Text on Fabric With Inkjet for KAY Labels

I was seeking an easy wy to get text and images from my computer onto fabric for our Knit a Year project. After lots of riffling through instructables I came full circle and found a bit of advice which justified previous mad cap experiments.

You could reverse your image, print it, seek out a photocopier, photocopy it and use chemicals to transfer it or you could just take the risk and try this. I take no responsibility for any insueing printer jams but I've done it quite a bit and no fatalities yet.

This pattern is made especially to make labels for our Knit a Year stands. More info on what they are can be found at www.knitayear.ning.com It can be used for a whole range of other endevours though.

What you will need:

A computer with Microsoft word open office or something like it

An inkjet printer

A downloaded version of my KAY labels template

Cream canvas fabric or any other medium weight fabric of your choice.

Cutting mat and roller blade or scissors

220grm card

Repositionable spray mount

Eyelets and eyelet tool

Hammer

Pinking sheers if you want a crinkly edge

Step 1:

Cut your fabric into rectangles just smaller than your A4 Card.

Spray the back of a fabric square with spray mount and stick it to the centre of your card.

Make sure that your edges are well pressed down and there are no bumps.

Step 2: Step 2:Computer Bit

Download the Kay Labels Template from this page.

Open it in open office, word or whatever you use to write with.

Click on one of the labels and a text box pops up. You can write in this or copy and paste in text from elswhere. You can even add a picture.

Make sure that the text or image is still inside the label. If not you can resize it by pulling on the dots on the corner of the text box or changing the size of the text. Anything under 8Pts is going to be a bick tricky to read.

Put your card backed material into your printer so that it will print on the material.

Choose a matt card from your printer menu if it allows you to.

Print.

Step 3: Step 3: Post Computer Bit

For the Knit a Year strands we are going to take the card off the back of the fabric but you might want to keep yours on.

Cut around your labels either with scissors, rotary cutter or pinking sheers. For the Knit a Year labels its pinking sheers.

Make a small hole in the centre of the brown circle.

Pop a eyelet through, turn it over, cover with eyelet tool and bash with hammer (instructions on this should be with the eyelets you buy) For Knit a year eyelets should be black but if you are creating other stuff any colour.

For Knit A Year tie your labels to your strand at the appropriate place using the bits of yarn you left on.