Splitcoaststampers.com - the world's #1 papercrafting community
You're currently viewing Splitcoaststampers as a GUEST. We pride ourselves on being great hosts, but guests have limited access to some of our incredible artwork, our lively forums and other super cool features of the site! You can join our incredible papercrafting community at NO COST. So what are you waiting for?
Ok, dh asked me to help him out. One of his coworkers is pregnant and they've decided to make her a quilt. Each person has a square that they're supposed to decorate and he asked me at the last minute to whip something up for him since I've got so much crap in my stamping room.
I know I can stamp on fabric with pallette inks or craft inks and heat set them but would it be wiser to try the iron on fabric stuff instead?
Any tips? Advice? Examples? Help!!!!!! I mainly do cards so the other crafty stuff is a bit of a stretch for me.
Thanks in advance!
__________________ Kathy
Proud Mama to Mason 4/3/99, Miles 5/25/02, and Maya 8/26/04
I've only ever stamped on fabric, so I can't speak to iron-ons. But I do know that stamping on fabric is super easy and turns out nicely! Be sure to head set when you're done.
Be careful - I cought some iron on stuff recently and the sides were marked incorrectly - ruined the image, the tee shirt, and the iron. I found out the hard way the irons they make now aren't nearly as good as the one it ruined. :(
I say if you have 2 irons (or really love your current one) use your least favorite or buy a cheapy one for $7 bucks... just in case...
LOL, I would run down to the craft store for one more "craft junk" item... fabric paint! You can get a small bottle for a buck or so. Or try to find fabric ink like Fabrico...a pad of that runs around $6 I think. I say that because an item that's likely to get repeated laundering will look much better in the long run if you use the right stuff.
Or, another trick I learned a looong time ago: Heat emboss an image onto plain copy paper. Take the paper, place it embossed side down on the fabric, and iron with a hot iron. The image will transfer permanently to the fabric. It won't be raised, it's just the image.
I've only ever stamped on fabric, so I can't speak to iron-ons. But I do know that stamping on fabric is super easy and turns out nicely! Be sure to head set when you're done.
What kind of ink pad do you use, and do you heat set with an iron or in the dryer? I have some material that I just made into drapes for my craftroom and my DH said that I should stamp on them to give them a little added someting. TIA.
I recently stamped some onesies, you can check them out on my blog. But stamping directly on the fabric is super easy if you have the right ink, I used pallete. I ironed the fabric first to get wrinkles out, let cool. Stamped my images, then when you iron over it to heat set, place a piece of cotton or sheet on top to protect the image and prevent any discoloring. I also used some fabric markers I got from JoAnns. I used them to color in some of the images, versus just the outline from the ink.
I've used the iron on fabric stuff, like the one where you print something from the computer and iron on. I find it tends to sort of crack so you see thru to the fabric.
A lot of the stores also sell really cute iron-on transfers, JoAnns has a whole section for baby-themed ones. You could get one then just write something in fabric marker too.
Or try to find fabric ink like Fabrico...a pad of that runs around $6 I think.
Fabrico recently changed its name to Versacraft so if you're looking for it, you may not find it with the old name. Versacraft is the same stuff and stamps really well on fabric. You can get little cubes as well as the full size pad; I got those so I could get a good range of colours although I can't give you an idea of cost as I'm in the UK - I'd have thought a couple of dollars would cover it. The quilt idea sounds fun!
What does heat emboss the image mean to the paper I am curious I do alot of work with fabrics and trying to figure out the best ways of PERMINANT images.
Thanks so much
Erin
Heat embossing is a technique that involves a powder and a heat gun. You stamp an image with a pigment ink, sprinkle on the powder and then melt with a heat gun to produce a raised line. It works great on paper but it's not going to be great for fabric use - the powder would stick in the fibres where you don't want it and it would most likely crack and flake off as the fabric flexes.
An ink like Versacraft is permanent on fabric if you heat set it with an iron and there are lots of pretty colours to choose from.
Acrylic paint can also be used to stamp on fabric and again, ironing it will make it permanent.
You need to take some care with laundering any fabrics you have stamped - best to turn them inside out and treat them as "delicates" if you want the image to last as long as possible.
Actually, there's a way to transfer the embossed image in a permanent way. I learned this in a stamp store a bazillion years ago, lol. Stamp and emboss your image onto plain copy paper. (Not sure it HAS to be white or copy paper, but that's what we used.) Then we just flipped the paper over onto a piece of muslin (so that the embossed image is face down on the fabric) and pressed from the back. The plastic of the embossed image melts and then transfers to the fabric. Just the line, though, not the raised quality. It was so cool!
As far as laundering, anytime I've put effort into stamping or otherwise decorating a garment, I figure it's worth the extra care to keep it fresh looking as long as possible. That usually means washing inside out in cold water and air drying. I have some t-shirts that are over a decade old that still look great.
Thanks so much about the info on Fabrico...I hadn't heard that and probably would've gone nuts the next time I looked for it, lol!
I love to use iron ons. I have stamped with Craft ink and heat set, but the irons will last forever and are more colorful! I have done t shirts and onesies, and they hold up well to multiple washings. Believe it or not, my kids love me to stamp on iron on material and transfer it to their white t shirts. They may be the only kids (they are both boys) in 6th and 3rd grades wearing rubber stamped images to school.
Yes you have to use special ink and I am still trying to find the best type.
So far I am using a line from Jacquard but that is not what you would want. It is great but I make my own stamps from the bottle, does that make sense and it is not easily available in stores yet it is not expensive.
Fabrico-versacraft is highly recommended and I will be trying it this week, but only recommended for light coloured fabrics.
Do not use crafters ink they recommend it for fabric and it does not stay vibrant! Iron on transfers do work but they do tend to not last long, I have tried them all! I use xerox brand and it seems to be the best. I can send you a package of it not sure when you need it. We are far from each other but you can get it in about 10 days. I paid $10 for a pack of 10 sheets but if you just want a few sheets then I would sell them for $1 a sheet 8.5 x 11. it is easy just print in an ink jet and iron on ABC.
Not sure if this is too much info but thought I would respond since all I know is fabric not paper! lol
I will call myself the happy learner at the moment since I am soooo new to this.
Erin
I use staz on ink and then heat set with iron. I make several onesies and this always works and lasts through washings too!
Just so you know - Stazon is not recommended for fabric use and some colours will not stay true. I guess for a onesie that has a limited life because babies grow so quickly it probably doesn't matter but if you are working on a project for yourself it's probably best to avoid Stazon.
Stamping on fabric?
