Just think of the possibilities of being able to “print” your logo onto fabric yourself!  Canvas bags, tote bags, little thumb drive bags… The possibilities are endless!  My first attempt at this was with the chair below. Ready to see how it was done? 

I had been wanting to put an oversized chair in my office that I could curl up on when I wanted to.  So I was super excited when I found this chair on Craigslist for only $10, because I knew if I totally ruined it in my D.I.Y. attempt… I wouldn’t be too upset. 

Here are the steps I took to complete this project. (You’ll find a supply list for the Citra-solv transfer technique at the bottom of this post.) 

STEP 1: Spray paint the chair white.

STEP 2: Had the cushions recovered using Painter’s Drop Cloth (as in the Home Depot kind – like this) 

STEP 3: While the cushions were being recovered, I got to work designing possibilities for the image that would grace the front of the chair. Everyone cast their votes on the Go4Pro Facebook wall, and we finally decided on the winner. 

STEP 4: Reverse the image so that it will transfer to the fabric properly. I did this in Photoshop: Image –> Image Rotation –> Flip Canvas Horizontally 

This is what the finished printed (from my office printer) looked like: 

STEP 5: I took the printed image to our local print shop to get a photocopy made and enlarged.  It’s important that you get a black and white copy made, or this whole project will be a flop.  And I learned that some copiers are better than others. You’ll want to test it first. I read from Graphicsfairy that you need it to be a toner based image. 

STEP 6: Position the copy face down on the fabric exactly as you want it and adhere with tape or pins so it won’t move. 

STEP 7: Pour a little of the Citra-solve into a small container. Now paint on a light layer of Citra-solv. (This would be a good time to mention the need to have a stack of newspapers under your fabric.) 

STEP 8: Using the back of an old spoon, go over the entire design and really burnish it into the fabric. This took only a few minutes. (See why I’m suggesting some practice scraps?) 

STEP 9: Remove the paper and check out your new branded fabric! Part of the fun of this technique is that it’s not meant to be perfect. It has a vintage charm, and flaws only add to it’s character. 

SUPPLY LIST: 

• Fabric (+ test pieces) 
• Reversed design printed as a black & white copy (see step 5) 
• Citra-solv Natural Cleaner & Degreaser
• Paintbrush
• Pins or Tape
• Spoon
• *For a more detailed tutorial, you may want to check out this link.

THERE YOU HAVE IT!  WHAT DO YOU THINK?  
IF YOU TRY IT YOURSELF, I’D LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT IT!