All about Fabric Marking on Fiber Postcards

October 2015
Sheree McKee
sewfabsew.blogspot.com

Keep your specialty markers away from family markers 

or you might be disappointed when you really need them!

Eventually, you will need to address the back of your fiber postcards for correspondence and mailing. It's best to experiment with different marking methods as each type gives different results.

There are many marking options available, including permanent ink pens, gel pens, fabric markers, rubber stamp inks, inkjet transfer printing, inkjet direct printing and more.   There are also white inks suitable for dark fabrics, and metallic inks for special touches.

Nancie V. used three colors of marker pens on fine cotton

Metallic options

Both my never-used whites failed to  
write and appeared dried up!
Perhaps this color sits on the 
store shelf  too long with little demand

Since fabric postcards are never washed, you don't really have to worry about looking for permanent inks.  However, permanent ink might not fade as fast as traditional markers.

Most fabric postcards are also made with textile backs.  Some are created with card stock or different writeable surfaces.  These varying backs can affect the quality of handwritten or printed text.

Cardstock with pigment ink and rubberstamp
Yes, you can stitch through card stock 
I'll blog about that in the future!

Judy H. from Canada used 
muslin backing and Zig
Memory System marker

Lynn J. used pen on card stock and a cute red rubberstamp

Sometimes I run into trouble when using fabric markers for writing my postcards out.   This usually occurs when I attempt handwriting on rough fabric surfaces, but not on card stock or Tyvek postcard backs.

We've all spent time creating thoughtful fabric postcards to share with others, and it hurts when we spoil the backing.  Here's some insight I've discovered ~

CHALLENGES:

1. Markers that blur, wick or run
2. Pens that skip in the middle of writing text
3. Dull ink without solid saturation or color
4. Uneven surface due to texture in the postcard front face 

INKJOY test on fabric, I had to trace over twice 
on the orange and green. 
Not very saturated gel colors on fabric.

My Fav Sharpie Pen !

SOLUTIONS:

1. Try handwriting on plain cotton fabric BEFORE it is fused to the back of postcard, because synthetic fusibles often wick through fabrics during ironing, causing resistance.
2. Use high thread-count backing fabrics or microfibers for a smoother and a finer writing surface (See Denier details here)
3. Be aware that some synthetic fibers often repel inks, use natural fibers such as cotton, rayon, silk
4. Trace over text a second time (somewhat challenging)
5. Write slowly and evenly
6. Store your specialty pens away from family with tightly closed caps

EZ QUILTING - Nice quality but chunky and thick results

MARVY ARTIST - Two tip sizes on each end are very helpful

SHARPIE - Fine Points come in many modern colors

TEST AHEAD OF TIME:

1. Make samples of different inks on different surfaces to keep and review.  
2. Be sure to label them for recalling which markers and methods are working.

SAKURA Pigma makes a variety of tips sizes and basic colors

PILOT roller balls come in several tip sizes

SAKURA permanent Identi-pens

I will cover inkjet printing and transfer in a future blog post, stay tuned.  You might like the link below to a previous blog article  

on using markers for art:

Alcohol Marker Art Link

Thanks!  ShereeSews in M!ch!gan

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HELPFUL WEB ARTICLES:

Compare Stamping Inks on Fabric by Craft Test Dummies

Writing on Fabric by Cheryl Lynch

Marking on Quilts by Sandra Hatch

How to Heat-Set Sakura Pigma at LoveBugStudios


ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

Yasutomo FabricMate Superfine at Dharma Trading

Zig Fabricolor by Kuretake

Pilot - gel - roller ball - marker pens 

Sakura Identi and Pigma pens

EZ Quilting

Marvy Artist by Uchida

Sharpie

InkJoy by Papermate Facebook

Prep for Fabric Postcards

August 2015
Sheree McKee
sewfabsew.blogspot.com

10 steps to Prep

1. Sew in short sessions, sometimes over several days 
2. Make multiples at a time 
3. Fuse front base fabrics to stiffener or stabilizer filler ahead of time
4. Layer or build the front theme design
5. Embellish front with FLAT fibers and trims
6. Apply backing by fusing or sewing
7. Add final dimensional items to fronts 
8. Trim to size 4"x6"
9. Overcast edges or add wrapped borders
10. Sign and label back, add postage and address

1.  SEW A LITTLE BIT EACH DAY!  

That's what works best for me, 30-45 minutes is easy to squeeze into most hectic schedules.  I am a morning person, sometimes sewing at 4:30 am before the birds are singing!

2.  MAKE MULTIPLES: 

I seem to have a sewing construction order that works for me.  Since most of my swaps will trade two to four fabric postcards, I tend to make three at a time.  If I like the end results, then I'll make a few more.

3.  FUSE FRONTS:  

I try to keep several fabric strips cut and ready for upcoming projects by tearing them into 5" wide strips, crosswise.  I also prepare full-width cuts of stabilizer approximately 5" wide.  Sometimes I take a random 30-45 minutes to select fabric, cut, fuse and cool it, knowing I will sew it on another future date.

Yellow template is 4"x6" size

I like the 20" width of Peltex 71F stabilizer.  The Peltex has a one-sided, rough fusible texture.  I use a protective non-stick mat underneath the Peltex, to protect my ironing surface and I use a cotton press cloth on top of my theme fabric.

My favorite stiffener or filler

TIP:   Always allow the fused layers to cool before removing them from the ironing board.  If you remove the steamed stabilizer too early, or allow it to bend then you can set an unwanted curve or distortion into it.

After cooling, cut into three temporary sections approximately 5" x 6 1/2" as seen below.

Making Multiples

4.  LAYER OR BUILD the front theme design with additional pieced or appliqued fabrics.   

TIP:  Since I often machine stitch through these add-on layers of fabric, I try to use a white bobbin thread.  This will minimize any show-through thread stitches on the backside when the backing is added.  Most fabric postcard backs are muslin or a light-colored solid fabric to emphasis hand written text.  Using dark bobbin threads can interfere with the readability.

5.  EMBELLISH FRONT with FLAT fibers and trims 

Too much dimension can hinder the ability to fuse your backing on

6.  APPLY BACKING by fusing or sewing

7.  ADD DIMENSIONAL items to fronts such as buttons, charms, thick cording

I try to keep dimensional objects at least 3/8"-1/2" away from edges.  This allows my presser feet plenty of space to overcast outer edges in the final stages.

8.  TRIM all four sides to  4"x 6" 

Most often I use a rotary cutter, and I'm very fond of the scallop wheel shape!

9.  OVERCAST EDGES or add wrapped borders

10.  SIGN, DATE, STAMP, ADDRESS the back 

Use special fabric markers or fine point Sharpies or Micron pens

Identi-pen at Dharma Trading

sakuraofamerica.com