The process involves putting an image on a special paper and then transferring that image onto your fabric with a hot iron. Your image can be put onto the paper using either a printer or a color copier.

If you are printing your image from a computer…

1. Select your favorite image and the fabric you’ll put it on.

2. Purchase special transfer paper (usually sold in packs of 8 1/2” x 11” sheets). There are many brands available and they can

often be found in the paper section of computer stores. Epson, Hewlett Packard and Canon all have their own brands. Two

basic types are available: hot peel and cold peel. Both will work, but the cold peel has an advantage in that it isn’t so critical that

the paper be removed while the transfer is still very hot. The cold peel paper is a little more difficult to find…you can go on-line to

Dharma Trading Company or Conde (they both offer hot and cold peel).

3. Print the image onto the special paper and follow the instructions provided with the paper to transfer the image to your fabric.

If you are copying a regular photograph…
1. Choose the photo you want to work with and the fabric you’ll put it on.
2. Call your local copy center and ask them two questions. 1) Do they allow their color copier to be used to copy a photo to fabric transfer paper? 2) Should you bring your own transfer paper or do they provide their own? (Some copy centers won’t offer the service at all; others will, but insist on using their own paper to prevent possible damage to their copier.)
3. Transfer the image to your fabric, following instructions provided with the paper or by the copy center.

Get creative! Make individual place mats for the kids with their favorite pictures… create a one-of-a-kind sweatshirt for grandparents to show off the grandchildren… make special “friends” pillows for your child’s room from photos taken of their playmates. Now that you know how easy it is to put your favorite pictures on fabric, you can be creative.

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If you are printing your image from a computer…

If you are copying a regular photograph…