Monday, February 10, 2020

Digital Design Tutorial: Iron on Transfer Sheets

This week you're in for a treat!  All week long, we'll be sharing tutorials on different methods of using the digital design files in the shop.  If you thought you had to have a cutting machine, think again!  Each day a different method will be shared so that by the end of the week, there will be a tutorial for everyone!  The digital designs come in a variety of formats, .jpg, .png, .svg and .dxf so that whatever method you use, one of the formats will work for you!

Today Lindsay of PA Country Crafts is sharing a tutorial on how to use iron on transfer sheets (and an easy color change DIY using Word!)  She is using the Dream On pajama digital design in this tutorial.

When we designed digital files as part of the Project Nature Adventure fabric collection I was extra sad about not having a Cricut machine. I still wanted to use them in my sewing, so I dug through my filing cabinet and pulled out an old pack of iron-on transfers! These seemed to be pretty popular about 10-15 years ago, at least in my family.  Delia's adventure design made the perfect drawstring bag- this is the one my girls fight over!


The Project Run & Play blog is going to be featuring different ways to use digital files with the new pajama designs over the next few weeks. My girls are pretty well stocked for pajamas since the Project Run and Play Pajama Party, so I decided to make some doll sized pajamas instead! 

First, I decided to alter the colors in the images. My favorite design is the "dream on" digital file, but white would not work for a light iron on transfer. (Dark transfers are also available.) There are a lot of ways to do this, but I think the fastest uses a Word document. Click on Insert > Pictures, then select the one you want to use in png form. This one is white, so it doesn't show up! To change the color, select the image, right click, and select Format Picture.

Click on the last icon for "Picture" and then the drop down beside "Recolor" to choose one of the preset theme colors. If you don't want to use any of those, you can also find more options under the Color menu on the picture tools bar at the top.

To resize your digital design, simply click on the image and drag the bottom corner inwards until the ruler bar at the top shows the desired width. You could easily print a girl and doll sized transfer from one sheet.

Most printers have settings saved for transfer paper. Check under printer properties. This will automatically mirror image the designs when printing.


Cut around the design, keeping a narrow margin.

An ironing board does not typically work for transfers. Trust me. I have tried it. The metal in the board burns them in a fun pattern. You need a smooth, heat resistant surface. I have put a thin towel or a pillowcase on top of a table. Preheat the iron to the cotton setting. Place the transfer design side down on the fabric (I cut out my pattern piece first) and press down firmly and evenly. Refer to the transfer maker for the ironing time required.

Wait at least two minutes. Yes, I know that is hard. When it has cooled, peel the transfer paper off of the fabric.

I probably should have made sure my words were level rather than the bottom of the cloud. Oops!

It really does come out crisp and sharp, though! Do not iron over the image! (Again, learn from my mistakes!) 


Keep your eyes peeled for this fun doll pajama pattern to release over at PA Country Crafts!

Have you checked out ALL the pajama themed digital designs?



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