can see how  printed on fabric washes and holds up in the dryer.

    My friend Susan from Homeroad made Cute Little Pillows, be sure and check them out too!

    related content: Print Vintage Christmas Images and More

    gail

    I got this from Kate on Facebook. To make it washable, there's an easy 2 step process that will "fix" the ink. You use  Bubble Jet Set 2000   prior to printing and Bubble Jet Wash after printing. I used it and it does work.

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    1. Kathy A

      August 19, 2022 at 9:43 pm

      Great tutorial. I haven't had the courage to try printing on cloth--yet. I love making dollhouse miniatures and have seen some "Persian" rug pictures that I would just love to try! One of these days....

      Reply
      • Gail Wilson

        August 20, 2022 at 6:10 pm

        Kathy

        Wow! Printing a "persian rug picture on fabric as a rug for a dollhouse is brilliant! Good luck, I hope you do it someday. You could probably ask around and find a friend ar family member who is getting a new printer and wants to get rid of an old one. 🙂
        gail

    2. Shelly B

      June 02, 2022 at 2:46 am

      How fun!! Not sure I can chance fabric in my printer... Yet.😃 And I kept reading & looking, hmm. Then I realized that the sticker paper is for stability, and that you run it through, paper side down! (Or whichever way you orient your paper for printing.) In this case, face the fabric toward side to be printed on, and the paper is the "blank" side.
      Lol!

      Reply
      • Gail Wilson

        June 04, 2022 at 9:44 pm

        Shelly,

        Indeed! I'm so sorry to have confused you. 🙂

        good luck!
        gail

    3. Diane Burton

      May 23, 2022 at 9:08 am

      Hi Gail,
      I love all the things you do! You have given me all kinds of interesting things to try! So I thought I would share a little something with you.
      Love the images on your cushion! I have been doing this for years so I had to share a little secret with you. I use waxed paper on the back of my fabric. Just iron it to the fabric and you can print anything you want. ( It is probably a lot cheaper than buying lazer labels)
      I have made photo cushions and photo comforters from them as well. Just group pictures together in a collage to fit each page, stitch them together and make it whatever size you want! If you want to get really daring you can use one photo and crop it into sections so that you can enlarge it to what you want.
      You have given me so many great ideas I just had to share.
      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Gail Wilson

        May 26, 2022 at 3:33 pm

        Diane,

        What a great tip! Thank you so much for your oh so kind comment. I truly appreciate it when my "friends" share tips with us!

        gail

    4. Lisa

      May 22, 2022 at 1:19 pm

      So basically you are using the sticky sheet to ‘hold the fabric stiff enough to send it through the printer? Then once out, you peel away the sticky sheet below & the top of the fabric is then printed.

      Reply
      • Gail Wilson

        May 26, 2022 at 3:34 pm

        Lisa,

        Yes, that is correct, but please read Diane's comment on how she uses wax paper! genius!

        gail

    5. Roman Makarenko

      October 23, 2019 at 6:46 am

      Thanks for the tut! I’ve been wondering how to do this. P.S. I adore the graphics fairy!

      Reply
      • Gail Wilson

        October 25, 2019 at 9:38 pm

        You're welcome! Have fun, good luck!
        gail

    6. Linda at Mixed Kreations

      March 22, 2019 at 6:51 pm

      That is so cool, and beautiful pillow. I have a extra printer I replaced with a new one because it only printed when it felt like it. Lol. Would like to try this if I could get the printer to communicate with my laptop.

      Reply
      • Gail Wilson

        March 22, 2019 at 10:23 pm

        Silly electronics! They can be so helpful when they communicate with each other! 🙂

        good luck! keep me posted.

        gail

    7. Susan Homeroad Stevenson

      March 22, 2019 at 8:15 am

      Ha! Yes, it certainly does work! I did a post back in 2011 where I used the "sticker paper" and ran it through the printer. I was amazed it worked. I actually made the exact same little pillow from the Graphic Fairy too! We must think alike! Have a great day!

      Reply
      • Gail Wilson

        March 22, 2019 at 9:48 am

        hehehe this is a post from 2010. I thought it was time to re-share it. 😉

        I love those graphics from Karen @The Graphic Fairy!

        gail

    8. karen Fritz

      November 21, 2018 at 11:22 am

      Hello,
      I've been printing on fabric for about 3 years. I soak my muslin in the bubble jet set and let it dry. I then iron it onto butcher paper shiny side against fabric. I make it a bit larger than the copy paper size so I can cut it with sharp scissors to get a clean edge. It goes thru the printer well but I let it sit over night to set the ink. I sell my pillows so they have to have a set ink or else it will run. I was very surprised you were able to use a heavy drop cloth. I will try this and see what I get. If I'm, able to print on a heavier fabric that will save me a lot of steps.
      Thank you

      Reply
      • Gail Wilson

        November 25, 2018 at 10:14 pm

        Thanks for all of your tips/advice Karen! Good luck with the drop cloth material.

        gail

    9. Lesa

      April 21, 2018 at 12:59 pm

      I bought some church pews to put in my funeral home but they’re covered in are a red velvet fabric and I was wondering if the material could be painted so I don’t have to replace it! Can you help me please?

      Reply
      • Gail Wilson

        April 22, 2018 at 9:31 am

        Lesa,

        I know that people have painted velvet fabric. I tried and was unsuccessful.

        You can see how a friend of mine did it here: https://themagicbrushinc.com/paintingvelvet/

        wishing you lots of luck!
        gail

    10. Hollyflower

      March 25, 2017 at 11:39 pm

      Wow! Printing fabric from paper ink-jet printer. This is amazing. 🙂

      Reply
      • Rosepeace

        July 11, 2017 at 9:48 pm

        I have been watching some art and quilting shows and you just gave me a great idea for doing some of this art on a piece of fabric. You could print it onto the fabric and if you want it to be permanent, use a permanent pen to enhance the image of just use it to draw the image a little darker. You could also use a sewing machine to stitch over the image on the lines with thread as the permanent image that is left as it washes out the original image. Just be careful to "draw" the entire image with the thread.
        In addition, if you are looking to create a colored image, you can dilute acrylic paints and paint the image. By diluting the paint it makes it soft for the fabric application. I would test on separate pieces of fabricc different dilutions in order to arrive at both the color and the softness of the fabric. Believe me, if you get acrylic paint on fabric, it is PERMANENT!! To set it you can use an iron, I would use a pressing cloth or a piece of paper over it to protect your iron from any possible transfer of the paint!

      • Gail Wilson

        July 12, 2017 at 6:12 pm

        Fabulous suggestions to take this project up a level! Thanks for sharing your ideas--I truly appreciate it.

        gail

    11. Amy

      December 01, 2016 at 9:29 pm

      So excited to find this!!! I do a lot of projects with mod podge on glass and it's hard to find certain fabrics that my customers are looking for. I just a did run and not only did it print but it didn't smudge with the glue. You just helped me find a way to complete 2 of my customer's projects. Looks like I'll be hitting JoAnn's tomorrow to buy some more white fabric to print on - thank you!!!

      Reply
      • Gail Wilson

        December 02, 2016 at 8:43 am

        Amy,

        I'm so happy you found this tutorial helpful!!! Thanks for stopping by and letting me know it worked for you.

        Have fun!
        gail

    12. Sarah Lategan

      November 12, 2016 at 10:01 am

      is there any way to fix the ink so that the product can be washed?

      Reply
      • Gail Wilson

        November 14, 2016 at 8:53 pm

        I haven't found a way, but washed on gentle, the image shouldn't fade too much.

        gail

    13. Kirstie G

      October 29, 2016 at 9:17 pm

      Wowzers, you've just saved my life. Such a great idea and one I'd never thought of.
      I just thought I'd share because I had a slight dilemma on how to print on fabric 30cm x 30cm (12" x 12").
      So I cut my label sheet in half and adhered both the A4 size and the 1/2-A4 on the back of the fabric, therefor making a 30x30 sized label.
      My printer doesn't take bigger than A4, so I folded the 1/2-A4 over and adhered both labels together with double sided tape. It then fed through like a dream.
      Again, thanks for the idea. The possibilities are endless!

      Reply
      • Gail Wilson

        October 30, 2016 at 6:50 pm

        Woohoo! Kirstie, I'm so glad you found a "work around" for what you needed! Thanks for letting us know what worked for you.

        gail

    14. Sharron Connabeer

      October 22, 2016 at 5:47 pm

      I'm guessing you printed onto the fabric and not the sticky label? It's not clear if you printed on the label or not? Sorry if I am confused.

      Reply
      • Gail Wilson

        October 22, 2016 at 8:11 pm

        Sharron,

        The label is simply to allow the fabric to go through the printer. After the fabric came out of the printer, I simply removed the sticky label.

        I hope that helps.

        gail

    15. Susanne

      June 24, 2016 at 7:48 pm

      That is amazing!!! I promise not to hold you responsible if I mess up my printer 😉

      Reply
      • Chris

        September 13, 2016 at 7:29 pm

        I did not see if you stated you peeled the paper off the printed fabric?

      • Gail Wilson

        September 13, 2016 at 9:01 pm

        The paper is solely to allow the drop cloth to have some stiffness. I removed it as soon as the ink dried.

      • Rose

        December 10, 2016 at 12:59 pm

        Me too, I'm cunfused?

    16. Rebecca

      April 06, 2016 at 10:23 pm

      Thank you so much for sharing this. I need to give this a go myself and this is an excellent tutorial. I have linked to it on my own blog post "Ten Fun Ways to Make Marks on Fabric". Thanks again! http://www.blueradish.com.au/ten-fun-ways-to-make-marks-on-fabric/

      Reply
    17. Kathy

      October 11, 2015 at 6:35 pm

      Gail, thank you so much for your post! I tried it today on my Brother laser printer and it worked fabulously! To answer the questions I see that some people have asked, I used a "full page" self-adhesive label, as Gail did. I peeled off the back of the label, and smoothed a thin piece of cotton fabric across the sticky side of the label. Then I cut the edges of the fabric to the size of the paper making sure there were no loose threads to catch in the machine. I printed on the fabric side. The whole thing went right through my printer very smoothly. After printing, I separated the fabric from the label. It came out perfectly and the colors look great! It is probably not waterproof and probably should not be washed. But it will be great for a Halloween costume that I am working on for one of my children. Gail, I can't thank you enough for your wonderful suggestion and helpful tips.

      Reply
      • gail@myrepurposedlife.com

        October 11, 2015 at 8:50 pm

        I'm so happy you found my tutorial helpful Kathy. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment on this post.

        Thanks for sharing how it worked for you. 🙂

        gail

      • Nataly

        March 11, 2017 at 12:14 pm

        I have also done this with a laser printer but with freezer paper. Half the time it came out perfect but the other half the times, when I tried to remove the fabric from the freezer paper, some of the ink scattered to the sides because of the static electricity that was created when tearing them apart I guess. Does anyone know how to fix this?

        (you can see my result at napaea_crafts on instagram)

      • Nataly

        March 03, 2018 at 9:04 pm

        I fixed this! There has to be humidity in your indoor air for this to work well! So better do it in the summer instead of winter.

    18. R NARESH REDY

      September 18, 2015 at 7:00 am

      it was very nice to know how to print designs on cloth with really no difficult techniques. i am in a shock when i used ur first technique to print one of my daughters drawing on her t shirt, she was so exited & showed it to all her friends

      Reply
      • gail@myrepurposedlife.com

        September 18, 2015 at 8:24 am

        fun! I'm happy you found my tutorial useful.
        thanks for your comment.

        gail

    19. sandie t

      August 11, 2015 at 2:31 am

      Hi Gail,
      Nothing intriques me more than printing on fabric. I have used the spray method, the wax paper method, now I have some fabric on a roll from JoAnn Fabrics on hold, sitting with my other print supplies ready to try.. I think I just may be inept. Now I have your method which ALL i n theoryshould work. I have a pretty good ink jet printer that I cannot seem to find instructions for. I am not satisfied with the quality of the color when I try to print a colored piece The instruction book would probably help. Those little intense arrows don't seem to help. Did you use the drop cloth from Lowes. I think it is pretty thick. And does the color come out well on the fabric? I really appreciate your sharing your information, and I am a new follower, I think--I signed for a newsletter, is that the same, I know I will enjoy your site. thank you so much,
      a passionate and dedicated printer user,--I am also on pinterest.com/taptopdesigns
      sandie.

      Reply
      • gail@myrepurposedlife.com

        August 11, 2015 at 12:23 pm

        Sandie

        I used a drop cloth from Home Depot, I like them the best. I did another project in color, you can see it here. https://www.myrepurposedlife.com/2013/12/how-to-print-on-fabric-with-canon-pixma-mg-7120-printer.html

        have fun!
        gail

      • Maria

        October 24, 2015 at 7:37 pm

        Sandie, re your printer and instruction manual. Google the brand name (example enter: epson (your printer brand) printer manual in the google search box. The printers website will come up and from within the site, search 'manual' for your model number. There are different websites that will offer the manual, but in my experience (trust me, don't ask me how I know) go to the official (your printer manufacturer) website. Hope this helps.

    20. Lady Denise Coy

      April 16, 2015 at 8:45 am

      Bravo to you!!! Thannk you so very much. You know how you type in some simple seach and Google or whoever gives you MILLIONS of choices, well, sometimes I just give up. I found you right away. I have a vast collection, four generations worth, of all kinds of ephemera. I'm dying to take some of my original art work and transfer to fabric. Thank you for leading me in the correct direction. I know why you love all things French. They may be a bit snobby but in the end they are , well, eau de Chic. Well thats what I think and agree. Sincerely with gratitude, Lady Denise Coy

      Reply
      • gail@myrepurposedlife.com

        April 16, 2015 at 10:19 am

        Denise,

        Thank you so much for letting me know how you found me. I always wonder the road people travel to arrive here.

        Wishing you lots of luck, won't it be difficult to choose "where" to start with so many choices?

        gail

    21. wendy

      January 21, 2015 at 4:23 pm

      Hi there!
      I really want to try this but I am confused. Maybe I am missing a step.... you stick the label to the fabric, then run it through the printer. then what? Do you peel off the label and the image stays?
      thank you!

      Reply
      • Kelley

        February 23, 2015 at 3:15 pm

        Sure wish this would have been answered as I am just as confused.???

      • sweetb

        April 25, 2015 at 6:46 pm

        Same here Kelly... I don't get how the label ended up looking like fabric? :-/ Would be great if you could answer this Gail?????

      • gail@myrepurposedlife.com

        April 25, 2015 at 7:15 pm

        Hey there!

        The answer is in the post itself. I have put the text in bold so that future visitors will understand that I applied the label to the fabric in order to stiffen it so that it would feed through the printer.

        I hope this clears it up for you.

        Thanks for stopping by My Repurposed Life!

        gail

      • Maria

        October 24, 2015 at 7:42 pm

        Ladies, the paper label is the 'back' of the fabric, to stiffen the fabric so it will run through the printer. You print on the fabric side, so be careful how you place the fabric on the tray to print. In my case, I have to put my paper 'print side down' (the side that will be printed on) on the tray, so when it comes out, the printed side is on top.

      • Allison Dey Malacaria

        January 01, 2016 at 7:26 pm

        But then, after printing, do you peel the label off or do you have to soak it off or leave it on? No one says what to do with the label after printing.

      • gail@myrepurposedlife.com

        January 02, 2016 at 4:13 pm

        Allison,

        The label is simply to stiffen up the fabric to allow it to pass through the printer. 🙂

        gail

      • Allison Dey Malacaria

        January 02, 2016 at 5:57 pm

        I understand that. But there's nothing that says what to do with the label AFTER printing. Does it remain attached to the paper or does it get peeled off or soaked off? I know this question has been asked several times with no answer. Humour me. LOL We're all Aspergers or borderline in my family. I need very specific steps. 🙂

      • Maria

        January 02, 2016 at 8:51 pm

        I see the confusion ladies. Once the label backed fabric goes through the printer (and the ink is dry), you just peel the label off. It's only there to make sure the fabric feeds through the printer rollers. Have fun 🙂

    22. cathy

      November 15, 2014 at 11:07 pm

      Love the idea but I'm having problems finding fabric or transfers of dinosaurs to make a quilt for my grandson. I found two books with great photos prehistoric world by Paul Harrison I'd love to use for my quilt.What is the best way to transfer these photos to fabric.Any suggestionoh your photo of lasagna covers the whole right side of my tablet.Maybe not a good place for adds.thank you.

      Reply
      • gail@myrepurposedlife.com

        November 16, 2014 at 9:37 am

        Thanks for reaching out to me. I do not know of a way to print on fabric to make it washable. I used my newest printer to print some awesome images here: https://www.myrepurposedlife.com/2013/12/how-to-print-on-fabric-with-canon-pixma-mg-7120-printer.html

        But unless treated some way, I wouldn't recommend washing.

        As for the ads, I do not have control over placement. You are correct, an ad for lasagna over the right side would make it difficult. As a site owner, there are so many variables for devices these days, there is no wonder why my site looks different for people on any given device. Generally there is an X to click on (my experience)

        If it weren't for those ads, My Repurposed Life would not have been there for you to find this tutorial. keeping a large site up and running is not cheap these days. Lots of overhead costs. 🙂 I hope that explains why there are ads on 99% of all websites in the world. It is sort of like watching t.v. You get free shows, but have to suffer through commercials. No commercials on cable t.v. shows (hbo, showtime, etc) but you have to pay to watch them.

        I really can't think of a way to get those pictures onto the quilt other than scanning and printing. There are photo transfer methods available, but because the images are in a book, I'm assuming they have print on the back, and that may make it difficult to transfer.

        Perhaps you could find some line drawing images of dinosaurs, trace those images onto fabric and then use a paint marker to make them permanent.

        That's about all I have... sorry I couldn't be more help.
        gail

      • tammcd

        July 13, 2016 at 11:11 pm

        Scan and print is fairly simple. Scan the pages from the book into your computer, using the scanner on your printer. Make sure the resolution is around 300 dots per inch (DPI). Once you have the file saved in .jpg form, you can open it and print it using your graphics program - the one you use for printing anything.

        If you don't have a scanner, you can take your book to a copy shop and use theirs to do the scanning, then bring the digital files home to download onto your computer from a DVD or flash drive. It's important to note that there is an issue with copyrighted images, some copy shops will not let you scan or copy copyrighted material. Otherwise, follow the steps above to print any image onto fabric

    23. Ms. V

      October 19, 2014 at 8:10 pm

      Hi, I thought I knew some cool transfer tricks, but this is really cool. I use a plain piece of copy/typewriter paper, small box, spray adhesive or glue, fabric cut to size of paper. Works beautifully (my favorite). Now I will try labels as well. Thanks 🙂

      Reply
    24. murielle

      September 27, 2014 at 9:00 am

      Hi Gail !
      first of all i discovered your blog with this post and what you do is smart and i fell in love with the "louvered door hall tree"
      about what is written (i'm french btw) the first one says " eau de cologne (is a kind of fragrance-lotion) distilled by (name) by the colonial society of Saigon Hanoî( vietnam was french at this time)
      the second one says factory and big shop of furnitures in all kinds seats and curtains in the middle the name Gouffé , on the left all sorts of wood used , right names of the furnitures and at the bottom " the shops are opened sunday and public holidays till 3 pm

      hope it helped 😉

      Reply
    25. Karen

      October 24, 2013 at 4:33 pm

      Just when I thought I knew all the ways to transfer a graphic and found my favorite way. I love this!! I love that you and the printer are speaking again. My sewing machine is moody, sometimes it doesn't communicate with me either, nor I with it. Definitely pinning this!

      Reply
    26. Kimberly

      October 23, 2013 at 4:34 am

      Oh my gosh! This is the most awesome thing! I just tried this using a drop cloth tacked by glue stick to a sheet of copy paper. Worked like a charm! I can't believe how easy it was! Thank you so much for the great ideas! Can't even describe how excited I am! Now I can do all the French labels on pillows that I have been wanting without the crazy prices! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

      Reply
      • gail@myrepurposedlife.net

        October 23, 2013 at 10:00 am

        So happy you found this tutorial! I love to inspire and help others to be creative! Thank you for your sweet comment to let me know you found My Repurposed Life

        gail

    27. Sherry Ramsey

      August 14, 2013 at 7:24 pm

      Hi I wanted to tell you that I iron my fabric to freezer paper then run it thru the printer. It isn't as thick as the sticker paper and no worries about it jamming and the smudges. There is also a liquid that you can soak your fabric with that makes the images permanent and they won't fade if you use it. You put your fabric in it and then let it dry, then print, then there is another solution to make it permanent (and not fade) that you soak it in and let dry.

      Reply
      • gail@myrepurposedlife.net

        August 14, 2013 at 7:35 pm

        Sherry,

        Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to leave a great comment with a lot of useful information. I really appreciate it!

        gail

      • Ms. V

        October 20, 2014 at 9:36 pm

        Hi Sherry, what is the name of the liquid?

    28. tru leigh

      July 05, 2013 at 6:48 pm

      I wanted a small design printed on fabric, so i took a piece of muslin, tacked it onto a piece of printer paper with a glue stick, and sent it through the printer. Worked great. Iron the muslin first. Not the best method for something you want to wash as I think the ink will fade.

      Reply
    29. Kirsten

      May 08, 2013 at 7:00 pm

      I took a small piece of muslin, use a glue stick to tack it to regular piece of printer paper and ran it thru my inkjet printer. Worked like a charm. Just make sure the fabric is ironed flat.

      Reply
    30. angie

      November 13, 2012 at 8:56 am

      I am interested in making family quilts for my children...how long does it take to do the photo?? and wonder what kinds of printers are we talking about..and does it matter what kind of material?? Do I scan the picture onto the material and print??So interested but wondering if there is step by step...first time and so excited

      Reply
    31. RustyBaby

      October 31, 2012 at 7:11 pm

      You can also iron your muslin to butchers paper and it will adhere, once printed, peel it off. I have done photos for quilts this way and it works great!

      Reply
    32. Anonymous

      September 29, 2012 at 12:11 am

      I have just tried this on a patterned fabric and it worked brilliantly, thanks so much. My head is in a spin with ideas of personalizing with names etc for my grandchildren.

      Reply
    33. Christine @ Let's Get Crafty!

      September 08, 2012 at 8:00 pm

      Hi Gail!

      I was wondering if the fabric you used was actual drop cloths from Home Depot and whether you washed them first?

      Love it!

      Reply
    34. Marilyn D.

      May 13, 2012 at 8:56 pm

      I still would like to know if the ink rubs off and how you would clean it? It does look fantastic

      Reply
    35. Doris Price

      April 14, 2012 at 2:34 pm

      Thanks for a wonderfull "Find" your "Blog" via "The Graphics Fairy" via "This Artists Journey".

      I love this Tutorial and your pics sure help and I'm going to share with my FB friends/family about your Blog. I am now a traveling companion:-) I will be checking out more from your blog.

      Blessings,Doris Price

      Reply
    36. QueenK

      April 10, 2012 at 12:37 pm

      STOP... can I recommend not putting fabric through a printer with any frayed edges or loose threads as they get caught in the rollers.

      I have been selling and using Printable Fabrics for 10 years and I wouldnt want anyone to have a ba experience the 1st or they wont want to do it again.

      Printing on fabrics is so much fun you can produce amazing unique projects.
      Cheers, Kathleen
      http://www.printablefabrics.com.au

      Reply
    37. MaryE

      January 21, 2012 at 1:27 pm

      OMG!! how wonderful this project is. I think my old printer is still in the garage (along with enough items to furnish another house) I might try to fix it and use it to try this (I don't think my husband would be happy for me to use our/his brand new HP. baby. Thank you for this. Mary x

      Reply
    38. Handbags*N*Pigtails

      June 08, 2011 at 1:07 pm

      Im going to start calling you Gail-Create-a-lot(like the care bears of old). You're amazing!

      Reply
    39. LambAround

      May 20, 2011 at 2:13 pm

      This is just about the neatest thing ever! Now I know how to make the fabric design that I want...I just need to learn to sew! Ooh, or be very nice to my sewing hubby 🙂

      Reply
    40. JesPlayin

      January 13, 2011 at 9:00 pm

      Hi! Love your blog and can't wait to look through it. I have a couple of suggestions on this project. You can use freezer paper instead of the labels (definitely cheaper). You cut the freezer paper to the same size as the paper and attach the shiny plastic-y side tp the fabric. Ironing it together causes the plastic to stick to the paper, but you can still peel off with no problem when it cools down. There's also a great product called Bubble Jet Set 2000 that you can use to make your print wash-fast. You pre-soak the fabric in that and let dry then print on it. Hope this helps someone.
      Happy Crafting!

      Reply
    41. Michelle @Shellsshabbyshack

      January 01, 2011 at 5:44 am

      Awesome! I'm definitely going to try this! I just saw a French Script pillow at a high end store for $56. I love this tute because I think I can make one for less than $5. I follow The Graphics Fairy, also. Good stuff! I like the way you and Jeanine did it! xx

      Reply
    42. Anne

      November 11, 2010 at 10:38 pm

      omygosh. itworked great-- thanks again for the idea!

      Reply
    43. Anne

      November 08, 2010 at 12:17 am

      thank you! i tried printing on some linen a while back, and had hit or jammed results... can't wait to try the label method... great blog!

      Reply
    44. Kiley

      October 26, 2010 at 11:00 pm

      So thankful I clicked on this post. I've been ironing freezer paper to fabric for printing. Using sticky labels would save me time...and time is money :o) !!!

      Really enjoy your posts!!! Gotcha linked to my blog!

      Reply
    45. Mrs. Limestone

      October 26, 2010 at 8:35 pm

      I absolutely love that last pillow. But Im totally confused on the label sticker had anything to do with it. Why would putting a label behind the fabric help feed it thru the printer? (I would think making it thicker would make it more difficult) Sorry if Im being thick here.

      Reply
    46. bellaluna

      September 05, 2010 at 2:46 am

      Love this pillow, great job and thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    47. PetraB

      September 01, 2010 at 7:22 pm

      wonderful cushions, thank you for the tutorial

      Reply
    48. Kara

      August 31, 2010 at 4:56 pm

      Love the pillow!! What a creative and GREAT way to make something new on the cheap!

      Reply
    49. Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions

      August 30, 2010 at 6:37 pm

      Turned out great and I love the pillow! I think when I try this I will be doing it a similar, if not the same, way.

      Reply
    50. Karen- The Graphics Fairy

      August 30, 2010 at 4:48 pm

      Oh my gosh!!! You and Jeanine are both geniuses!! Jeanine, for coming up with the technique, which I had seen on her blog. And you, for trying this out on drop cloth!!! I'm so excited, you have no idea how much I love canvas drop cloth fabric, I can't wait to try this! Thank you so much Gail, for linking this up to Brag Monday. Oh ... and your pillow is gorgeous too!

      Reply
    51. Feathers and Flight

      August 30, 2010 at 3:07 pm

      This is Lovely!!! Thank you for Sharing your
      " How to" as Well! I am Excited to add you to my Blog List! Thank You!
      Have a Wonderful Day!
      ~Jill~

      Reply
    52. Edie Schmidt

      August 30, 2010 at 1:48 pm

      I am going to try this one! Great job! Wonderful project!

      Reply
    53. Anita @ GoingALittleCoastal

      August 30, 2010 at 1:04 pm

      I still have not tried this but I will! I think this would be so much fun and you can do so much. I love the way the pillow turned out.

      Reply
    54. Lou

      August 30, 2010 at 1:01 pm

      Hi Gail... Just stopping by from BragMonday at the Graphics Fairy... love, love, love your little pillow.

      I, too, have a love of Frenchy-things. (Especially those of the male species... had a boyfriend of the French kind for a while... mmm... but enough of that!)

      I recently ordered (via FleaBay) some vintage magazine ads from France. They are gorgeous. Now I just have to find the right frames for them- hoping to do a set of 9 in a grid- layout. I'll have to scan the ads in and submit them to the GFairy!

      My mum has printed on fabric transfer a number of times- there's a product you buy to put through the printer, then transfer it to the fabric after. My nephew has also (for his final art project) printed photos and transferred these to fabric by some 'wash' method too. Seems to be a few ways to get around this fabric-printing obsession.

      cheerio, Lou (from Sydney, Oz)

      Reply
    55. Jacqueline

      August 28, 2010 at 4:03 am

      I hopped over from Gnee at Singing with Birds. You were on her top 5 and i agree, this is really a great idea and I love the Graphic Fairy and all of her beautiful art. I am going to try this! Thanks a ton!!

      Reply
    56. gnee @ Singing With Birds

      August 27, 2010 at 6:51 am

      Congratulations, your printing project made this week's Top 5 Hits on Singing With Birds. Come check it out, grab a button and have a great weekend!

      Reply
    57. Heather Bredimus

      August 26, 2010 at 6:46 pm

      Hi Gail! I found your site off of Today’s Creative Blog! I love your craft! You are so talented! I just signed up to be your newest follower! Woo hoo! I hope you stop by my new blog. I just started it 2 months ago and would love new friends! Please come see me at http://www.modernfamilymagazine.com

      -Heather-

      Reply
    58. junesummer

      August 25, 2010 at 10:59 am

      I've tryed this on 2 printers but just keep getting paper jam....so frustrating, any suggestions?

      Reply
    59. Regina Moore

      August 20, 2010 at 12:34 pm

      Wonderful idea! I'm gonna try it!

      Reply
    60. Humble Housekeeping

      August 19, 2010 at 8:33 pm

      Wow! That is the coolest thing I have seen in a while! Great job and great tutorial!

      Reply
    61. The Covered Porch

      August 19, 2010 at 5:04 pm

      Fabulous idea! Love it!

      Reply
    62. Joselyn

      August 19, 2010 at 5:59 am

      This is incredible! Your pillow reminds me of the pillows I saw at Harrods. Have a look: http://www.thediyspot.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Harrods-pillows_0729.jpg/

      Reply
    63. Lindy

      August 19, 2010 at 4:33 am

      I have to think of some way to use this process, soon! Love your little pillow!

      L.

      Reply
    64. Patty B.

      August 19, 2010 at 2:43 am

      Have you tried ironing fabric to the shiny side of freezer paper? It sticks well enough to send it through the printer.

      Reply
    65. Betsy@My Salvaged Treasures

      August 19, 2010 at 2:03 am

      Excellent idea! I just sold an old printer at a yard sale a few months ago, oh well. Lots of possibilities with this idea. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    66. Pam @ diy Design Fanatic

      August 19, 2010 at 2:02 am

      Fantastic!!!You could definitely sell these!

      Reply
    67. Embellished Bayou

      August 19, 2010 at 1:42 am

      What an awesome project, thanks for sharing! I may just get brave enough to try this someday.

      Reply
    68. Pieced Pastimes

      August 18, 2010 at 2:21 pm

      Thanks for this wonderful tutorial. I have been wanting to make some vintage printed pillows on burlap and this will work out perfectly. TFS.

      Reply
    69. Proper Prim

      August 18, 2010 at 12:53 pm

      Gail I can't believe I missed this post yesterday... I never miss one of your posts. Wow am I glad I found it today though. I love those prints... I have wondered how to print on cloth... thanks so much for posting this. Everything looks fabulous.

      Hugs, Deb

      Reply
    70. Jan @ bobbypins boardwalk

      August 18, 2010 at 9:39 am

      Gail, that gives the fabric a much more authentic look, than the iron-ons that I've been using. Great idea!

      Reply
    71. Homemade Quilts by Granny

      August 18, 2010 at 5:11 am

      Wow I would never have thought to put fabric in a printer....thanks. Trish

      Reply
    72. Mary Lou

      August 18, 2010 at 5:01 am

      I also do the card stock and spray adhesive technique but it isn't washable....Don't use it for pillows...

      Reply
    73. ★All Thingz Related★

      August 18, 2010 at 3:16 am

      I've been wanting to try this! They turned out great!
      And yes, it was a bit cooler today in the far western part of the state, Thank goodness!!
      {Rebekah}

      Reply
    74. So...Look What I Made

      August 18, 2010 at 3:13 am

      Very pretty but how would it hold up to washing? Would you need to set the ink with an iron maybe?

      Reply
    75. random.heather

      August 18, 2010 at 2:55 am

      COOOOOOLLLL! I really like this!

      Reply
    76. Ms Bingles Vintage Christmas

      August 18, 2010 at 2:34 am

      Oh, I love it!
      It really came out nice!
      Thank you for sharing!
      Leticia

      Reply
    77. Cassie @ Primitive & Proper

      August 18, 2010 at 1:31 am

      gail this is so cool. i don't even have a printer, but after seeing this, i think i might need one. you and one cheap b*tch have me convince today that i need a printer.

      Reply
    78. Cassie @ Primitive & Proper

      August 18, 2010 at 1:31 am

      gail this is so cool. i don't even have a printer, but after seeing this, i think i might need one. you and one cheap b*tch have me convince today that i need a printer.

      Reply
    79. Julie (Legacy Crafter)

      August 18, 2010 at 1:03 am

      really cool stuff there. I'll have to try that myself

      Reply
    80. One Cheap B*tch

      August 18, 2010 at 12:05 am

      I love how you did it too! Very clever and the frayed edging - why didn't I think of that? Brilliant!

      Jeanine

      Reply
    81. Paige (Final Clothes-Out)

      August 17, 2010 at 11:15 pm

      Those are awesome! It never crossed my mind to put fabric in the printer!

      Reply
    82. Amy @MaisonDecor

      August 17, 2010 at 10:49 pm

      Yes I love everything french too! Must be a virus...anyway I am following you now. Question: was your printer a jet ink printer or a laser printer....I love how your images came out. Also a fan of the graphics fairy! Put a coupld o f her images in my latest blog header...

      Reply
    83. A Pretty Pastime

      August 17, 2010 at 9:44 pm

      You are such a clever crafter! That is going right on my "to do" list! Yours turned out absolutley gorgeous!

      Katy

      Reply
    84. Maryann @ Domestically-Speaking

      August 17, 2010 at 9:30 pm

      SO COOL!

      Reply
    85. Jeralee

      August 17, 2010 at 9:04 pm

      GREAT post. You have some good ideas Gail that have inspired me to try some new things. Thanks for the links as well, I will have to check out those other blogs.

      Reply
    86. SandyQuilts

      August 17, 2010 at 7:53 pm

      I use card stock and quilt spray adhesive and at last my printer is happy. I spray the card stock with the adhesive then place the fabric 1/8 inch below the top, hand feed and poof success.

      Reply
      • Beth

        November 11, 2013 at 5:16 am

        Sandy, that's a really great idea -- thanks for posting it!

    87. shannon i olson

      August 17, 2010 at 7:49 pm

      very cool idea, hmmmm perhaps one should invest in a cheap garage sale printer so as to not feel too bad, in case something goes wrong. I love this idea!!

      Reply
    88. Angie @ The Country Chic Cottage

      August 17, 2010 at 7:29 pm

      Love it!!

      Reply
    89. Ann Marie @ Twice Lovely

      August 17, 2010 at 7:25 pm

      What a great idea!! I'm totally doing this!

      Reply
    90. Momma Button

      August 17, 2010 at 7:20 pm

      Thanks for the tut! I've been wondering how to do this. P.S. I adore the graphics fairy!

      Reply

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