How to Iron on Lace Appliques

Lace appliques can be used in many ways to adorn dresses, hats, shoes, purses and even some wedding cakes. While the recommended method of attaching them to fabric or your project is with needle and thread or even some glues, it is possible to iron them on using fuseable material. There are some lace appliques already bonded with the iron on material, but if you have something special and your own lace, you can make your own. Read on to learn how to iron on lace appliquees.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Lace or lace appliques
• Heat n' Bond iron on adhesive
• Iron
• Ironing board
• Sharp scissors or Xacto knife
• Project to embellish

1. 
   Each opening will be cut with scissors or knife.

   Gather your materials. Heat n' Bond Ultrahold iron-on adhesive is available at most fabric and craft stores or on the internet at Thermoweb. The lace applique you are going to use should be larger with more openings if possible. Once the adhesive has been applied to the lace, you will be using the scissor or knife to cut away all the openings.

2. Preheat your iron to a low heat (wool) setting without steam. Place the lace face down on the ironing board and iron out any wrinkles so you have a smooth surface.

3. Place the Heat n' Bond paper side up on the lace. Place and hold the iron on the paper side of the adhesive for about two seconds. Glide iron over paper pressing slightly, making sure to iron entire surface until bonded. Lace will feel hot to the touch and should be allowed to cool before continuing.

4. Cut out all openings in the lace design, so that the bond is only on the thicker pieces of material.

5. Carefully peel off the paper backing from your lace applique and place adhesive side down on your item. Lightly press iron to the decal for two to three seconds, then glide the iron over the decal and your item for an additional six to seven seconds, making sure you cover the edges of your decal, until entire decal has bonded to your item. Please note that ironing times may vary depending on the heaviness of the cloth you are applying your decal to.

Tips & Warnings

• Unless there is a special piece of lace you wish to make into an applique, check online or at your nearest fabric store for ready to use iron-on Lace appliques. This will save you the time it takes to cut out all the little holes.
• Even after ironing on the lace, it is recommended to stitch tack the lace down to prevent it from releasing.