How to Make Newspaper Print Fabric

Customize fabric with current events to make newspaper print clothing. Newspaper clippings or full newspaper panels that fit your scanner can be used to decorate plain fabric with the use of iron-on transfers. By following the correct procedure and by using the right materials, you can make as much fabric as you need for a newspaper print dress or throw pillow). Decide which pages appear in specific spots on the fabric by positioning them accordingly.

Scan newspaper or newspaper clippings arranged on the scanner tray. Close the top of the scanner and scan the newspaper images to your computer. Keep in mind that if you only scan one tray of newspaper clippings, this one 8 1/2-by-11-inch image will be repeated across the panel of fabric. Scan two more images of newspaper pages to cover 1 yard of fabric.

Load some printable iron-on transfer papers into your printer. Open the folder on your computer where the newspaper scans were saved, right click on each one and select "Print" to print them out on the iron-on transfer paper.

Smooth a towel on the floor or work table and spread some plain cotton white or light gray fabric on the towel. Make sure it is straight so the newspaper images don't come out crooked. Heat the iron on the highest setting and make sure the steam setting is off. Preheat the fabric with the iron by rubbing it in circular motions for 10 seconds.

Place one of the printed newspaper iron-ons face down in the corner of the fabric. Press down on the corners and the center of the iron-on paper for 15 minutes each to help it stay in place. Rub the whole back of the paper in circular motions for 20 seconds. Turn the iron off and set it aside. Rub the back in circular motions with a clean dry cloth for 10 seconds and remove the paper from the fabric.

Place the edges of each transfer next to where the other one left off and repeat the ironing process to cover the whole piece of fabric with a newspaper print.