How to Print on Handmade Cotton Paper

Printing on specialty paper—especially handmade, deckle-edged cotton paper—can feel intimidating. But don’t let that delicate edge fool you. With the right setup and a bit of care, you can print crisp, centered text or images right at home.

Whether you’re creating your own wedding invitations or printing small-batch art prints, this simple guide will walk you through how to use a carrier sheet (or jig) to achieve professional-looking results on cotton paper.

What You’ll Need:

• Deckle-edged handmade cotton paper
  
• Regular 8.5 x 11” computer paper
  
• Spray adhesive (we recommend Pixie Spray by iCraft)
• Inkjet printer
  

Step-by-Step Instructions:

Step 1: Prepare Your Document

Set up your text or image in your design software. Center your content on an 8.5 x 11 layout with appropriate margins, allowing for your cotton paper’s smaller size and uneven edges.

Step 2: Print the Carrier Sheet

Print your design on regular computer paper. This acts as your guide to ensure perfect alignment. Use high print quality settings and print in black or full color, depending on your final piece. Also, we recommend printing a border around this image in order to help placement of future sheets.

Step 3: Add Light Spray Adhesive

Spray a light-tack, repositionable adhesive (like Pixie Spray) onto the printed carrier sheet—just enough to gently hold the cotton paper in place without leaving residue. Let it dry for a few seconds until tacky.

Step 4: Align Your Cotton Paper

Place your handmade cotton paper directly on top of the design on the carrier sheet, aligning it precisely where the image or text should print (this is where the printed outline comes in handy). Gently press down so it adheres just enough to hold.

Step 5: Print!

Feed the assembled carrier sheet (with the cotton paper adhered) into your printer’s manual tray or rear feed, if available. Select the highest quality setting and the correct paper type in your printer dialog.

Tip: We recommend doing a test run or two on plain paper first.

Step 6: Gently Remove

Once printed, carefully peel the handmade paper from the carrier sheet. Let the ink dry fully before handling.

Why This Works

Cotton paper’s irregular size and soft texture make it hard to feed through printers on its own. A carrier sheet holds the paper steady and ensures the print lands exactly where you want it—no slipping, no jamming, and no guessing.

Perfect for:

• Wedding invitations
  
• Vow cards
  
• Artistic prints
  
• Poetic keepsakes
  
• Love letters
  

With a little patience and a touch of adhesive magic, your cotton paper prints can turn out as beautifully as the paper itself.