Name: Karen
Message: I want to use printer ink to dye cotton........I know this is not a traditional way to dye fabric.....when i washed my pieces they faded and most of the ink ran out......I want to keep the bright vibrent colors.....how do i keep the ink in?

Good news: this technique is possible. However, you must use the correct materials. Inkjet printer ink is not itself a dye for cotton; it is usually made of disperse dye, which works only on synthetics such as polyester, and are usually applied to the synthetic fabrics with a very hot transfer press or dry iron.

The simplest solution to your problem is to buy special cotton or silk sheets which have already been chemically treated so that disperse dyes will stick to them. These are commonly available in your local crafts store. Another source is via mail order from a company such as Dharma Trading Company (from the front page on their web site, click on the link for 'transfers' to find the listings for 'Print On Cotton' and 'Print On Silk'). You can even buy ten foot rolls of this treated cotton or silk fabric, though the 8.5"x11" pages are easier to find.

You can treat your own fabric using a product called Bubble Jet Set.

Another method is to create iron-on transfers in your printer which can be used on your fabric. This is preferable when you do not wish to sew a page-sized piece of fabric onto your project, but the feel of the results is not quite as nice. Again your local crafts store is likely to sell this sort of product; if not, see Dharma Trading Company's web site.

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