drusselmeyer
Master Member
Has anyone here printed a pattern on fabric?? I am working on a 1/6 scale project that requires small details that might not work out if sewn. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
Printing on fabric?
- Thread starter drusselmeyer
- Start date
MaulWalker
Sr Member
I have stenciled on fabric with no problem. Go to the craft store and buy a stencil blank, draw your pattern on, and cut it out (you may need register marks so that the pattern lines up). I then used a stencil brush and Jacquard (brand name) fabric paint. Pounce the paint on, being careful around the edges of the stencil so that the paint doesn't creep under the stencil edge. Clean off the stencil as needed.
The fabric paint can be machine washed and dried.
Lynn
The fabric paint can be machine washed and dried.
Lynn
spidermanc
Well-Known Member
I believe you can print on fabric. Normally if it's a big amount of printing you would take it to a flag/banner printer.
For example: Spiderman costumes have a lot of detail printed onto fabric through a process called dye-sublimination, or digital printing.
Whether or not you can may depend on the fabric you are using. I know that lycra works with printing because that's what spiderman costumes are made of.
For example: Spiderman costumes have a lot of detail printed onto fabric through a process called dye-sublimination, or digital printing.
Whether or not you can may depend on the fabric you are using. I know that lycra works with printing because that's what spiderman costumes are made of.
Coz
Sr Member
If you're replicating sew-on patches for, say, a Ghostbusters uniform or an Aliens Ripley flight jacket, for example, you could use the print-yourself iron-on transfer sheets.
Rather than iron them direct to the item (which may not show the correct colour), iron it onto a piece of thin shirt fabric, cut out and glue on with PVA glue (to enable removal later).
Also, if it's something simple, maybe try fine-tipped fabric markers.
When I was customizing Mego figures, a fellow I know managed to track down some self-adhesive fabric that could be printed on via a computer printer. Sadly, I don't know what he used.
C.
Rather than iron them direct to the item (which may not show the correct colour), iron it onto a piece of thin shirt fabric, cut out and glue on with PVA glue (to enable removal later).
Also, if it's something simple, maybe try fine-tipped fabric markers.
When I was customizing Mego figures, a fellow I know managed to track down some self-adhesive fabric that could be printed on via a computer printer. Sadly, I don't know what he used.
C.
Fizbin
Well-Known Member
I've done it before with mediocre results.
It depends on how vibrant your pattern is and what type of fabric you're using. The lighter the fabric the better, in fact, white fabric is your best option. You want to use a thin fabric, but not one that will bleed the ink, so do some test runs first.
Adobe PhotoShop, Adobe Illustrator or Macromedia FreeHand are the programs that work best for this type of thing.
Also, a dye sublimation printer is way better than an ink jet printer. I haven't tried a laser printer, but I doubt it would work considering they use toner and not ink.
With that said, go get some Reynolds "Freezer Paper" and iron (medium to low temperature setting) your fabric onto the waxed side. Then cut it to size (letter, legal, tabloid... whatever size your printer will take) and load one sheet into the printer. Print away.
Hope this helps.
It depends on how vibrant your pattern is and what type of fabric you're using. The lighter the fabric the better, in fact, white fabric is your best option. You want to use a thin fabric, but not one that will bleed the ink, so do some test runs first.
Adobe PhotoShop, Adobe Illustrator or Macromedia FreeHand are the programs that work best for this type of thing.
Also, a dye sublimation printer is way better than an ink jet printer. I haven't tried a laser printer, but I doubt it would work considering they use toner and not ink.
With that said, go get some Reynolds "Freezer Paper" and iron (medium to low temperature setting) your fabric onto the waxed side. Then cut it to size (letter, legal, tabloid... whatever size your printer will take) and load one sheet into the printer. Print away.
Hope this helps.
clayslinger
Well-Known Member
Hi,
There in a printable fabric 8.5x 11 sheet available at Dharma Trading Co..
They call it "Fabrisign",it's their brand name for it.
I don't have the link handy.You'll have to Google them.
I know they have silk and I believe they have a fine cotton as well.
Quilting stores should have the cotton variety but it will be under a different name.
The fabric quality is very good and it works with common inkjet printers.
You do have to bump up the color saturation a bit compared to printing on paper.
Very cool stuff. My wife has used it with great success.
Good luck on your project!
Chuck...
There in a printable fabric 8.5x 11 sheet available at Dharma Trading Co..
They call it "Fabrisign",it's their brand name for it.
I don't have the link handy.You'll have to Google them.
I know they have silk and I believe they have a fine cotton as well.
Quilting stores should have the cotton variety but it will be under a different name.
The fabric quality is very good and it works with common inkjet printers.
You do have to bump up the color saturation a bit compared to printing on paper.
Very cool stuff. My wife has used it with great success.
Good luck on your project!
Chuck...
Fizbin
Well-Known Member
Hey, found the actual instructions for the method I mentioned above... which explains the process in more detail:
Helpful Hints:
4. If you are using commercial "colorfast" printer sheets, you'll need to submerge it in cold water after printing then throw it in the dryer. This will lock the water-based inkjet-ink into the fabric. If you are using homebrew fabric sheets or non-colorfast commercial sheets then spray a good coat of Krylon Fixative 1304, this will should protect the ink from water. Also, using the fixative will yield brighter colors than the colorfast sheets which tend the lighten and sometimes skew come of the colors the fabric.
Good luck!
1. Cut a piece of freezer paper the same size or just a bit larger than a piece of your computer paper. I use Reynolds freezer paper, available in the paper plates / waxed paper section of grocery stores and Walmart.
2. Cut a piece of fabric the same size. Light colored works best, but gingham or other small patterns could be used.
3. Put the wrong side of the fabric on the shiny side of the freezer paper and iron. It just takes a few seconds, the wax shiny side will melt just enough to attach the paper and make the fabric just stiff enough to go through the computer paper feed.
4. Now, double check, trim if necessary...make sure the paper / sheet is the same size as your computer paper, and make sure there are no loose strings or frayed ends showing.
5. Put this material in the printer tray with the fabric side facing where your printer will print. My printer prints on the "bottom" side, your's may or may not. Make sure the sheet is in straight and the stack of other regular computer paper is underneath.
6. Check your printer settings. You may want to use, if available, the Special Paper, or Transparency settings; the Highest Quality Output and Darkest Print Level, and if available...extra dry time settings.
7. Viola' now you have your own 1:6 scale camo fabric printing operation for less than .50 or so per sheet... and that folks, is a real bargain!
2. Cut a piece of fabric the same size. Light colored works best, but gingham or other small patterns could be used.
3. Put the wrong side of the fabric on the shiny side of the freezer paper and iron. It just takes a few seconds, the wax shiny side will melt just enough to attach the paper and make the fabric just stiff enough to go through the computer paper feed.
4. Now, double check, trim if necessary...make sure the paper / sheet is the same size as your computer paper, and make sure there are no loose strings or frayed ends showing.
5. Put this material in the printer tray with the fabric side facing where your printer will print. My printer prints on the "bottom" side, your's may or may not. Make sure the sheet is in straight and the stack of other regular computer paper is underneath.
6. Check your printer settings. You may want to use, if available, the Special Paper, or Transparency settings; the Highest Quality Output and Darkest Print Level, and if available...extra dry time settings.
7. Viola' now you have your own 1:6 scale camo fabric printing operation for less than .50 or so per sheet... and that folks, is a real bargain!
Helpful Hints:
1. Place the fabric sheet into your printer. If you don't know what side your printer prints from then draw a mark a regular piece of paper on the top, print something then look at the paper. If the pencil mark is on the same side as the printing then you know to put the fabric side of the fabric sheet facing up. If the pencil mark is on the back then you know the fabric sheet must be placed in the printer fabric side down.
2. Now select the print option. You may want to play with these settings a bit. The image to be printed is scaled at 300dpi so if you are using a 600dpi or higher printer you may have to select a "fill the whole page" option in the printer driver. You may want to use, if available, the Special Paper, or Transparency settings; the Highest Quality Output and Darkest Print Level, and if available...extra dry time settings.
3. Now sit back and wait a few seconds and prepare to be amazed!
2. Now select the print option. You may want to play with these settings a bit. The image to be printed is scaled at 300dpi so if you are using a 600dpi or higher printer you may have to select a "fill the whole page" option in the printer driver. You may want to use, if available, the Special Paper, or Transparency settings; the Highest Quality Output and Darkest Print Level, and if available...extra dry time settings.
3. Now sit back and wait a few seconds and prepare to be amazed!
4. If you are using commercial "colorfast" printer sheets, you'll need to submerge it in cold water after printing then throw it in the dryer. This will lock the water-based inkjet-ink into the fabric. If you are using homebrew fabric sheets or non-colorfast commercial sheets then spray a good coat of Krylon Fixative 1304, this will should protect the ink from water. Also, using the fixative will yield brighter colors than the colorfast sheets which tend the lighten and sometimes skew come of the colors the fabric.
Good luck!
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clayslinger
Well-Known Member
Hey John,
That's the best part of this brand of printable fabric.It comes mounted on a peal-away paper backing.
What you described with the wax paper is exactly what Lynne (my wife) thought she would have to do untill she ran across this product.
After tinkering with the saturation, it captures fine detail beautifully. She was working with a VERY small detailed print and the smallest detail came thru.
Best of luck on your project!
Chuck...
That's the best part of this brand of printable fabric.It comes mounted on a peal-away paper backing.
What you described with the wax paper is exactly what Lynne (my wife) thought she would have to do untill she ran across this product.
After tinkering with the saturation, it captures fine detail beautifully. She was working with a VERY small detailed print and the smallest detail came thru.
Best of luck on your project!
Chuck...
Fizbin
Well-Known Member
Yo Chuck,
If I ever get back into sixth scale customizing again, I'll give this Fabrisign a try. Sounds like great stuff!
The directions I posted is the "poor man's" way of doing it, since I did these types of things back in '98 or so and I doubt there were products like Fabrisign on the market at that time.
If I ever get back into sixth scale customizing again, I'll give this Fabrisign a try. Sounds like great stuff!
The directions I posted is the "poor man's" way of doing it, since I did these types of things back in '98 or so and I doubt there were products like Fabrisign on the market at that time.
clayslinger
Well-Known Member
Hey John,
From my wife's reaction to it, you're right, it just appeared on the market within the last few years.
Right up to the last minute we were brainstorming different ways to feed the fabric thru the printer more precisely without it separating from it's backing.
Ran across this product and never looked back.
Interesting stuff and well suited for 1/6 scale. The silk makes great looking little ties.
Chuck...
From my wife's reaction to it, you're right, it just appeared on the market within the last few years.
Right up to the last minute we were brainstorming different ways to feed the fabric thru the printer more precisely without it separating from it's backing.
Ran across this product and never looked back.
Interesting stuff and well suited for 1/6 scale. The silk makes great looking little ties.
Chuck...
drusselmeyer
Master Member
http://www.dharmatrading.com/html/eng/420658-AA.shtml
This seems promising. What I am doing is trying to replicate, in the simplest way possible, is Sean Young's light colored dress from Blade Runner.
I'll have to sew it, so I want to make it easy -instead of the nightmare it would be if I tried to sew all the pieces as in the real outfit.
Thanks.
This seems promising. What I am doing is trying to replicate, in the simplest way possible, is Sean Young's light colored dress from Blade Runner.
I'll have to sew it, so I want to make it easy -instead of the nightmare it would be if I tried to sew all the pieces as in the real outfit.
Thanks.
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clayslinger
Well-Known Member
That's the product.
I hope it works for you.
Thanks for creating the link.
Good luck with your project!
All the best,
Chuck...
I hope it works for you.
Thanks for creating the link.
Good luck with your project!
All the best,
Chuck...
