Print on Fabric Checklist

Monkey and I love checklists. We use them all the time.

This is a good one for right now:

  • Read this message about checklists.
  • Use the checklist at the very end.

Inklingo Print Checklist

We think we need some simple Print Checklists for Inklingoists. A quick reminder makes sense for beginners and experienced Inklingo quilters.

For every quilting project, Inklingo quilters spend very little time printing compared to the time they spend sewing. A few minutes of printing can set up hours and hours of sewing fun, spread out over several days and weeks, so it can be a long time between printing sessions.

Now you can print one page (PDF) for 3 different checklists to keep in your Inklingo binder, or stick to the front of your ordinary Inkjet printer.

For quilters who are new to Inklingo, there are detailed, illustrated printing instructions in the first Chapter of The Inklingo Handbook.

We think they are so important that we made that chapter free. Free—but it’s 48 pages. Even with Monkey’s smiling face on almost every page, quilters who are familiar with printing on fabric probably skip it.

As a monkey, Monkey says it’s only human nature to skip reading the instructions until you get in trouble. Luckily, with Inklingo, trouble is easy to avoid, and even Big Trouble is clearing a jam—not a big deal.

If you don’t want to read The Inklingo Handbook, here’s a little summary:

1. The fabric
Wash and dry the fabric so the FP will bond well enough to avoid jams in the printer.

If you fold the fabric neatly, there is no need to press until you iron on the freezer paper.

Print tests on the fabrics you will be printing to determine the best ink color. If you are machine piecing, you will probably only be printing some of the fabrics.

2. The freezer paper (FP)
Cut 2 to 5 sheets of FP and label each with the size. Each sheet can be used many times, but by cutting more than one, you can set up an assembly line for ironing and printing, peeling off and reusing sheets of FP when they come out of the printer.

Tips  Print the shapes on the paper side of one sheet of FP to check the size before cutting piles of freezer paper. When you are sure the size is right, you can cut several layers at a time. You can iron scraps of FP together to make new sheets too (details in The Inklingo Handbook, page 41, or page H41 in the downloadable version).

3. Print
Iron one sheet of FP at a time, and trim the fabric to the same size as the FP with scissors.

There are illustrations showing quick tips for preparing fabric sheets in an earlier blog entry, How to Print on Fabric Best Tips.  (17 January 2011).

Insert each fabric/FP sheet in the printer so it will print on the fabric side. Many sheets can be printed in a few minutes.

  • ironed on both sides, no loose threads
  • current page
  • page scaling “none”
  • custom size
  • a glance at the Preview window before clicking print

New to custom page sizes? There are step by step instructions for entering the numbers in the print dialog box under the Support tab at inklingo.com. You will only need those instructions your first time.

 Click to download 3 Checklists (PDF).

 

 

Judging by the fun messages in the Inklingo Yahoo group this week, we may need this one too. (Most of the time we don’t want to print 899 pages, eh Mary?)

Do you think it is still a checklist if there is only one thing on it?

Here’s another checklist!

  • Check out the checklists.
  • Decide what you would like the Print Checklist to say.
    (Shorter than mine?)
  • Decide what photo should be on it.
    (Maybe one of yours?)
  • Leave a comment for me, so I know what you want.
  • Spend a little time sewing every day.

We’ll use your comments to make more Inklingo Print Checklists, okay? They’ll be ready on Valentine’s Day. I hope there are lots of comments. This should be fun.

Linda & Monkey

New to Inklingo? Order and download free shapes and start sewing in the next few minutes. Quick Start  (Always FREE.) There are triangles, diamonds, and squares  in the free collection—great for dozens of different blocks.

14 thoughts on “Print on Fabric Checklist”

  1. Make a note of which collection is being used, the size being used and the page number.
    First printing, print on plain paper to see if the printer is set up correctly for the custom size needed.

    Reply
  2. Love the checklist idea, maybe you could add a checklist for fussy cutting and printing?
    The suggestions below could be additions.
    Print Test on plain paper in custom size before printing on fabric.
    Cutout shape along stitching lines and check windows on right side of paper.
    Make sure you cut freezer paper to custom size and position on fabric correctly.
    I love the picture of monkey with glasses and heavy evebrows for this.

    Reply
  3. I have not been having any jams since I started leaving 1/4 inch freezer paper (no fabric) at the top of my sheet to be printed.

    I need to remember to print the TEST page on my fabric to truly determine (for me) which ink to choose for printing. I tried to skip that step and have had to print many more sheets, wash, and then choose again to determine which color to chose.

    I love the checklist idea. I started reading the instructions (thoroughly; Ok maybe only a few pages) and then got too impatient and jumped ahead. Silly me, I’ve gone back and found that when I look, Linda has already covered that topic. I, in my haste, have had too many errors from just being impatient. But then, it is my new toy and so much fun!

    Nancy

    Reply
  4. Love this!! Love Cathi’s idea to label her printer and the five item list from Donna. I would substitute black licorice for chocolate, but thats just me. smiling sweetly, love martha.

    Reply
  5. While it’s printing…

    1. Have some chocolate.
    2. Prepare another sheet.
    3. Thank your lucky stars we have Inklingo!
    4. Sip favorite beverage.
    5. If you get to this step and it’s still printing, get a new printer. It’s too slow.

    Reply
  6. 1. Iron FP on Right Side of washed fabric
    2. Trim with scissors.
    3. Press Both sides.
    4. Load into printer Fabric side UP [down – whatever – for your printer].
    5. Current Page, Custom Size, Preview, Print!

    Reply
  7. Can’t decide which is cuter the baby hand or Monkey in his Groucho glasses! LOL
    Thanks for the timely uploading of the checklist. I don’t use Inklingo on to many projects (so far) so I often have to make a mistake or two before I get into the routine!

    Reply
  8. The checklists are amazing Linda. Because I print a lot at one time, I don’t print often and the checklist will keep me from making a mistake.

    You are an inspiration to all of us, thankyou

    Reply
  9. The checklist is fabulous — I’m printing them out on a full-size label and then cutting them apart. One of those labels is going right on the printer! My favourite is the baby hand on the mouse. I think I’ll highlight the check preview window — I’ve been caught a few times when the printer has taken a very long time to start printing and I’ve realized, just in time, that I had sent the whole collection. Thankfully, it’s easy to cancel a print job before it starts.

    Reply
  10. Love the new Print Check Lists! Thank you for creating them. I use them too. My fave is the one with Monkey’s picture–he’s so cute & just darn right cheery.
    If you add anything in honor of Valentine’s Day, how about Monkey holding a little heart? Why? ‘Cause we all love Inklingo! lol

    Reply
  11. The checklist is wonderful. I use one too. Now I have a pretty one. Thank you. The little baby hand on the mouse sends me. I love that little chubby dimpled hand!

    Reply

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