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Quilting & Technology

Using Your Computer for Quilting Design

Quilting is probably one of the oldest crafts around. What better use did the frontierswoman have for odd scraps of fabric than to join them together into a quilt? Because of the work involved, they have always been in high demand and quickly become heirlooms.

For those quilters who want to do more than just use fabric swatches for their projects and for those who want to create really unique designs, technology has come to the rescue. Using an inexpensive scanner such as CanoScan 4200F Scanner and a printer such as the HP Deskjet 6980 Color Printer, the sky’s the limit as far a quilting designs go.

You can scan photos or even fabric swatches into your computer. You can use a graphics program to manipulate the color or design as you desire. (For more on graphics programs and how they work, please visit Graphics Programs for Crafters) You can create entirely new fabric designs or use something you see in a book or magazine.

Then using fabric treated with Bubble Jet Set and Rinse you can print out your own quilt blocks, using your new designs on cotton or silk fabric, to assemble into your newest quilt creation.

The Bubble Jet products fix the ink on the fabric so that it becomes machine washable. (For my pointers and tips on how to use Bubble Jet, please visit Bubble Jet Tips - How to Print on Fabric.

I've seen quilts made using this method selling for as much as $10,000.

HP has devoted a whole section of their website to quilting and fabric printing. Go to the Quilting Section of the Activity Center for printable patters for quilts, pillows and wall hangings.

Another way to transfer images onto fabric is Lazertran Silk Decals. This product allows you to design, print and transfer just about any image to a fabric surface.

To read more about how this product works, read my review of computer printable decals for fabrics.

A good book for starting quilters is:

The Quilters Ultimate Visual Guide : From A to Z-- Hundreds of Tips and Techniques for Successful Quiltmaking By: Ellen Pahl

For all your quilting supplies, please visit Quilting @ joann.com

For more articles on the use of your computer in crafting, please visit Computer Crafting. This is the gateway to all computer related articles on this website.

For more information about quilting and quilt design, please visit:

A Brief History of Quilting

Quilting Software

A Quilt Pattern Question

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