Setting Ink on Fabric

I had no idea you could make ink stay on fabric permanently. And no, not like one of those stubborn stains that smudge and fade with every wash, you can actually draw with pens and make it a permanent print. Awesome, right? How did I find it out? Well I was actually looking for something quite the contrary; how to remove marker stains from fabric (after a far from good experience with a new top and a blue pen) and that’s when I came across this brilliant idea. Why didn’t I think of that before! Obviously, I had to try it and I knew exactly where.

The other day I saw some cushions and I instantaneously knew I wanted them. But since they were from some other country, finding them here would’ve been difficult and then there’s also the fact that nice things come with a not-so-nice price tag. You know where this is leading right? I made my own cushions 🙂

: The ‘a’ is not showing in this picture again, but don’t worry, it is there

Let’s get straight to the how-to.

Iron the pre-washed and dried fabric so that you get a nice, wrinkle-free surface to work on.
Trace your pattern with a pencil first. Now trace over these lines with the permanent marker. Don’t use those dry-erase board markers.
Once you’re done with the design, set the iron on medium heat and press the backside. Leave it for a day, to be sure the ink is completely dry and set.
Now take a bowl full of water and add salt till the water gets saturated.
Soak the cloth in this solution for a couple of hours and then dry it.

That’s it, your pattern is set and won’t come out on washing.

For this one I drew a simple arrow print . You can, of course, make them a lot neater and straighter with a ruler, but freehand drawing gives a nice touch and the print actually looks like you made it yourself.

Monogram your pillows or maybe shirts with your initials to make them unique. Or make sure you get those end-of-the year autographs in permanent ink and set them like this. And if you have a free weekend, design a nice curtain and let it reflect your personality in your room.

You can also write your favorite quote like I did on this one.