If you have an inkjet printer, you can easily print your own fabric for use in your kimekomi ornaments. This is a fun way to display family photos and create dated keepsakes. You can either buy special fabric sheets that can be easily run through your printer or make your own fabric sheets.

If you only plan on printing out a few photos or phrases, I recommend using ready-to-use printable sheets. They are very easy to use and will save you a lot of time.

These types of fabric sheets typically only come in white and can be expensive, so if you want to print on a different color fabric or if you are on a tight budget, it might be better to try to make the sheets yourself. Speaking of tight budgets, ink for inkjet printers can also be really pricey, and this may use a lot of ink. I do not recommend either of these methods for large-quantity printing.

I learned to make my own printable fabric sheets using the freezer paper method by doing a quick Google search. There are a lot of YouTube videos and blog posts out there, and most are pretty good. I had to make a few adjustments for my own printer, an HP Deskjet 3520, and I imagine this method will work with any similar type of inkjet printer. 

Tools and Materials Needed

• freezer paper

• cotton fabric (poplin is a good type to use)

• regular printer paper

• fabric scissors

• paper scissors

• glue stick (non-wrinkle type is best)

• iron and ironing board

Instructions

1. Cut a piece of freezer paper a little bit smaller than your regular printer paper. 

2. Cut a piece of fabric slightly smaller than the piece of freezer paper you just cut out. 

3. Center the fabric on top of the freezer paper, plastic side up, and iron. The fabric should adhere to the freezer paper.

4. Using your glue stick, glue the freezer paper/fabric piece to the center of a sheet of printer paper, the fabric side facing up. If the paper starts to curl, you can set a heavy book on top until the glue dries.

5. Create the document with the photo, graphic, or text you wish to print. Pay special attention to the margins. If you are using the final product for a kimekomi ornament check the size of the graphic you need by first making a fabric cutting pattern for your ornament. Make sure that you leave enough extra space around the graphic so you have enough fabric to tuck into the grooves.

6. Set your printing preferences to reflect the type of paper you are using. For my printer, I choose the "iron-on transfer paper" setting. Also, set the quality to "best" for the best quality print.

7. When running your sheet through the printer makes sure the fabric side is facing the correct direction. For my printer, the fabric must be facing down so that it comes into contact with the ink when it feeds through the machine.

8. Once you are sure the ink is dry, peel the fabric off the freezer paper, and it's ready to use for your project.

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