Fabric Printing
Customize cotton fabric with your own design by booking a time to use our fabric printer!
Our fabric printer can be used to print digital images or graphics directly onto a fabric of your choice. If you have an RHPL membership in good standing,* you can bring in a cotton fabric item like a T-shirt or apron, and customize it with an image of your choice.
RHPL’s Maker Space contains a Roland VersaSTUDIO BT-12 Direct-to-Garment Printer. It prints images (photos or graphics) directly onto fabric items like T-shirts and tote bags, and is currently available at Central Branch.
Fabric printing is just one of our Maker Space services. Visit our Maker Space webpage to see what else you can create!
* RHPL members in good standing may use our Maker Space equipment. Supervision by a parent or guardian is required if the user is under the age of 14.
Getting Started
Introductory Training
Before you can use our fabric printer on your own, you’ll need to complete our Maker 101: Fabric Printing Workshop, which is available in a group setting or as a one-on-one workshop. After you’ve completed the workshop, you’ll be able to book time to use the equipment on your own.
Let's Create Something!
Once you’ve completed Maker 101: Fabric Printing, you can follow the steps below to create your own item with our fabric printer.
Booking for Experienced Creators
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Choose an image: Prepare an image file in JPG or PNG format that’s no larger than an A4 page (8.25 x 11.75 inches). When choosing or creating your design, remember that the printer cannot print white ink. Not sure what image to choose? Our fabric printer’s design software has a selection of stock images and text options that you can choose from during your booking.
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Choose your fabric: Choose your fabric item (e.g. T-shirt, apron, pillowcase) that you’d like to print your design on. It should be 50-100% cotton and should be a very light colour (i.e. white or beige) for best results. Printed images will not be visible on black or dark fabrics.
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Reserve the equipment: Access our booking system for experienced maker appointments, and reserve your time with the equipment. Remember, you can only book use of our fabric printer for independent use after you've completed a Maker 101: Fabric Printing workshop.
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Print your design: When you arrive for your appointment, check in with an RHPL team member on the third floor at Central Branch. We’ll help you access the machine and the required software. You’re expected to stay with the printer until the job is complete. Most designs take a few minutes to print.
It's all about the details.
Timing: Arriving more than ten minutes late may result in the automatic cancellation of your booking. All work should be completed 30 minutes prior to the branch closing; Maker Space equipment will not operate after the branch is closed, and any jobs that are not finished at closing will be cancelled.
Fees and Materials: Currently, there are no fees to use our fabric printing services, but you will be responsible for costs associated with damage or misuse of the equipment during your appointment. Don’t forget to bring your storage solutions (i.e. USB flash drives or web-based storage) for your files, and a fabric item made of 50-100% cotton that your design will be printed on.
Your Project: Maker Space use is subject to the approval of RHPL team members. Items that cannot be created include anything that is illegal under professional or federal law, unsafe, harmful, obscene, dangerous, or poses an immediate threat to the wellbeing of others. This includes weapons, weapon components or items resembling weapons, sexually explicit material, or material that is in violation of another's intellectual property rights, such as items subject to copyright, patent or trademark protection. The Library reserves the right to halt, delete or disallow the creation of items that it deems to be inappropriate or unsafe.
Responsibility: As the creative genius behind your work, you are responsible for your masterpiece. You are expected to monitor your work and are responsible for troubleshooting any issues related to your design. We do our best to ensure our equipment is working properly ahead of your appointment. If there are problems with the equipment, please report them to us immediately.