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I'm making a memory quilt for a friend with her son's tshirts. She also included 4 pictures that she printed out using the packaged paper/fabric for that purpose. Unfortunately she doesn't have the packaging anymore, so I don't know the brand or have their instructions. It's been awhile since I worked with pics, but I peeled off the paper and put the pic in a bowl of running water, and is now drying flat. Ironing will set the colors. My question is about how it feels on the back...like it has a coating of some kind. I'll see how it feels when it dries, but what has your experience been with preparing the picture for sewing?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: elsie123,

can't help with the back of them but i will say use a pressing cloth on the photos when you iron them. they don't usually like the iron.

Good point,I hadn't thought about that.

I've only done one quilt with photos and the photos do seem a bit stiff. I used the packaged fabric sheets rather than my own fabrics, so that may be the reason. The whole thing turned out beautifully, though, and my brother was thrilled to receive it.

I've used "Printed Treasures" paper backed fabric that can be run thru an inkjet printer. According to the instructions the ink should be allowed to dry (approximately one minute) then the paper backing pulled off slowly. They also recommend removing any excess ink by submerging the fabric sheet "in a large bowl that is overflowing with a constant stream of cold water for approximately one to two minutes". Then lay flat (do not wring) to dry. "Once dry the sheet is ready to use".

Care instructions include ...hand or machine wash in cold water using gentle cycle and a mild detergent. Air or machine dry using low heat.

After washing or rinsing...iron friendly using the lowest steam setting (silk or wool).

Don't know if this is the product your friend used, but if it is the name is printed on the paper backing but is difficult to read (white on white).

Editing to add - the only thing I recall about the back of the fabric before rinsing is that it felt kinda fuzzy. I thought maybe that was some paper fibers sticking to it. Don't know for sure.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Bozie,

Did the backing paper have small grey numbers on it somewhere? A series of 6 numbers printed once or twice on the entire sheet? If so, it could be June Tailor brand. The care instructions for those are to let it dry for at least 10 minutes, then peel off the paper. Set iron to cotton, no steam, and iron the image face up for 1 - 2 minutes to set the ink, without using enough pressure to distort the image. Then you rinse in cold water and lay flat to dry, dabbing the excess water with a clean paper towel (no rubbing). Iron again to completely dry and set the image.

Laundering for June Tailor sheets is in cold water, by hand or in the machine on gentle cycle. No detergent. Remove promptly from machine. If soiled, use a small amount of liquid fabric softener in the wash water. Lay flat to dry.

I've used those sheets a lot, and yes, they do feel stiff, almost like canvas. And they tend to hold a crease if you fold them, so it's best to keep the images flat as much as possible. Even turning something inside-out (when done sewing) can cause wrinkles that are hard to remove.

Boy! The instructions are really different for different brands!!

There are some similarities with the use & care, but also some differences. My sewing club had a presentation with 4-5 different brands shown & tested, even after washings.

Edit! My memory was wrong...found the notes from that presentation... The brand that performed the best was Printed Treasures. The brand I was thinking about that was only in LQS's was EQ brand. The color wasn't so great on those & the quilt weight did lousy with repeated washings.

I use June Tailor because I can get it @ JA's with a coupon...and I'm not making heirlooms, just fun crafty stuff. If it fits on a sheet of printer paper, then I can print it. There are tons of clip art images or texts to be found online. That site "The Graphics Fairy" that I mentioned in another post is a good place to start.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: StarrySky,

Yes the washing instructions are similar. I was thinking of the "iron friendly at lowest steam setting" vs 1-2 minutes on cotton setting to heat set when I said the directions were really different for the two different brands.

Getting a bit OT here but when I got out the package I have here to look at the directions I see that the unused sheets have yellowed in varying degrees as did a label I had printed but not used. These were all stored in the original box in a closed cabinet........

I like the Printed Treasures - haven't had any issues with it but then, it has never been "unused" for any length of time. I pretty much use it up within a short period of time You can also buy that brand at Joann's - I will get it when I have a 50% off coupon since it is very expensive. Runs almost $4 a sheet with no coupon. It had been quite a while when I last bought some so when I got some a week ago I definitely had sticker shock....$2 a sheet I can handle but $4 seemed a bit much

I used some Printed Treasures last year. I printed the picture on the fabric and put it into a block...no problem. The next day, I went to add a border to the block and as soon as I hit it with the iron, I had bright yellow spots on the picture. Not brown, yellow. I had used the same iron the day before while constructing the block without a problem.

I called the company and they really did try to help me out with it. They didn't know why it did that.

I agree with native Texan, use a pressing cloth.

There's no indication of a name or numbers on the paper backing. I rinsed each of the pics in water for a couple of minutes after peeling off the paper backing, and have them on a towel to dry overnight. They have a tendency to curl up, so I've weighted them down with glasses on the edge. I'll definitely use a pressing cloth.

Thanks for the comments and suggestions.