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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program Printable fabric sheets have been around for years, but improvements are being made every year. (There are STILL some really bad ones out there ...) Given the brand name recognition (Avery) and having had less than great results from similar products (I name only one below), I HAD to check out Avery Personal Creations Printable Fabric.
First Impressions:
1) The Product Itself: It is the stiffest fabric paper I have ever used. Instantly, I realized this could be both a huge plus and a big negative; this product is best suited for certain crafts (totes, framed pieces, scrapbooking, anything else where rigid is a good thing) and not for others (wearables, quilts, pillows)
2) The Image: For me, the single most important quality about printable fabric is the image reproduction. (Everything else I can work around, like fraying or thinness.) Granted, results can vary hugely, depending on your printer and the specific printer settings. When I used the "automatic" option for paper type and used the "best" quality option for printing, the end result using this Avery Printable Fabric was hands-down the very best I have ever seen.
Good Things To Know About This Product:
1) It is for Inkjet printers ONLY
2) There is no backing to peel off from the fabric sheet
3) It is Sew-in or Iron-on (unlike interfacings, this can be either/or); "Iron On" means ironing activates the glue, and NOT that this is an image transfer product that uses an iron to put the image on another surface
4) It's available (currently) in only one color a pleasing white (some other brands offer off-white)
5) This is not an image transfer product
6) When Avery claims "washable", their instructions really state "for best results, hand wash"
7) As with similar products, you need to let the printed image dry for at least 24 hours; even then, some image smearing can occur from simple handling
Personal Tips from Prior Experience With Printable Fabrics:
1) Read/follow all manufacturer's instructions; check website for more info/FAQs or reviews from other customers
2) Place only one sheet at a time in your printer
3) If not using the glue aspect, ie, you are sewing it in, keep in mind future ironing of the finished item the glue may adhere to parts of the project you never intended not good!!
4) If using color, try to use new/fresh color ink cartridge
5) ALWAYS do a test using plain printer paper first, to check for correct image placement, to test paper feed, and to test printer settings; know which is the image-side of the product (usually the matte side)
6) If applicable, keep seam allowances in mind
7) If using as an iron-on, make sure to PRESS and not really iron; both the fabric and thus the image itself can distort if you do too much side-to-side ironing. Just press the image with an up and down motion
8) Plan ahead for multiple projects; fit as many images as possible onto one sheet to make the best cost advantage
The Ultimate Test:
Unfortunately, the full test of this product will require months of time * and usage to determine:
1) how the image is retained and whether the fabric yellows over time. (I had to throw out several projects where I used Milliken's Printable Treasures because the images yellowed horribly.)
2) how the finished product withstands several washings and ironings (read my notes about HAND washing and ironing above!)
* Update 10/1/2012: I am still thrilled with the color quality on my simple little project. (I will post a photo soon.) The colors are still rich and deep, just like the very first day of printing. Of course, my project is not washable that will be my next experiment, and I will post an update as to how that goes.
The Downside:
At the time of this writing, Avery has not answered user questions on their website that are over 6 months old. I mention this not as an indication of the product quality, per se, but in case you need more information. You might do better going elsewhere, such as guilds, discussion groups, online user reviews, etc. for answers to any questions.
The Bottom Line:
For some crafts where rigidity can be an asset, and for near-perfect image reproduction, these Avery Printable Fabric cotton sheets are ideal.
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