Things You'll Need
Iron
Flat surface
Pillowcase
Avery iron-on transfer sheet
Fabric item
Avery iron-on transfers make personalizing shirts, tote bags, aprons and more easy using any image, photo or text you want. Avery makes fabric transfers specifically for light fabrics and dark fabrics. Avery also makes a special iron transfer for stretchable fabrics.
Using Iron-On Transfers
Step 1
Design your image. Avery offers several templates on its website, or you can design your own using software that can reverse your photo, text or graphic.
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Step 2
Print the design onto an iron-on transfer sheet and trim it to size. You want only a thin margin around the image.
Step 3
Preheat your iron to the highest cotton setting. Fold the pillowcase in half and set it on a hard surface, about waist height. Iron the pillowcase to remove any wrinkles.
Step 4
Lay the item to which you wish to apply the transfer on top of the pillowcase. Iron this item for a couple of minutes remove wrinkles and any moisture from the fabric.
Step 5
Set the trimmed iron-on transfer onto the item you want to apply it to, in the desired place and direction. Press the transfer with the iron, applying firm, even pressure. Make slow, 20-second passes across the transfer area, left to right and top to bottom. Cover the area entirely using overlapping passes. A full-page transfer will take about three minutes to heat adequately.
Step 6
Remove the item from the ironing area. Let the transfer and fabric cool. After two minutes, slowly peel the paper backing from transfer, starting at a corner. If the image begins to lift as you are peeling the paper backing, you did not use enough pressure or you did not apply enough heat. Re-iron the image.
Tip
Avery makes different iron-on transfers for light and dark fabrics; use the Avery iron-on transfer that is appropriate for your product.
To avoid smearing the image or having the ink smear, wash the item before use.
Materials made of 100 percent cotton or a poly/cotton blend tend to work best.
Warning
Before ironing on the transfer, iron the material carefully. If the fabric is wrinkled, the transfer will not go on evenly.
Make sure the iron is hot enough and that you apply heat consistently and evenly over the entire transfer area. If the transfer does not get hot enough or heat is applied unevenly, the transfer will not peel off correctly; it could tear.
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