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BearBottoms 'Bear' Bottoms Originals
Ft. Bragg, NC
Posts: 2,465

Oh THANK YOU for this post!!!!!!  I have been REALLY wanting to do tush tags or somthing of the like, but didn't want to order special ribbon, nor did I find that embroidery worked well on such small pieces. I'm going to Wal-Mart NOW!

Kimberly W.

matilda Matilda Huggington-beare
WA
Posts: 5,551

Thanks for the link Melanie, I'm off to view it now.  I forgot to pick up the freezer paper yesterday, so will check this out first. bear_thumb
Wendy

OK went there ,had a look see and bought two sample packages. One cotton and one Canvas.
I'm looking forward to them now. I not sure I'm patient enough to wait................... bear_grin  :dance:

Jare Hares & Bears Jare Hares & Bears
Polo, IL
Posts: 983

To make your own fabric computer paper:
1. Fabric - i use muslin
2. Printer
3. Computer
4. Freezer Paper
5. Hot Dry Iron
6. Fray Block or Fray Check

Coat fabric with fray check, let dry.
Cut out Freezer paper to the correct size ( here in the US 8.5" X 11" or 8.5" X 14")
With a hot dry(no steam) iron press the shiny side of the freezer paper to the fabric.
I press from the back side of the paper.
Cut the excess fabric away from the freezer paper, using good SHARP shears.
Place in printer so that the fabric will be printed on.
Cut out your design and viloa! You have you design on fabric without having to pay $6.00/package for only 3 sheets.

Mom uses this to create custom ribbons.

I think I am going to try this for my tags. I will get a waterproof marker and sign after I print them out.
I'll let you know if I have any luck.
Jared

I used the coolrfast fabric from June Tailor.
I painted Fray check/block on the printed side before printing.
Paint on a light coating of the fray block, not to heavy or it won't dry quickly and you only need a little bit.
After the fray block dries, I print the labels. I print a 1/2" by 1 1/4" labels you can get tons of information on the one side, this also leaves you 1/4" for your seam allowance. I also put a boarder around the label in a light grey dashed line. Just dark enough for me to see. I printed out only one sheet and end up with over 100 labels.
I'll scan a copy in later this week for you to see.
You need to heat set the ink after it dries.
I used a hot dry iron.
Then I peeled the paper backing off.
I then put a light coating of fray block on the back side.

LIGHT COATING!!!!


I tested this first to make sure that it wouldn't smear, and it didn't. So you might want to test this before you do yours.
After that dried I ran my hot dry iron over it to make sure that everything was dry.
I put them in a folder on my work table and just cut them out as I need them; that way I won't lose them.
I also bought in the scrap book section a micron waterproof fade-resistant pen they come in a two pack a .01 and .05. I use the .01 to sign my name on the back of the tag. They have been working great for me. I no longer need to find a source of good leather for making signing tags.
I hope this helps.

Megelles Megelles
Brisbane
Posts: 273
Website

I have tried the freezer paper to print my stitchery kits as a quilting friend told me about this ages ago.  If you use unwashed calico(it is a little stiffer as it still has the sizing in it) and cut it and the freezer paper to the same size as the paper you use in your printer - you really don't need the fray check.   It is not ordinary freezer paper you can buy in an Aussie supermarket!   
Please also set your printer to envelope or a thicker paper setting. 

I have not tried to print bulk sheets but for the first few samples it works really well.   One or maybe 3 stuffed up before I changed the paper type setting and then it seemed to work really well (until then I ran out of ink). Quilters use freezer paper for applique and it can be reused 3 or 4 times.  I hope this helps.


hugs Lisa

Megelles Megelles
Brisbane
Posts: 273
Website

Forgot to add I love the name tush tags!!

Dilu Posts: 8,574

What a fab idea....and i have some that I have never used!  i love it!

Next golly to go out will have something!

Thank you Sue Ann and Shellii and everyone else!

matilda Matilda Huggington-beare
WA
Posts: 5,551

Thankyou Jared and thankyou Lisa.  I now have enough info to proceed without foulups.hahahah
Now off to work we go.
Wendy bear_thumb

Megelles Megelles
Brisbane
Posts: 273
Website

Matilda, I let my friend Kate work it our first as well.  Using a rotary cutter along the edge is another good tip.

Let me know how you go!!  When I started bear making all those years ago, at home printers and all these ideas weren't around.  I now need to re order my commercial tags and am now having second thoughts.  I would love to know how many artists make their own tags. 

hugs Lisa 


hugs Lisa

kate Kates Mates
Malua Bay
Posts: 62

Hi Lisa (Megelles)
Making one's own tags sounds great but for us Aussie birds if it's "not ordinary freezer paper you can buy in an Aussie supermarket", can you say what it is and where one can get it?
Cheers
Kate

Bonnie Mountain Dreamer Bears
wooly woods of Missouri, USA
Posts: 1,538

Just thought I'd toss in my two cents. Maybe it will help someone.

After reading first reading this post I did a little experimenting and had great success using iron-on interfacing on a nice cotton fabric. It went through the printer perfectly, took the ink well and the interfacing kept it from fraying. If one were still worried about fraying, a bit of fraycheck on the edges couldn't hurt. I re-ironed the printed sheet to heat set the ink but I can't honestly say if it helped or not. the ink didn't smear at all after I was done.
I got everything at WalMart. The interfacing was $1.19 a yard (24 inch width) and the fabric was $2.98 a yard, (44 inch width.) Obviously you could make several 8 x 11 sheets with one yard of materials so it is a very reasonable method.
bear_flower  bear_flower  bear_flower

Megelles Megelles
Brisbane
Posts: 273
Website

In Australia you can buy the "freezer paper" at Quilting shops.  Quilters use it for applique.  The brand I have is called  Reynolds Freezer paper.  It is plastic coated and in a blue box (like glad wrap).  15 m was $14 from the craft show in May.

After a bad nights sleep,(thinking about everything but sleep) fray stop is a great idea if you are using it to make 'tush tags'.  In the long term printing regularly on fabric may not be very good for your printer but with the quote I have just received for new commercially printed labels a new printer would be cheaper.

off to work now.

hugs Lisa

kate Kates Mates
Malua Bay
Posts: 62

Thanks very much for that Lisa,
Since I don't quilt I can only wonder why they call it Freezer paper!  I'm sure one of my quilting friends will be happy to fill me in. 
Hubbie was also inclined to think it would be cheaper (and less frustrating) to have tags done commercially .... but I like to play!
Kate

Tammy Beckoning Bears
Nova Scotia
Posts: 3,739
Website

I've been making mine this way for a  few months and they work great.  It is nice to be able to customize them with a logo etc.  The really are so easy to do once you get your first set figured out.   Here is the actual size I make.  I print a page full then cut them apart.    They print out very clear, much better than in this picture.
tagsample.jpg

Jare Hares & Bears Jare Hares & Bears
Polo, IL
Posts: 983

Kate -
Freezer paper is used to wrap meats for storage in the freezer, hence the name freezer paper.
Hope this helps.

Megelles Megelles
Brisbane
Posts: 273
Website

Kate
The freezer paper has a plastic coating and with heat it temporary adheres to fabric - quilters use it to make applique templates and on the box I have it explains it.

hugs Lisa

matilda Matilda Huggington-beare
WA
Posts: 5,551

After finally remembering to look for it at the supermarket on Thursday. I found that Coles dont stock it. We only get plastic bags for the freezer. We do get baking paper which since it has nothing for it to adhere I figure isnt what I want. Then we have waxed paper which is called lunch wrap. I know that you can make pretty wrapping paper with waxed paper when you iron two pieces together with petals inbewteen.
NOW......is this what I can use as well? or should I be looking for the "Reynolds freezer paper" which was mentioned.???MMMMmmmmmmm I think maybe I should just do some experiments aye? :doh:
Wendy :doh:

Megelles Megelles
Brisbane
Posts: 273
Website

Matilda
Please go to a patchwork shop or the next big craft show to buy the freezer paper.  I don't know if you will find a supermarket here.  Would you like me to post you a little bit?
hugs Lisa

matilda Matilda Huggington-beare
WA
Posts: 5,551

Dear Lisa, that is very sweet of you to offer. There is a large fair coming next month. So will be able to look for it then. Plus I ordered some special printable fabric stuff from online. That will arrive soon.
I tell you what would be good though. It may sound silly but a photo of the paper and box would be good.
Then at least I would know what I'm looking for. Some how the visual seems to help. Silly I know.
Plus before I do all this I have to work out how to get more than one tag per page. :crackup: Seriously.
regards Wendy :doh:  :redface:

matilda Matilda Huggington-beare
WA
Posts: 5,551

My fabric paper arrived yesterday.  I have enough to make tushtags for the rest of my life.
I bought a metre of canvas  and cotton. The cotton has a shiny backing. They came in a roll and it wasnt until I was cutting off A4 size sheets of each that I realised the curl in them from being in a roll may cause a bit of a problem.  So after man handling them for a moment they straightened out.
I spent a bit of time hunting through my word program and found the tags that I was looking for. I know I went the long way round designing these and I'm sure there MUST be a faster way of doing it. Well, designed tags and printed them out. Made a few changes and printed again. What I found was that the cotton being the thinner sheet went through without a problem. No smudging at all when touched straight away. So that surprised me.
The canvas being thicker was slow to print. Again no smudging. I like the canvas because it is thicker more sturdy.  I also like the canvas weave.  I did take pics but the weave and quality of the fabric cant be seen. So wont post the pics.  Also I found this fabric easy to cut using the guillotine. I have a habit of cutting at an angle when using scissors. Its such a pain.  :redface:
I bought this fabric from    www.craftycomputerpaper.co.uk
Excellent service, it arrived in only a couple of days.
I have plans now to design my own textiles. (biggrin)
Will answer any questions if there are any. Spotyas Wendy bear_thumb

BootButtonBears BootButtonBears
Adelaide
Posts: 2,837
Website

Wendy, I brought my Reynold Freezer paper at Spotlight here in Adelaide.  They sold it by the metre.  Do you have the Spotlight chain in W.A.?

matilda Matilda Huggington-beare
WA
Posts: 5,551

Brilliant Christine, Thankyou. I do indeedy have a rather large Spotlight near to me. I will go in and ask.
I have since found that the printing fabric I bought is way tooo stiff to do sewing with. So it really is only good for tushtags .
But as I find out new uses I will keep you guys upto date.
The tushtags I made with it though.... I'm REALLY HAPPY with.
Wendy's got tushtags, Wendy's got tushtags, .....da..de...dade...da ....da :dance:  :dance:
spotyas, Wendy bear_grin

matilda Matilda Huggington-beare
WA
Posts: 5,551

I just popped back in to see how I am to use the freezer paper. I was able to buy some yesterday.
I plan to use it to design my own fabrics for costumes for my critters.
Thanks for the great advice Jared. It will be well used.
Wendy bear_thumb

Jare Hares & Bears Jare Hares & Bears
Polo, IL
Posts: 983
matilda wrote:

I just popped back in to see how I am to use the freezer paper. I was able to buy some yesterday.
I plan to use it to design my own fabrics for costumes for my critters.
Thanks for the great advice Jared. It will be well used.
Wendy :thumbsup:

You're welcome.

I just had my sister make some aprons for the souviner bear that I am making for October. All I did was to trace the pattern into corel and then I inseeted the logo that I wanted to use. I copied all of that and pasted it a couple of times in the document. Finally, I printed it off on fabric. I then turned it all over to my sister and had her sew them up. It was slick because she didn't need to cut out every piece. She laid the printed fabric face down on the backing fabric sewed each apron and inserting the ties as she sewed. Then she only had to cut once for each apron.

nandesign Posts: 361

Hi everyone: Just adding my 2 cents worth...I purchased the Jacquard Inkjet Cotton and the Silk Fabric sheets for labels. I made a template..(30/sheet) and printed them off. They look wonderful. I let the ink dry overnight and then I decided to tea stain them. I peeled off the backing and dumped the sheet in the tea...I let them dry. I did not sign them before I stained them.
When I did sign a few...I used the Staedtler finliner. I also let the signature dry awhile. You can heat-set the signature or use the colorfast method...which is...dipping the label in cool water and letting dry until just damp...then use your dry iron to set.

Just a note...tea stain before you fray check!

You can find the Jacquard Sheets at Michaels....10 for $24.99.(Canadian) The June Tailor sheets are 3 for $12.99 at Michaels. Jacquard also has a website...www.jacquardproducts.com

I hope this doesn't make decisions more confusing!

Nancy

Jare Hares & Bears Jare Hares & Bears
Polo, IL
Posts: 983

I say the more information the better!

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