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Paper Solvy disaster

I'm always on the lookout for ways to get designs I like on to fabric. I think one of the craft shows or web sites mentioned Paper Solvy. The first step is to get a computer image of the design. Then you hit the print button after loading Paper Solvy in the print tray. Next you pin it to your fabric and then stitch away. I was very intrigued by this method because it looked like an easy way to get designs on to many different fabrics, including those with dark colors and patterns. Here's a link to the product page at Sulky:

I comforted myself with the knowledge that if/when things went awry, I had used scrap fabric and DMC floss. I ignored the first problem that occurred when I couldn't figure out which side to print on and printed a design of a flower cart. I used a woven trellis with longisth threads to fill the cart and planned to tie them down when the paper was removed. After stitching many of the flowers, vines, and other elements, I thought that I should remove the Paper Solvy to see how the stitching looked on the fabric.

It was time consuming but not difficult to snip away the excess paper. I immediately noticed that the trellis lines were very, very loose despite my having taken care to pull each thread tightly before going to the next line.

"No problem," I said to myself. "I can hide that when I tie down the intersecting threads."

Next, I dunked the piece in cold water as directed. Paper that I hadn't snipped dissolved as promised. However, I was appalled when black lines appeared through much of the stitching. I did a cost/benefit analysis and quickly abandoned the idea that I could snip the threads from the damaged areas because (a) I had a minuscule amount of money and time invested in the piece and (b) there was a distinct possibility that the black ink spots would show up on the fabric.

Have any of you used this product? Can you tell me what I might have done wrong?

Reply to
anne
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This is the first I've heard of the product. Is there a warning anywhere on the package about incompatibility with certain printers or brands of ink? That would be my first thought. Second, you did say you had trouble figuring out which side to print on, so maybe that is an issue.

Did a regular wash> I'm always on the lookout for ways to get designs I like on to fabric. I think

Reply to
Brenda Lewis

A lot of quilters use the Paper Solvy. I'll ask my DA - who does all kinds of things with it. But, I think she uses a lot of the tear away stuff. For printing on fabric - I use either some June Taylor product, or IIRC an HP one. Never tried what you did.

I've had some good luck with the Shout/Oxy combined pre-wash stuff.

Ellice

Reply to
ellice

ellice said

Does DA equals dear aunt or something else??? Regardless of what it means, please put a note on your to-do list to ask her/him how she/he uses it.

Some of the print and then iron on products I've tried leave a waxy finish. The ones that print directly onto a paper backed fabric are nicer. However, unless one is doing a design that's less than 8 1/2" x 11", you have to piece the sheets together which leaves a visible seam. The seam may be covered by some stitching but you have to be creative to mask it on the sides. The same holds true for freezer paper backed fabric.

For light and non-patterned fabric, I've found the best thing to use is an iron on transfer pencil that enables me to capture a lot of details. I haven't found anything that works well (and quickly) for me on dark or patterned fabrics.

Since my prone-to-get-dirty kids have grown up, I no longer need heavy duty stain remover stuff. I let the piece soak for several hours in a solution of a store brand all color bleach and All. Not only didn't this remove the black ink, it showed that in some places filled with rows of buttonholes, the solvy stuff hadn't totally dissolved.

FWIW, I used a scrap of yellow, ecru-ish colored upholstery/drapery fabric and have no idea what its fiber content is.

I learned a lot from this experiment but I may contact Sulky in the not too distant future to tell them about my experiences.

Reply to
anne

Another thing that quilters do when transferring a design for either surface embroidery or for applique is to use netting. Lay the netting (the type used for petticoats, etc.) on top of the chosen design and then trace over the design using a permanent ink pen made for fabric transferring the design to the netting. Once the ink is dry, lay the netting on top of the stuff to be embroidered and pin in place or tape

-- whatever you want to keep the netting from moving around. Then again trace over the design with a WASHABLE or AIR ERASABLE marker. These are readily available in ANY quilt shop or quilting section of any craft store even in Wally World. This washable "ink" disappears when it comes in contact with water so I will usually use a spray bottle of water to wet any unwanted or already stitched lines. You can use a fade away or air erasable marking pen. Depending on the type, this stuff disappears within 24 to 48 hours. Mark the design and then stitch as much as possible until the design fades then just lay the netting over top of the already stitched area to line it up again and redraw the stitching lines. Even tho' this stuff disappears, I still always try to launder the item just to be sure. If you use either of these products, be sure to rinse the stitched item really well BEFORE you put any soap or warm or hot water on it. Heat or soap will set any lines of either type pen that have not disappeared. CiaoMeow >^;;^<

PAX, Tia Mary >^;;^< (RCTQ Queen of Kitties) Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about their whiskers! Visit my Photo albums at

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Reply to
Tia Mary

It does say you may want to print lighter than normal to avoid black lines. You could try that. It doesn't seem to specify there is a wrong and right side to it, so you were probably fine in that respect.

Tara

Reply to
Tara D

Tia Mary said

snip

Filed for possible future use even though the method 'violates' one of my cardinal rules, "it's got to be quick", for transfer methods.

Thanks

Reply to
anne

Tara D said

GMTA (great minds think alike)!! I may try using colors so if there is bleeding after wetting, it might not show.

Reply to
anne

And Draft mode if you have such a thing, otherwise turn your saturation way down. Maybe using the lightest possible of each colour regardless of your colour of floss, I.E. sky blue even though you are using navy to stitch.

Tara

Reply to
Tara D

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