AboutConnie Hester Expertise Quilting and applique expert.Can advise on the following topics:quilting, art quilts, quilt design and construction, machine and hand quilting, paper foundation piecing, machine piecing, hand piecing, raw edge applique, turned-edge applique and fiber art.
Experience Winning awards in international fiber and art competitions since 1983; http://www.conniehester.com/
BS,MS
See my work and books at http://www.conniehester.com/
Expert: Connie Hester Date: 6/13/2006 Subject: printers for printing photos on fabric
Question Do you have any recommendations for printers that can handle paperbacked fabric for direct printing of photos and other images off the computer. I presently have an Epsom CX3200 which is great for printing on regular copy paper but can't handle card stock or heavy weight matte paper so I don't think the paperbacked fabric will work either. I would like to make a memory quilt for my Aunt who will be a nun for 50 years this year - her Jubilee. Thanks.
Answer Hi, Ann,
You will need a printer with pigment-based ink, such as found in many of the low-end Epson printers, like the "C" series. The most current one is a C88, and they sell for under $100. Often they can be had for as little as $50-$60 with online and store coupons. Pigment-based inks are both water-resistant and lightfast, whereas dye-based inks (as found in HP printers and others) are neither. Even with the addition of pre-soaking (and drying) the scoured fabric in Bubble Jet Set 2000, the images will not be lightfast. Nor will they become lightfast with coatings of clear acrylic (as in acrylic medium or sprays) or UV sprays.
Other, more high-end Epson printers also use pigment-based inks, but you have to check to be sure exactly which ones do. All of them do not. I am not familiar with your particular Epson printer.
Be sure to first "scour" the fabric yardage with plain washing soda (about 1/2 cup per washload of 3-6 yards with Arm & Hammer, without additives like brighteners, perfumes, etc.) and a couple of teaspoons of synthrapol (or dishwashing liquid like Joy or Dawn, likewise formulas without aditives) in order to remove any invisible surface finishes or grime which will prevent the ink from bonding with the fibers.
I currently use an Epson C84 Deskjet printer (which was replaced with the C86, which has now been replaced with the C88) for printing directly onto fabric as well as for image transfers. There is no need to use Bubble Jet Set 2000 solution on fabric which is to be printed with pigment-based ink, nor is the product "Retayne" useful on pigment-based ink (should you run across these products and wonder). They were developed for dye-based inks and have limited use.
