How to Print on Fabric/Linen for Book Covers | Inkjet & Laser Method Tutorial

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How to Print on Fabric/Linen for Book Covers | Inkjet & Laser Method Tutorial
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[@scottfranco1962]

I have been wondering if this is possible. Thanks for the info.

[@MrsC3345]

I did the inkjet method a couple of years ago, and then had a call from my mother in law who was upset because she'd picked the book up with wet hands and the ink spread immediately. Do you do anything else to 'fix' the ink? In the end I bought iron on cotton washable fabric from Gecko Paper and rebound it which worked great! Added bonus I was able to iron it onto the boards so no additional glue required.

[@grim789]

I wonder if you could have gotten a matte clear coat spray paint and applied it lightly once or twice. I haven't tried this, but it's just a thought to protect the ink from smearing.

[@deanontheinterwebs]

@@grim789 yes, I was thinking that too while watching the video -- needs post-printing treatment for sealing. The matte clear coat would be my choice too. I would probably have a look too at some of the instructions for the treatment used with the bigger DTF fabric printing machines if that wasn't enough to see their process.

[@beefamato]

Wow, so lovely! Can any color laser printer be used with this paper? Also, the a4r Magictouch 3.1 paper isn't easy to find anymore. Do you recommend anything similar?

[@originalskincoins]

The inkjet method looks beautiful! Had no idea you could do this. For larger books where an A4 won't be sufficient to cover both covers, and you end up needing two separate pieces of bookcloth - any suggestions on how to attach or seamlessly blend the two pieces together?

[@StrayMementos]

A bit different from what you're asking, but my go-to solution is to use a completely different (but coordinating) material for the spine, so it has a nice contrast for added interest to the cover, and looks intentional 🤭

[@originalskincoins]

@@StrayMementos Good idea, thanks!

[@dapoet200]

Beautifully done. Question for you, can I use the laser transfer method on say a fabric like moleskin or imitation leather? Thanks so much 🙏🏾

[@PhotoBookGuru]

Yes as long as the leather can withstand the heat. However, even if the leather is okay, they cardboard under the leather might warp. it happened to me before

[@LinaHatimElias]

If I want to use the inkjet method for a book cover can I use a long enough book cloth to get the print for the front and back covers done at one time? Or how did you attach the two separate cloth covers since in this video you only printed one side.

[@PhotoBookGuru]

if your printer can feed it, then yes

[@afbsartur1270]

@@PhotoBookGuru I've already tried this way. Now I have to make a new cover 😭😭. It was damaged from the iron heat.

[@carrie1564]

What kind of paper is that that you used with the heat press? Where do you buy it? Is it recommended or required to have those under and over the transfer paper for the heat press?

[@moniquebelier6024]

Thanks just what I ment. Only I don’t see how you use this cover. Because you need double plus the back. How do you print then?

[@radishpie]

How do you go about attaching this to the rest of the book cover? This is a piece specifically for the front, how do you attach it to the cloth used for the spine and back cover?

[@bEverCurious]

He said he wasn't going to cover that here because it's in a previous video.

[@sislertx]

Did u have amazon link? What do u think about using heat and bond? So now i made it and how do i make a long piece for bscking the book?.. Or do u?

[@catie5939]

How do you finish the raw edge on the left hand side? I'm trying to figure out how to print a book cover and weighing my options. I love this idea, but do you use fray-chek or something on that raw edge where the printed picture meets the spine? I worry the edge will come up if the book is well loved. I'd love any advice or thoughts! :)

[@PhotoBookGuru]

Not sure what you mean by left side. The cover goes all around, it's one piece and is folded on each side to hide the edge.

[@board_gamer]

is it possible to print onto a linen book cover thats already attached to a book?

[@seedsforhumanity2455]

This can be done, but most people don't have access to a flatbed printer that can do this at home. They are called flatbed printers, and instead of having a sheet feed thru, you lay your media flat on the table of the printer and it moves across it while printing. They can accommodate thick items like books, etc. and most of them us UV cured inks that can bond to a range of materials even glass and plastics. There are places that print signs etc, that may have a printer like that and would share you to run your book thru it.

[@sharon94503]

Um...not really, because the book won't feed through the printer.

[@whalewine]

When using the transfer paper, did you find that the "blank" part of the paper (or in other words: the areas that did not get printed with an image) also get transferred onto the fabric? Is that what is supposed to happen, or is just the image supposed to be transferred? Because I keep getting these shiny coats around my images when I try to transfer them onto my book linen.

[@Martyntd5]

In your photo editor, make sure your image is cropped so there is no white around it. Then print.

[@PhotoBookGuru]

If you don't cut around the image, you will get the coating transfer too. There are some companies who provide papers that weed themselves and you don't need to trim them but they only work with certain printers like OKI

[@whalewine]

@@Martyntd5 Thanks! My printer doesnt print white so there should be no white at all, and I've only printed out text from Word directly so far.

[@whalewine]

@@PhotoBookGuru Okay, makes sense. Thanks for the reply

[@Martyntd5]

@@whalewine You just need to remove all excess space from your image, first by makes sure there are no fades into white space in your photo editor and then by physically trimming around your image and also cutting out any white space from inside it. To answer your original question, yes that is normal, you just need to think about your image and select something that you can easily trim to a hard edge rather than a fade ...or put a border round it in your photo editor and physically trim to that.

[@beverlea1961]

Hi. I have a inkjet printer. I am looking to print on linen which I can then embroider on. I saw you had a piece of paper on the reverse of the fabric. How did you attach this? Can you remove it after it has printed?

[@PhotoBookGuru]

You can only do a heat transfer using laser printers. You can also print on fabric with an inkjet printer but you have to feed the fabric into the printer, which is not done correctly can destroy the printer.

[@SexciiChrissy]

You can do sublimation and then embroider. I see another of people doing that

[@purple8156]

He’s printing on Bookcloth which is lined with paper

[@jessicay8207]

what thin fabric is this? im also in the uk, do you have a link? i struggle to find thin linen fabric with paper backing!

[@tosina2946]

i was coming to ask the same question

[@PhotoBookGuru]

Ratchford have hundreds of book cloths

[@ShaneBaker]

Thanks. Would using a canvas setting be an option for inkjet photo printers?

[@PhotoBookGuru]

If you have one, yes

[@alansmith2292]

Very helpful, thank you.

[@oronjoffe]

Just bear in mindn mind that inkjet prints fade in the light, and quite quickly at that!