Sunday, February 20, 2011

Iron-On Sewing Projects




This is something I have always wanted to try: an iron-on picture for a sewing project.  It is made by putting a special piece of paper through the printer, copying a favorite picture or clip-art, peeling off the back of the paper and ironing the image to fabric.  Directions are included in the package of transfer paper. I have used scraps of fabric that best match the picture that was ironed onto the muslin fabric in the center.





This little pillow was designed to cover a keyhole, but I am not sure what it is called. It keeps the drafts and the light out, and is used on the inside of the door.


This above towel requires a dollar store flour-sack cotton dish towel,( or make your own from white muslin),  and one sheet of transfer paper.

If  you do not want to part with your ink, it might be possible to take your picture and your special iron-on transfer paper to a print shop and get copies made there. At home, peel off the backing and put the tissue paper over the picture (face up) and press firmly. You have to use a wooden surface, such as a table or a wood cutting block, to iron this on, as the iron board is not hard enough.  Quilters like this technique for making heirloom quilts with old photographs. I like Catherine Kein, Amy Cross, Paul de Longpre and Joseph Redoubte  art for this craft.

12 comments:

Miss Linda said...

Lady Lydia, thank you very much for sharing this wonderful idea. I can't wait to try it for myself!

Anonymous said...

Very pretty projects. I'd like to try it sometime too.

Anonymous said...

Dear Lady Lydia

Only two comments -- perhaps everyone is busy making their own tea towels for far less than the ones in the shops!

Lydia said...

I got my white muslin left over scraps out and am going to do a sew-white post with smallish muslin projects to use up these pieces. I will post them if I ever get anything finished. The collection consists of tutorials for pin cushion, decorative cushion with ruffle, round tablecloth, tea cozy, doll, and a few others.

I am still trying to work on the tea time planning sheet to show how to get your house ready and your tea ready for an afternoon tea.

Some of these things seem so easy in concept but seem to take a long time to produce on paper and then on the computer.

Also I would like to find out if you can iron on to terry towelling and how the image would work on that kind of surface.

taylormom2six said...

I've done this with photographs on sweatshirts/t-shirts, and made a quilt for my sister with pictures of us as children and adults. I never thought to use art work, what a wonderful idea! I think I know what my next project will be, dish towels!

Thank you for this wonderful, inspiring idea!

Anonymous said...

I have appliqued prints from other cotton material onto tea towels...like you did for the wash cloths. Only a bigger print. I have several ones from the 40s made like this too. I love your rose tea towel! These would make very beautiful Mother's Day gifts too. You always inspire us to be and do the best we can and this is no exception. Thankyou. Sarah

Anonymous said...

I am sorry I ment to leave the comment I just sent to go with your Feb 23rd project article but sent it for this one instead! Sarah

Anonymous said...

Lydia,

This is quite ingenius.

I would suspect that, due to the fabric's pile, toweling would not be suitable for detailed prints as said pile may interfear; also, it may transfer unevenly when ironing for the same reasons. experimentation will be the thing, here... What a huge range of possibilities this opens up! You might like to produce one and subject it to a road-test of sorts; for instance, a tea-towel, and see how it lasts over time re washing etc; will the iron-on print fade? Will different colours cope better or worse with the washing process? The variety is infinite!

Anonymous said...

I love this idea. I recently re-purposed some old terry dishtowels into dish rags by cutting the appropriate size and zig-zagging around the edge to prevent fraying.
I'll be checking my old towels as washcloth possibilities.

Anonymous said...

OOPS! I also meant to comment on your Feb. 23 post.


Anon 12:57

Anonymous said...

I very much like the towel with the roses. I too have done t-shirts and thought of putting a design on a canvas bag for a workshop my daughter teaches in orchestra. I did a search on the artists you listed and was unable to find anything--would you please source?

I like having pretty cloth napkins and these could be used to easily put a desgin on fabric to make a matching set of tablecloth and napkins, especially to make something with floral and fruit designs similar to the square vintage style tablecloths.

Anonymous said...

Lydia,
I have been able to print right onto my muslin fabric by iron the fabric onto a piece of freezer paper. I then cut it to the size of a piece of cardstock and run it through the printer. It has worked fine for me though I'm not sure if it would work in every printer. I'm also not sure if it would be colorfast. I've only used it for things I have made into something like a wallhanging....something I would not wash anyway.....so I'm not sure it if it is washable. I had a lot of fun making a small quilted wallhanging with a hymn typed on it this way.