I am so excited to share another Hybrid How To to inspire you to play with your digi supplies away from your computer! This step by step guide  was created by crafter extraordinaire Dawn Jackson who will be sharing some hybrid tips and tricks with us. Dawn is a UK based crafter who has just launched her own range of badges, you can check out her lovely Cute PIns badge collection here! Over to Dawn:

“Today I am going to show you how to use t-shirt transfer paper to create fun party favour bags and t-shirts like these:

WHAT YOU NEED:

These are the materials and basic tools that are required:

• Your chosen doodles or images. I’ve used Kate’s Bring on the Cake Doodles and Alpha and the Freebie Frames from Kate’s Facebook page.
• LIGHT T-Shirt transfer paper (this is the brand I used)
• Something to print on, I’ve used 100% cotton white party bags, but you can use anything as long as it’s a light fabric and contains at least 50% cotton.
• Domestic iron or heat press
• Scissors or craft knife

STEP 1:

Create the design for your project, it can be as simple or complicated as you like! Then using your graphics program or printer setting, print the mirror image of your design onto the plain side of your T-Shirt transfer paper. The image needs to be reversed when you print it – this is especially important if you are including any text in your design! Some printers will have a setting to reverse the image, or you can simply flip it in your image editing software before printing. I have found I get the best results using the standard photo quality setting on my printer.

Let your images dry for a minute or so, then carefully cut out your design leaving a mm or so around the edge of the image.

STEP 2:

Next turn on your iron to its highest setting, but don’t use the steam function! You will need to use a hard heat proof surface – I have found a glass worktop saver or a wooden chopping board with a tea towel over the top works well (don’t use your ironing board it’s too soft).

Place your printed image face down onto your chosen fabric and take your hot iron and press down onto the paper. Use a pressing action and try not to move the iron around much. Leave for around 20 seconds then lift the iron and press again on another area of the paper. The transfer paper I use has a colour changing indicator on it, but if your doesn’t you can test whether the transfer has fixed by carefully lifting a small area of the backing paper up. If it comes away cleanly, the transfer is ready!

Leave the transfer to cool for a minute, then starting at one edge carefully lift the backing paper off. Try to lift it off in one smooth action. And that’s all there is to it, your design will be fixed to the fabric! Here are the finished party bags I made for my daughter’s birthday party:

OTHER IDEAS:

Try printing onto other cotton items such as T-Shirts, cushion covers, quilt covers etc. Or take your favourite layouts, resize them and then transfer them onto a T-Shirt or apron to create wearable art! All these ideas make lovely, original and personalised gifts!

Here is a T-Shirt design I made for my son using Kate’s Here Kitty Kitty doodles and the freebie frames: