quality iron on paper

[neerajax]

hello all....

just tried to do my first iron-on transfer on a T-shirt and it didn't go well....of course, I did use a lycra-blend t-shirt, instead of 100% cotton...so maybe the shirt was too stretchy, or the paper was too cheap. anyway, the iron on didn't transfer properly (sticky corners, generally crunchy).

I was wondering if anyone knows of a really good quality iron-on transfer paper. also, do iron-on shirts need to be hand washed? does the iron on get less crunchy?

thanks!

[boygirlparty]

i stand by avery's dark t-shirt transfer paper!  the colors stay true, the only thing is  that it's 100% opaque, so make sure you cut out your design carefully.  (even if it's going on a white t-shirt!)  also, read all the directions (there's a lot of them) to make sure you get the best transfer of your image (they have different settings for different printers, etc)... also, you don't have to reverse the image or anything to get it to appear correctly on the t-shirt.

through several washes, the iron ons stay lovely looking, bright and colorful, and professional looking!

[Kodama]

dumb related question:
I want to use iron-on transfer paper, but it says to not use an ironing board. What do you use instead that will stand up to the iron and be good and flat?

[shade_n_shadow]

a thin old towel on a table

[Kodama]

thanks! for some reason i thought it had to be really hard, like iron on a cake pan or something. like i said, i'm really new at this.

[dyabolica]

i have a board covered in flannel, that I use.

[halfjapanezegrl]

Most of the brand name transfer papers seem to work pretty well.  Some general tips that I can offer include:
- Make sure that the ink on your transfer paper is completely dry before ironing it onto the shirt. 
- When you iron, make sure that it's set hot; like on the cotton setting.  I often iron a bit, then let it cool, then iron again. 
- Peel off the backing when the transfer is still warm from the iron; not totally hot (then the glue is still melty and tends to stick to the paper backing) but not completely cooled either. 
- When using the transparent background type, I try and cut my image out so that any corners are rounded; it seems to make it less likely to peel off after repeated washings.
- Wash your shirt inside out with cold and tumble dry low or line dry to prolong the life of the transfer. 
If you're looking for lots of iron on transfer paper or the best prices I've found for decent quality iron on transfer paper, including the opaque stuff, check out Dharma Trading Company:
http://www.dharmatrading.com/html/eng/3378-AA.shtml

[Kodama]

Wow! Lots of good tips - thanks, everybody!

[Emma Peel]

Boygirlparty, or anyone else who's in the know:

Where can I buy avery's dark t-shirt transfer paper?

Thanks!

  Sid

[smash]

I bought some Avery dark background transfer paper at Joann's. Other places to look are Target, Wal-Mart, Hobby Lobby or an office supply store like Office Depot.