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June 26, 2009

Ink Jet Printable Fusible Web

Filed Under Fusible web, Machine appliqué, Photo tutorials, Product demo 

More fusible web! I stopped by the June Tailor booth at Spring Market and noticed one of their new products… Ink Jet Printable Fusible Web. They gave me a package to try out.

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The package says, “Use any pattern that you create, scan, or download onto your computer.” I would add a caveat… the pattern has to have templates that are separated from one another. The reason is that when you cut out the shapes, you need to leave a little bit of product outside the line, so that when you cut out the fused motif, you’re cutting fusible and fabric at the same time. That gives a clean edge.

Being a designer, I have tons of appliqué patterns on my computer, but I don’t normally design with all templates separate. To try out the printable fusible web, I took one of my simple patterns from Easy Appliqué Blocks, Moon and Stars, and moved the shapes apart. I also reversed them, which is what you need to do for fusible appliqué. (Didn’t need the centering lines just to print the templates, but I forgot to remove them.)

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I took all the paper out of my printer tray and loaded one sheet of fusible web per the instructions. On my printer, the printable side is down so that’s how I loaded it, with paper side down. Then I sent the print job. Well, the sheet crept out of the printer slower than a snail’s pace. I couldn’t figure out why, so I checked my print settings… yep, it was set on Quick. Then I remembered that the package said to use a ‘plain paper’ setting. I rechecked my settings and changed the paper type from automatic to plain paper and tried it again. Voila! It printed on out like I thought it should. On automatic, my printer detected that this was some sort of weird stuff moving through its interior and did the best it could to interpret how to print on it. This was a case of RTFM. If you don’t know that term, it’s short for Read the Fabulous Manual. (Sort of.)

Here’s the printed sheet.

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I cut the templates apart.

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Then cut the centers away.

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Fused to the backs of my appliqué fabrics. (Note: the package says to use no steam, and really, you’ll need to use a dry iron. In case you left any of the lines at all, let’s just say that steam and inkjet do not play nicely together.)

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Here’s what the glue looks like after it’s been fused to the motif. Kinda shiny-like.

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I positioned and fused the shapes to the background fabric. The instructions again say to use no steam. Normally I would use steam at this stage, because my understanding is that that’s what activates the glue. But I used a dry iron, and, after an initial press, “glided” it as the instructions said to do. Worked fine.

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I stitched with my usual small machine blanket stitch and all went well. There was no gumming of the needle.

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The product performed quite well for me, and acted just as it said it would. Something to think about is that if you mess up a template, it isn’t going to be all that easy to reprint just one template.

And, all this product was left over. That’s not going through my printer again. I guess I’ll save it and try using it in a future project the old-fashioned way, by tracing.

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So, if you see June Tailor Ink Jet Printable Fusible Web and you also have appliqué templates in electronic form (original, scanned, or downloaded), pick up a package and try if for yourself! It costs more but you may enjoy the time saved and accuracy of not having to trace your templates.

Until next time,
Kay
Quilt Puppy Publications & Designs

Comments

8 Responses to “Ink Jet Printable Fusible Web”

  1. Vicki W on June 26th, 2009 3:12 pm

    Thanks for the product demo!

  2. Kay on June 27th, 2009 9:12 am

    You’re welcome Vicki! And thank you for the idea you gave me. I added the category ‘product demo’ and went back and added it to all the applicable posts. Cool!

    Kay

  3. Betty Pompey on August 18th, 2009 5:54 am

    Hi Kay I really enjoyed your tutorial on fusible applique. I have a question. Is it possible to add a print option to your blog?

  4. Kay on August 18th, 2009 9:09 am

    Hi Betty! So glad you enjoyed the post.

    To answer your question, not that I know of. It’s just isn’t in the nature of a blog I’m afraid. If you think others might be interested, just refer them to the site! :)

    Kay

  5. Terry on September 28th, 2009 9:51 am

    where do you find this stuff?

  6. Kay on September 28th, 2009 11:05 am

    Terry – ask at your favorite LQS, or try this link at the June Tailor shopping site:

    Inkjet Printable Fusible Web

    K.

  7. Hippie on August 1st, 2011 9:32 am

    Good points all around. Truly appreciaetd.

  8. Debbie on September 11th, 2011 6:28 pm

    Really love this stuff but the price, Good grief like $2.00 a sheet. OMG