Clean and Clear Images 

with Rubber Stamps on Fabric

I've seen several pretty adorable projects that include some pretty messy rubber stamping of words.  I think it can really down-grade the quality of an otherwise beautifully stitched project.

Therefore, I feel compelled to provide a tutorial to hopefully help the less experienced fabric rubber stampers to retain the quality of their sewing skills by enhancing a project with clean and clear rubber stamping.  Whether it be with lettering or just an image or both.

It's really a very simple process.

So, get out your stamps and pads.

Be sure to stamp on a firm surface.  I use a cutting mat.  Also stamp the project before layering and quilting.

"Messy" is easy to accomplish.....look familiar?

Ok, my 'messy' is a bit over kill. It's harder to 'messy' on purpose than by accident.

'Messy' is caused by pressing your stamp into the ink pad too far or at an angle which gets ink on the rubber edges.

'Messy' is also caused by then pressing the stamp onto the fabric with too much pressure or at an angle or by rocking the stamp, transferring the ink on the rubber edges onto the fabric.

The secret cure is too carefully ink only the raised rubber image evenly.  While inking the stamp, should ink get on the edges, have a small rag handy and just wipe off the edge before stamping the fabric. 

When pressing the stamp to the fabric, don't use an over amount of pressure, and be sure to distribute the pressure over the entire image to be sure to imprint the entire image.

that's it!

Simple!

TIP: 

Store ink pads positioned upside down.  This keeps the ink at the top of the pad where you want it and it's much easier to ink a stamp.

Happy clean stamping!

Annie

...and this Scrappy Swirl was mailed to Carol of Just Let Me Quilt

Rubber Stamping Laundry Test

I've done a Rubber Stamping
Laundry Test

I've stamped with rubber stamps on fabric for some of my small projects.  I've used StazOn ink for this technique even though it states on the ink pad that it is NOT for fabric.  It is a permanent ink and has not washed out or run when I have dampened it (usually to remove the purple air soluble ink quickly). 

The projects I have stamped on have not been ones that will ever be washed (fabric postcards) and ones that would seldom, if ever, be washed (wall hangings).  Because I've been questioned about the permanency of the ink on fabric and during laundering, I've stamped a test piece of muslin and laundered it 6 times.

This piece is my original stamping.

This piece is after the 1st washing in a regular heavy duty laundering.

This piece is after the 6th washing in regular heavy duty laundering and about three times with a good dose of stain remover added to the load.

It definitely has faded some.  Mostly with the first wash.  There isn't much noticeable difference from the first wash to the 6th wash.

 

I know that it's rather difficult to photograph all these tests on different days with a variety of lighting although I placed them always in the same place and used an on camera flash.  The facts are still visible in the stamping in any case.

For the projects that I use this technique on, I'm completely satisfied with the results that this ink is waterproof on fabric.  I wanted to know that when I mailed my fabric postcards and they got wet from rain, or what have you, that the ink wouldn't run. 

I will say that I have heard that VersaMark Ink is better on fabric.  I don't know that this is true, and I was hoping to have been able to get a pad of this ink to test it with the StazOn, but I have not found it locally yet.  However, I will find it and I will test it.

In the meantime, for me, StazOn ink works perfectly for my purposes.

Still happily stamping along,

Annie