Image transfers on fabric…we’ve all tried a few methods, I’m sure.
Like me, you may have had ho-hum results in the past.
That all changes right now.
Hey, Graphics Fairy friends! It’s Heather from Thicketworks. Today we are going to crack the code for getting awesome results with those pesky image transfers on fabric.
This post contains affiliate links
Image Transfers on Fabric
This is short and SWEET, my friends.
Here’s a list of the stuff that I used for this project…
Supplies:
- Natural Fiber Fabric from your stash (I used light weight muslin)
- 1Gel Transfer and Decoupage Medium
- Ink Jet Transparencies. (I used Heirloom Traditions 1Gel and that worked BRILLIANTLY)
- Your favorite Graphics Fairy images, printed with an Ink Jet Printer, onto the correct side of the Ink Jet Transparencies.
Here’s a list of images used for this demo:
- Fabulous Crown
- Old Fashioned Light Bulb
- White Pocket Watch
- French Typography – Flower Seller
- Paris Script Furniture Transfer
- Public Domain Pocket Watch Image
- French Transfer Printable – Ribbon Banner
- Vintage Bird Engraving
- Adorable Vintage Tricycle
- Feather Wings
- Fancy French Chair
- Wonderful Crown
- A firm but pliable work surface. (I use a piece of foam core board)
- Scissors
- A scruffy old paint brush
- A smooth tool for burnishing (I use a Catalyst Tool)
- A heat tool
or
- An iron + Parchment paper and ironing surface
Optional:
- Low tack tape
Okay, let’s get started!
Print your chosen images onto the rough side of the transparencies.
Note: Don’t forget to reverse any images that include text or numbers!
Allow them to dry.
Cut apart the images you’ve printed.
You can tape your fabric to the work surface if you like. I tried it both with and without tape, and got great results either way.
Spread a layer of Heirloom Traditions 1Gel directly onto the fabric, covering the area where you wish the image to be transferred.
Place the transparency face down onto the 1Gel, and smooth with a burnishing tool.
Work from the center of the motif, smoothing toward the edges.
Burnish for about 20 seconds or so.
Gently lift an edge, and begin peeling it back.
If you find that all the ink didn’t transfer, dab a bit more 1Gel on the fabric, press the image back down and burnish again.
Peel the film away, and be AMAZED at how clear and clean the image is, even with a ‘repair’:
Stunning results – SO easily.
No waiting.
No peeling or soaking off paper.
Just 1Gel, burnish, peel.
That’s it.
This motif took less than 1 minute to complete:
Just for fun, I tried it on an old scruffy art apron:
You can just burnish right over the seams and any stains…
Peel it back:
Enjoy the crispness of the image:
So, I wondered if I could get good results going over the ‘bumpy’ areas of this old apron.
The answer: Yes.
How about on a pocket?
This sweet bird would be nice…
Well?
How will it turn out?
Pretty darn well, if you ask me!
Must try an image with a lot of black…Will it come out okay?
Yep.
So, now I know what you’re wondering.
Can you wash it?
Here’s the answer. YES.
The trick? Heat set the graphics. Either cover them with a piece of parchment paper and iron them dry, or use a heat tool to do the same.
Yes, the fabric will be stiff.
Once it’s been heat set, wash it by hand in warm soapy water, and yes: put it in the DRYER.
When it comes out, there will be a bit of stiffness remaining, and yes, a bit of the image will be ‘distressed’, but I’m happy with the results.
Note: I’ll be you’re also wondering if you can reuse the transparencies over and over?
Here’s the thing:
The transparencies are coated with a special film that binds the ink to the surface. Once the transfer process is complete, this film has been transferred, along with the image. I know of no way to add that special film back onto the used transparency. If you find a way, let us know!
All the following images are after washing and drying:
I’m in love with this look!
I can’t wait to add Graphics Fairy images to all kinds of garments and fabric accessories.
I love printing directly onto fabric. I will always love it. For small projects, it’s perfect.
But here’s the thing: unless you have access to a commercial printing facility you’re limited to a piece of fabric that will fit into your home printer.
This transfer method opens a whole new world of possibilities.
You can enlarge the images, print them out on several transparencies, and create an ENORMOUS graphic….
Just think: you can add large graphics to duvet covers, curtains, pillow cases…Oh my goodness. Very exciting!
Well, I hope this has given you some food for thought.
I hope we see many, many Reader’s Projects featuring your Image Transfers on Fabric!
Have fun with this, and take good care of yourselves! Come see me at Thicketworks sometime – it’ll be fun!
Heather
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Tracey says
Heather this is genius! And I adore the apron! Thank you for the easy step by step tutorial. You have inspired me!!!!
Heather Tracy says
Hi Tracey! Thank you so much…I’m so thrilled with this method…watch out, because there will be graphics on EVERYTHING now…
Fisun says
Hello Heather,
this is sooo great!!! I was looking for something besides those iron-on transfer papers that are so expensive but had not found anything so beautiful, marvellous, genius, awesome and and and! Thank you so much for sharing this fantastic idea with us!
Enjoy your day!
Heather Tracy says
Yay! Fisun, I’m so happy that you see the potential in this method. I’m thrilled with how it opens up possibilities, and am grateful to be able to share it with you…have fun. I sure did!
Kathleen says
Girlfriend, you are brilliant! This my friend, is a game changer. Thank you so much for the wonderful and thorough step by step instructions. Can’t wait to try it!
Heather Tracy says
Hi Kathleen! How wonderful to see you here…I was so excited when I discovered how well this worked. Makes me super happy to know it can be of use to you…Thanks for your kind words.
Jenny Wood says
Hello! This is awesome! One thing.. can you clarify if you printed with an inkjet or laser printer? Most other transfer methods with gel require using laser prints and I see that the transparencies are for inkjet.
Thank you for this! Can’t wait to try it!!
Heather Tracy says
Hi Jenny…I’m sorry it wasn’t clear – thank you for asking. INK JET! Woo hoo! Plain ol’ everyday Ink Jet. That’s what makes me so excited, plus the fact that you can scale this method up to any size you desire.
Bev Evans says
Can you use a laser printer? And can you reuse the transparencies if you don’t cut them up? Thanks great tutorial!
Heather Tracy says
Hi Bev! I haven’t yet tried this with laser prints…that is definitely on the agenda! Don’t worry, I’ll let you know the outcome…
Meanwhile, regarding ‘reusing’ the transparencies, I can only repeat the following “The answer is no, unfortunately. Reason: the transparency is coated with a special film that the ink embeds into. Once the transfer process is complete, the film is gone. I wouldn’t want to risk my printer by trying to create a replacement film on the used transparencies, but if you’re feeling adventurous, you might experiment with hairspray..just remember, I can’t endorse this experiment, and it may mess up your printer if you try it!”
Maureen Robertson says
Thank you so much for sharing. I cannot wait to try it. I have never been happy with other methods and had just about given up. I am a seamstress, and my thoughts are always connected to fabric. You are a treasure!
Heather Tracy says
Oh, Maureen…you’ve just given me a huge gift. Thank you so much…to share something that is of real utility to a fellow creative makes my heart soar.
Allison Roohi says
My guess is that you cannot transfer a laser print with the gel. Pretty sure it’s water soluable? After the paper in a laser printer goes through the fuser, it becomes sort of like plastic. I transfer laser images to leather hard clay (the toner has iron oxide which does not burn up in a low fire kiln) and the only thing I’ve found to work is Xylene. I also use it combination with a Chartpak colourless blender (design marker) that contains Xylene. The smell is noxious, but it works! I am definitely going to try this with my collaged ink jet prints! And going to try colour images, as well!
Debra says
Thank you Heather! I am excited to try this! I agree with Kathleen. . .wonderful instructions. You answered my questions about stiffness and washing/drying before I could ask!
Will definitely go check out your website. Have a wonderful day!
Debra
Heather Tracy says
Hi Debra! So glad you found this useful…thank you for stopping by!
Kathleen M Murphy says
This is beautiful and a sensational idea. I have 1 question: I have a ton of 3M transparency film from my teaching days. Do you think other brands will work?
Heather Tracy says
Hi Kathleen…if you have a stash of 3M I would of course try it. I’d hate to have you purchase something you don’t need. Please let us know the outcome of your experiment!
mare williams says
THANKS SOOO MUCH FOR WHAT SEEMS LIKE AN EASY METHOD FOR TRANSFERRING GRAPHICS TO FABRIC…CAN’T WAIT TO TRY IT MYSELF!!!
Heather Tracy says
Hi Mare, you WILL NOT BELIEVE how easy this is. It astonished me. Truly. You HAVE to try it for yourself!
Kimberly says
Wow! Love this project! ♡ your apron turned out wonderful. I have the gel medium–bought it a long time ago and have been afraid to try it. ? but you have given me the courage to try ? so heartfelt thanks!
Heather Tracy says
Hi Kimberly! Now you can dig out that jar of 1Gel and get to work! Just order some transparencies and you’re all set! Yay!
Babs says
Thank you so much for the fantastic tutorial. I have a “duh” question – is the process the same for color images as long as you use a color laser printer? I want to make some pillows for my living room. Some images are hydrangeas. Thank you!!
Heather Tracy says
Hi Babs…your question is a really good one. My answer is this: I don’t know. I’ve had good luck transferring color laser prints that were printed on PAPER, but haven’t tried with the transparencies. My best advice: Try it! Use some scrap fabric and give it a go. Come back here and let everyone know what you discovered! Happy experimenting!
Babs says
Just read another comment – you used an inkjet? WOO HOO is right! Can I transfer color images as well? Thank you so much! I was all ready to go buy a laserjet printer.
Heather Tracy says
Hey Babs – I was just responding to your earlier comment: Don’t know about the color prints. I really can’t see why it wouldn’t work, but I limited this experiment to black and white. Try it! Let us know! (Oh, and by the way, I ADORE my laser jet printer and wouldn’t be without it…but isn’t it AWESOME that you don’t NEED one!) Yay!
Donna Wilkes says
I often transfer images to all kinds of surfaces. Love this idea. Can the transparencies be used multiple times?
Heather Tracy says
I wondered this myself, Donna. The answer is no, unfortunately. Reason: the transparency is coated with a special film that the ink embeds into. Once the transfer process is complete, the film is gone. I wouldn’t want to risk my printer by trying to create a replacement film on the used transparencies, but if you’re feeling adventurous, you might experiment with hairspray..just remember, I can’t endorse this experiment, and it may mess up your printer if you try it!
Donna Wilkes says
Thank you, Heather!
Heather Tracy says
You are SO welcome, Donna. When I pulled the final result from the dryer and ironed it I was the happiest girl in town! Have fun…
Cathy says
Great technique! Will you be linking this post to the Transfer Methods tab here on the website so we can go back to it later?
Heather Tracy says
I’ll bring your request to Karen’s attention, Cathy. That would be cool!
Heather Tracy says
Hi Cathy – Karen just let me know that she’ll be updating the Transfer Methods section in the near future, and this one will be included. Thanks so much for your inquiry…
Maxine says
I have searched on eBay for 1gel but nothing came up. I don’t think we have it in the UK. Is there anything else I could use? I so wanted to try this?
Heather Tracy says
Hi Maxine…You can order 1Gel directly from the Heirloom Traditions Paint company online, but the shipping charges may be quite high. If I were you, I’d try it with the usual suspects: Mod Podge or Matte Medium. Let us know how it turns out!
Barbie j says
Even easier is to print directly on fabric ironed to freezer paper and run through the printer
Heather Tracy says
Hi Barbie – I agree with you, but here’s the thing…you can only print a piece of fabric the size of your printer tray for that method. It’s an awesome way to print fabric, and I do it all the time too. What makes this special is the ability to SCALE your images up.
If you take one of your favorite Graphics Fairy images and enlarge it so that it prints on 10 transparencies, you can fit those transfers together and create a HUGE transfer on a single surface, like a bedspread or a curtain.
Can’t do that with the freezer paper method without piecing together a bunch of small fabric rectangles. That’s why this is different. Thanks for chiming in!
Karen Watson says
Hi Barbie, We like that method too, however we love that this method came be used to create large projects, as you can split the design up over multiple pieces of transparency paper and them put them together, like a puzzle, to transfer onto your project. Also, Heather found that this held up in the wash, which is not always the case when you run it through your printer. It’s nice to have multiple methods to choose from depending on your project.
Diane Spiegel says
Hi, I live in Australia could you tell me if I could use freezer paper? Have not heard of transpariences
Thanks Diane
Heather Tracy says
Hi Diane…well, it’s possible to use freezer paper for transfer techniques, but I don’t know if it would behave the same way. All I can suggest is that you try it and find out what happens…it’s just ink, after all. Try it on some scrap fabric, and see if you like the results!
Jan Hudson says
Hi Diane, transparencies that can be printed on are available from Officeworks in Australia, in both inkjet & lazer compatable.
Rupa says
Oh Heather, You have done it again! Drooling here at your projects. Even more spooky is that just a few hours ago, I happen to see some awesome cushions on Pottery Barn (not cheap of course) and I kept thinking I could make some cushion covers myself IF ONLY I could transfer an image on a larger piece of fabric. YOU MUST HAVE READ MY MIND!! Too spooky indeed. I may have to try it first with another gel medium I have. I am resisting buying so many diff products as I don’t get to use them as much as you and they will go to waste. Thanks for constantly experimenting and especially sharing your genius with all of us who either don’t have the materials or the guts/ideas 🙂 I have loved every single project of yours!
Heather Tracy says
Hi Rupa! Ya know, this thing we have, where you’re wondering about a process, and then I just happen to be experimenting with that process?!? It IS spooky…maybe I should just check with you to find out what you’re wondering about every week! LOL. Can’t thank you enough for your support – it’s always a joy to hear from you, dear one.
Rupa says
Yeah, it’s that cosmic connection I tell ya! I am not making this up since it has happened twice already that you have shown steps for stuff I was thinking about recently. I have a small bag full of this linen I bought in the clearance section of a fabric store, many years ago. Gotta find some transparencies and time to play to see what works… or not…Keep reading my mind dear friend!
Heather Tracy says
Rupa – You keep sending those pesky ponderings, and I’ll keep picking up your wavelength, missy! hee hee!
Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces says
Thanks so much for sharing…love that it’s for Ink Jet!
Heather Tracy says
Right? Linda, it has been my abiding quest to ferret out the most reliable image transfers on the planet. When this worked so beautifully, with INK JET prints, I was on cloud nine…still basking. Give it a try…you’ll be so happy with it.
Carol Gelman says
awesome Heather–can’t wait to try this–tysm
Heather Tracy says
Hi Carol – I hope you enjoy the process as much as I have. I will be plastering imagery on SO many things now! Thanks for stopping by…
Nancy Rozbora says
Hi, Heather…..thanks for the tutorial. I’m playing around with painters canvas cloth. I already had some transparency film and some mod podge. It came out pretty good…….Just need to practice a little more and see how it is after I wash it. Thanks!
Heather Tracy says
Hi Nancy! So glad to hear that you’re getting good results! Good luck with the laundering…my heart was in my mouth when I tried it and I was SO pleased that it actually worked!
Tammy says
Can’t wait to try this. Are these just regular ink-jet transparencies that you generally use with an overhead projector ??
Thanks
Heather Tracy says
Hi Tammy…I wish I knew for sure. The particular transparencies I used are described by the manufacturer thusly: “Premium transparency film for use with ink jet printers and copiers. Fast-drying formula dries faster than standard films, making it great for last-minute presentations. Specially coated for brilliant, detailed color image reproduction and exciting visuals using personal computers and printers. Universal design makes it compatible with most ink jet printers.”
So, to answer your question, if your regular ink jet transparencies have these qualities, then yes! Otherwise, I’d be guessing. I suspect it’s that ‘special coating’ that made this such a successful experiment…Try what you have on hand, and see if it works! Let us know, so everyone can join in the fun!
Nancy Rozbora says
Tammy and Heather – I used ‘multipurpose transparency film. It was the most economical brand from Corporate Express, which was an office supply company I dealed with before. ‘It is recommended for most inkjet, color & b/w, laser printers and b/w copiers.’ That’s what I had on hand from a long time ago.
Just by chance, it worked, but I need to practice some more. I have loads of painter’s canvas cloth. I was actually able to use it twice….just slathered more Mod Podge on the film and applied to fabric. Came out a little fader, but still good. My goal is to make some cute tote bags.
Heather Tracy says
Yay! So happy that you are getting good results with an economical transparency and Mod Podge…Thank you Nancy, for being an intrepid experimenter, and sharing your results with everyone. I can see those tote bags already!
Barbara says
I am over the moon to have found your site. I have finally figured out what I want to be when I grow up at 55 years + a multidimensional multi media artist. Serendipity led me to your site. Thank you for so much inspiration!
Heather Tracy says
Hi Barbara! That is fantastic…wishing you every success in your endeavors! Thank you for coming by The Graphics Fairy today, and for sharing your good news – hope to be seeing your work as you pursue your new found passion!
Cristina Baptista says
Hi Heather, thank you for the beautiful post.
Will you please tell me if the image you transfer with this method gets any glow or it still mate like the fabric?
Thank you very much.
Best regards,
CB
Heather Tracy says
Hi Cristina! The finish on the fabric is matte – there is no visible shininess at all. I love how natural it looks! Thank you so much for your kind words! Take care…
Shelly says
I can’t figure out how to reverse my image. can you help?
graphicsfairy says
Hi Shelly, here is a link to how to reverse your image, https://thegraphicsfairy.com/how-to-reverse-images-for-transfers/. I hope this helps 🙂
Chris says
Thank you fohis technique, it looks crisp and clear, the best I’ve seen so far, cant wait to try!
Heather Tracy says
Hi Chris! So glad you found this useful – I think you’ll be VERY pleased…have fun!
Haley M says
I hope you will still reply to my comments months after the post. I ordered inkjet transparencies from a company and was sent waterproof screen positive film, they did not work for this project. I contacted the company for fear I was just sent the wrong thing, and they assured me it should be the exact same- pages made for printing clear presentation papers for overhead projectors and for screen printing. He said there is a chance I should have used inkjet transfer paper instead of transparencies, and that there is a difference. Is the product you linked to the exact one that you used?
I did not order that one for assumption that ordering “waterproof inkjet transparencies” would be the same thing.
What do you think?
Heather Tracy says
Hi Haley…The product I linked to is the one that works perfectly with this technique…there is a type of film on the printable side that seems to be the key to success. So sorry that you didn’t have success with another brand 🙁 –
Jojo Sewist says
Thank you for another gorgeous idea. I can’t wait to try with a few of child’s drawings done by granddaughter. If you were to explain how to posts pics to your site, I might be able to finally do it. Keep sharing your creativity, and I will share it with my sewing items and a much younger generation.
graphicsfairy says
Thanks so much Jo Jo,
We would love to see your projects! Here is a link to our reader submissions form, https://thegraphicsfairy.com/reader-submissions/
Have a great day!
Melissa says
Hi!
I have a question, when I tried some of the artwork smeared. Do you know what I did wrong?
Thanks!
Melissa
Heather Tracy says
Hi Melissa! Uh oh! If the smearing happened during the transfer process, then it’s probably that the transparency shifted slightly while the image was transferring. I suppose it could also be a slightly too heavy application of 1Gel….If it happened afterwards, perhaps it was still damp and got touched inadvertently. Once heat set, the image shouldn’t shift at all. I hope this helps – if not, give us some more specifics so we can brainstorm what happened. Thank you, my friend. xox
Melissa says
I may have applied the gel too heavy. I also may have tried to transfer too quickly, Should I let the ink dry on the transfer paper long?
Also, after I transfer do I let the fabric air dry totally before heat setting it? I washed it and it did fade a bit, I like the look but others my not.
And my last question…does it work for colored artwork? ?
Heather Tracy says
Hi Melissa! Yes, it’s important that the ink be thoroughly dry before attempting the transfer. Inks can take various amounts of time to dry on the transparency film, depending on environmental conditions. If in doubt, leave the printed transparency in a safe place overnight.
I never bother to wait for the transfer to dry, one it has been applied to the fabric, though – I just grab the iron and some parchment paper and ‘iron it dry’. A bit of fading is to be expected, and is inevitable when washed.
As far as colored images go – I haven’t experimented with them, so I would be speculating. If you try it, please let us know what your results are!
Best of luck, my friend! xox
Mia says
Wow! love this,
This truly seems like a great method, I haven’t tried it yet but I definitely will.
I have one question though, after ironing and washing/drying, is there any sort of plastic film, or transparent varnish glossy look around the transfer (where the 1gel was applied)? I don’t know if that’s clear… Thanks in advance!
graphicsfairy says
Thanks Mia, it’s a great method and no film at all, good luck with it 🙂
Brandi says
Hi! I tried your awesome transfer technique and it worked wonderful! 2 questions for you – 1.) after the first “handwash” and dry, is it safe to put the item in the washer for a full cycle? I did my transfer on an apron as well, which generally gets washed quite a bit. 2.) I’m thinking of transferring an image onto a garment I just put together, but the material is dry clean only. Have you had any experience with sending fabric to the dry cleaners with this type of transfer applied? Thanks SO much!
graphicsfairy says
Hi Brandi,
Yea! so glad it was a success for you! I hand wash anything I have a transfer on, I guess you could use the delicate cycle but it will probably fade faster than if you hand wash it. It is completely up to you. I have never sent a transfer project to the dry cleaners so cannot tell you if it is safe or not, sorry.
Tiffany says
This gel is not available on Amazon any more…..
Jayne Marley says
The key word to this working is natural fabric. It slides right off anything with synthetics in it and unfortunately that’s the only pillow cover I could find on line. As some one mentioned it appears to no longer be available but I was able to find it at createandcraft.com. I wonder if I would have better luck with a laser print than the ink jet. I am willing to try again. I also had better luck with the back of a spoon than the burnisher. For those of us that don’t sew, finding affordable natural fabric articles are difficult to do. I needed an off-white or white so burlap was out.
graphicsfairy says
Hi Jayne, you should be fine with the ink jet, that is what Heather used in her tutorial. You are correct, it must be a natural fiber, did you try linen?
Melissa Murphy says
They are not making 1gel anymore, do you have another suggestion? I’ve tried Modge Podge but it is so stiff and leaves a halo around the image.
graphicsfairy says
I was just researching this today actually Melissa. I found a new product on Amazon called Mineral Fusion Transfer Gel. It only has a few reviews, but they are all very good and I have heard good things about this companies products overall. We haven’t tried it yet, but it sounds promising. https://www.amazon.com/Fusion-Mineral-Paint-Decoupage-Transfer/dp/B00TLCBKAC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535574704&sr=8-1&keywords=mineral+fusion+transfer+gel
Janet Gleave says
Ive just tried this with mod podge photo transfer medium (maybe this is the wrong stuff) as the 1gel is impossible to find –
image transferred but the medium does not wash out. All the medium is surrounding the image and it looks terrible – Failure! Help! – so has anyone found a better medium?
Karen Watson says
Hi Janet, Unfortunately they stopped making the 1Gel. For fabric I would recommend printable iron on Transfers instead. Hopefully someone else will come up with a similar product soon.