How to Print a Photograph on Fabric

Printing a photo directly on fabric creates dramatic results.

Fabric craft becomes fabric art with the inclusion of photos printed directly onto the fabric. After preparing the fabric, any high-quality photograph can be used to create one-of-a-kind quilts, totebags, neckties and so much more. Before you begin, choose and edit a photo, making sure that it is cropped to your liking and that any red-eye has been eliminated. Also print a test copy of the image on paper to make sure it is satisfactory before printing it on your prepared fabric swatch.

Things You'll Need

• Fabric
• Scissors
• Freezer paper
• Ink fixative for fabric
• Rectangular pan
• Iron
• Inkjet printer
• Mild detergent

Instructions

1. Cut your fabric into 8-by-10-inch sheets with sharp scissors, or to a size slightly smaller than your inkjet printer will accommodate.

2. Cut the freezer paper into sheets ½ inch to 1 inch larger than your fabric.

3. Shake the bottle of ink fixative, and pour it into a flat pan. An aluminum roasting pan, glass casserole dish or plastic storage container works well.

4. Soak your fabric sheet into the pan of ink fixative for at least five minutes.

5. Remove the fabric from the solution, and lay it out flat until it is completely dry. Do not wring the solution out of the fabric.

6. Iron the the shiny side of the freezer paper to the treated fabric, using a setting appropriate for the fabric. For example, iron a cotton swatch using high heat and a silk swatch using low or moderate heat. Remove loose threads that might get caught in your printer.

7. Set your inkjet printer to print photos and to print on heavy paper, and load the freezer paper-backed fabric, fabric side up, into the printer.

8. Print, and let your fabric sit for at least 30 minutes.

9. Peel the freezer paper off the fabric.

10. Fill a container---a large bowl or a bucket works well---with a gallon of cold water, and add 1/4 cup mild detergent. Quickly submerge one printed fabric sheet at a time, and agitate continuously with your hand for two to three minutes. Lay the fabric flat on a towel to dry.

Tips & Warnings

• Tightly woven natural fabrics, such as cotton or silk, work best.

• Use a hair dryer, but not a clothes dryer, to speed up drying times.

• Remember that inkjet printers do not print white. Wherever there is white in your photograph, the fabric color will show through.

• Ink fixatives are chemicals, so be sure to use rubber gloves and work in a well-ventilated area.