Iron-on transfer paper became widely available in the 1960s.
Iron-on transfer paper makes it easy to put your own creative touch on anything made of fabric. Personalized T-shirts, tote bags, baby clothing and pillow cases are just a few items that can be embellished with iron-ons for personal use or given as gifts. Iron-on transfer paper is available for use on light or dark fabrics and can be found at craft stores and office supply outlets. Always wash new fabric prior to transferring images, and turn clothing containing iron-ons inside out before laundering to keep the transfer looking new.
Instructions
- 1
Design your iron-on image. Scan a hand-drawn design and import it into a desktop publishing program to print, or create a design from scratch on the computer.
- 2
Flip the design to create a mirror image. This can be done in the desktop publishing program or in the print dialog box, depending on the program you use. Designs become mirror images once ironed on; if not flipped, the image and all text will be backwards.
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- 3
Print your design onto the iron-on transfer paper using the highest-quality print option.
- 4
Cut out the image, leaving a 1/4-inch margin on all sides.
- 5
Iron the image onto the fabric. Lay the fabric flat on an ironing board or towel. Turn the iron to the highest setting, and iron the fabric to remove any wrinkles. Place the image face down on the fabric in the desired position. Press firmly on the iron and move it in circular motions for the length of time prescribed in the paper manufacturer's directions.
- 6
Allow the transfer to cool completely.
- 7
Peel away the backing paper from the fabric. Begin at one corner and pull sideways, slowly and evenly, until the backing paper is completely removed.
