If you did not already not, Canon has just launched a new series of inkjet paper – fabric Iron-on transfers that come in A4 size sheets. There are two variants – one for light fabrics and the other for dark fabrics. Now that such fabric iron-on transfers are more widely available, you easily customise your own apparels, bags or pouches in an instant. It’s my first time using such fabric iron-on transfers and I was mind blown. I had so much fun using Canon fabric Iron-on transfers!
Personalising my t-shirt was a breeze
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I was in the mood to do some personalised gifts for my other half and friends. Instead of printing photos or making a card, I decided that I could put my sewing skills to good use and sew pouches for my friends. To add a personalised touch to these pouches, I would print some beautiful images or pattern motifs on Canon fabric iron-on transfers than iron them onto the pouches.
Since I had a couple of plain white tees in my wardrobe, I have also decided to ‘decorate’ it with fabric iron-on transfers. Working with such fabric iron-on transfers turned out to be much easier than I thought. You’ll just need to take note of the following issues which I will highlight in this blog post.
How to use Canon Fabric Iron-on transfers?
These fabric iron-on transfers work best on cotton fabrics. I have not tried other time of fabrics before. In order to achieve maximum results, it will be best to go with the recommended material (fabrics with more than 50% cotton). The iron-on transfer will probably adhere better to cotton fabrics.
1.Light or dark?
Depending on the colour of fabrics you are working with, you will need to either purchase Canon’s light fabric iron-on transfer or the dark fabric iron-on transfer. Thus if you are working with light-coloured fabrics like pink, yellow or white, you should use the light fabric iron-on transfer. And if you are working with dark-coloured fabrics like navy blue, dark brown or black, then use the dark fabric iron-on transfer. Be sure to buy the correct iron-on transfer for your DIY project!
2. Each pack has 5 A4-sized iron-on transfer sheets.
Each iron-on transfer sheet has grid lines to help you with the cutting and placement of the iron-on transfers on the fabric. You’ll also find 2 pieces of backing paper (that look like tracing paper). They are to be used only if you need to do some final touch-ups after you peel off the backing sheet of the iron-on transfer.
3. Get your printer ready!
I’m using Canon PIXMA Inkjet TS8370 printer to print all my graphic designs on the iron-on transfers. This printer is very similar to the Canon PIXMA TS8270 which I’ve reviewed some time ago last year. The only distinctive difference between the two printers is that the PIXMA TS8370 is slightly bigger than PIXMA TS8270. The colour printing speed is also a little fast with the PIXMA TS8370. If I were you, I would probably get the TS8370 which probably an upgraded version of the PIXMA TS8270.
4. Ensure your printer is loaded with sufficient ink!
To optimum printing results, you have to check whether they are sufficient ink in your printer. If one of the coloured ink is running out, the quality of the prints will be affected.
5. Before printing, make sure you select ‘Fabric Iron-on transfer paper’ under the printing options!
This is a very crucial step because by selecting the right printing modes and options, the printer itself will automatically print the mirror image of your design on the iron-on transfer. In that way, when you iron the design onto the fabric, your design will show up the right orientation.
If you look at the photo below, you will notice that all the designs I’ve printed are flipped 180 degrees. It is meant to be printed in this orientation so that when you iron the print onto your fabrics, it will turn up the right way.
Remember to leave these prints to dry and set for at least 15 minutes!
6. Iron your cotton fabric!
Before transferring the design onto your shirt or fabric, remember to iron the fabric to flatten out the creases. The surface of the fabric has to be smooth in order for the iron-on transfer to adhere to the fabric properly.
Here I am using this off-white 100% cotton t-shirt from Uniqlo. I bought it for a steal at $5 only!
7. Get your iron ready and set it to a high-temperature setting for cotton fabrics!
Most iron will have a temperature mode for ironing cotton fabrics so just ensure that you adjust to the right settings. It is about 180-degree Celsius or so.
Place the iron-on transfer onto your fabric as shown in the photo above. Then once everything is in place, iron away!
Instead of using an ironing board, I actually just placed a thick layer of cloth on the floor and iron on it. The ironing surface needs to be hard and firm. Also, while ironing, you will need to apply pressure onto the iron-on transfer. Since I was ironing on the floor, it was easier for me to lean my body weight in and add some pressure onto the iron.
Try to iron the print in all directions – up and down, left to right, zig-zag and in circular motions, especially at the edges or corners of the print. Larger prints would typically require more ironing time as compared to smaller prints.
8. Do not panic if you noticed that the backing of the iron-on transfer turns slightly yellow or brown!
During the ironing process, you may also start to notice that the paper will start to turn a little yellow or brownish. It is normal but just make sure you don’t iron the same spot for too long otherwise the paper will burn. I wouldn’t think you want to set your house on fire!
You might also notice a chemical smell that emits from the paper while ironing. Hence, just make sure that you iron in an open space where there’s good ventilation.
After ironing, leave the fabric to cool for at least 5 minutes then remove the backing. And that’s it!
After peeling off the backing, if you notice that some edges of the print did not adhere properly to the fabric, do not immediately place your iron directly over the print. Instead, place a piece of the translucent paper (which is provided in the pack) over the print and place your iron onto of the paper. Then apply some pressure to iron out the print.
The end product!
The shirt looks really lovely after I iron the print on it. It looks no different from any store-bought t-shirts! I am very happy with the product and if you enjoy doing DIY projects, you should really give this new Canon product a try!
Other fun Canon printables
Other than the Fabric Iron-on transfer, Canon also has other printable products for you to have fun with creative printing. You can print on magnetic photo paper, photo sticker paper and glossy photo papers for your DIY projects.
Canon Magnetic Photo Paper (PS-508)
I really enjoy using Canon free-cutting magnetic photo paper (PS-508) because the prints actually look great on the photo paper itself. For me, I like to stick them on my fridge or the magnetic bomb shelter door.
Canon Photo Stickers (PS-208 and PS-308R)
I also made some stickers using the photo sticker paper for my bullet journal. The Canon Photo Stickers (PS-308R) are actually removable so there are not that sticky.
Instead of buying gifts off the shelves, why not customise and DIY your gifts this Valentine’s Day? I promise that you’re going to have so much fun experimenting with all these printables that you wouldn’t mind spending the whole day printing stuff.
