...this is how I put favorite designs,pictures,or transfers onto shirts,aprons,tote bags,shelves,decorations,stepstools & more...
...I call it 'the easy way'or 'the ming way'...
...it doesn't involve expensive transfer paper that refuses to allow for my univited & unexpected little accidents!
...prepare your material as recommended by the manufacturer...it may have to be washed first...
...this is something that after doing it once,you'll get the hang-of-it!
...just find your pattern &
PRINT IT,
TRACE IT,
IRON IT,
PAINT IT!
...do I dare say,remember not a Q-tip,think P-tip! hehehe ...that was pretty poor,I know...sorry,but when I saw the letters like that,welllll....
...if you prefer,Sulky has a tutorial of their own,on their website... Sulky.com ...
...I use their transfer pens all the time.
There are transfer pencils you can find in craft stores for around $1-I have yet to use them.
There are also ways to color your picture completely with chalk, then flip it over & retrace. Tried it this way,works fair,the embellishment part is more suited to someone with way more artistic talent than I...
The picture's not as clear so you must add your own touches...
...Thought I'd mention these alternatives...
...transfer pens(Sulky brand,I use) come in a variety of colors.
When purchasing,(around $3 at Michael's or A.C.Moore)try to buy 2 of the same color.
If the tip becomes bent,flattened out,or whatever little unexpected mishap may occur to it...for me,it's the grandkids,who like to do what I'm doing & pressing down way too hard(they're sturdy just not up to certain abuses!),let alone running out of ink!
This way, you will be able to finish your project.
It's always nice to have a spare,
...if you're like me,things that small tend to get misplaced!...
...I don't care for the white pen, it is fatter sizewise than the others & clumps quite a bit...tried the yellow,but there are lots of colors to choose from.
When I find something that works well on the blacks & navys,be assured I will have it here!
You want to have a nice clean image to paint.
For now,I stick with the black pen & lighter fabrics...
...if you can't find the 'Sulkys'near you,let me know & I'll track some down for you...
...check out the children's coloring book sites,
you will find many great ideas there...
...many webpages have transfers all set to be copied*...
...at the bottom of this page there are a few links to get you going in your search...
*=copied-DO NOT use ANY designs that are copyrighted unless they are for yourself,or for a gift!!!
In other words, 'DON'T sell your finished work if it has Disney(who enforces this even at church craft fairs,lookout!),Pokemon,Peanuts,or any other that you know is copyrighted'.
TRACE
...when you have printed out your design,trace it with the pen (if you go out of the lines it will come out when washed)...
...I get 2-3 GOOD ironings from just one tracing,so you don't have to retrace,if you want to reuse the pattern right away,or what I do,is save all my patterns in folders,organized by topic...
...then...
IRON
it on to your shirt,ink side down(or whatever you are putting it on).
DO NOT use steam. With an iron with settings that go to ten,put it between 6-7.
LIGHTLY go over the paper,being careful not to move it at all until you have covered each area of it for about 30-40 seconds.
Peel off & VOILA!-you should have a nice copy right on there!
PAINT
...any fabric paint that you like can be used...
...there are a lot of brands out there...
...I like TULIP paint the best...
it has a pretty even consistancy & has a lot of color choices(my favorite)...
...it's around $2 a bottle...
...SCRIBBLES is another,cheaper kind(ususally $1 or less)with many great colors...
...my hands tend to cramp up easily when using these since the shape of the bottle makes it harder to squeeze out.
...JONES paint ($2-$4 depending on size) has the prettiest colors I've seen, but 'blobs' out very unevenly from the container...
...Deco Art also makes a fabric paint-have tried other paints from them,but not for cloth,as yet...
...most of the different types of colors come in SLICK,PEARL,PUFFY,GLITTER,& SHINY for some nice textures & effects.
WAIT at least 48 hours before washing or the paint will not stay adhered to the fabric!
MOST IMPORTANTLY, have fun! Let yourself relax,try something different like using a color that you don't usually have around; be creative & enjoy yourself!
