Home Crochet baby clothesUse iron-on foil - tips and tricks

Use iron-on foil - tips and tricks

  • Iron-on foil | types
    • transfer film
    • Flexfolie
    • Flockfolie
  • Materials and utensils
    • preparation
    • Use ironing foil | Tips

Iron-on foil is an ideal solution if you are looking for a way to personalize clothing and fabrics. Thanks to the ironing foil, it is easy to present different motifs, lettering and even entire pictures on T-shirts, bags or other textile items. For this you only need the right utensils, tips and tricks when using the film.

You want to put on T-shirts or implement your own style with lettering "> Iron-on foil | Types

First and foremost in the use of ironing foils are the different types that are offered in specialty stores, craft shops or the Internet. These each have other characteristics that strongly affect the final outcome of the project, as well as the process itself. For this reason, it is so important that you know about the different types to order or purchase the right iron- on foil . Overall, there are three types with special properties.

Bügelfolie

transfer film

The transfer foil or transfer paper is an iron-on foil that you can print yourself. These are available in various DIN sizes, most commonly DIN A4 and A3. These are suitable only for inkjet printers, as laser printers can not print on the film. They can be either transparent or opaque, depending on the manufacturer . During use, care must be taken that it can break if misused. In addition, it fades faster compared to the other slides, but is easily stretchable. Costs for ten A4 sheets are about ten to 15 euros.

transfer film

Flexfolie

These films are very thin and can be easily fixed on the fabric thanks to the elasticity. They are made of silicone and are very popular for lettering, as they are very colorful and are also offered with different effects like glitter. They are not printable and so you need to order designs at a service. It is quite soft and feels pleasant on the body. Compared to the transfer film, it is only available in opaque, but in addition to DIN formats also in numerous roll lengths. Ten flex foils in DIN A4 format are offered for about eight to ten euros.

Flex foil in the color gold

Flockfolie

Flock film is made of velor and unlike the other film materials is not smooth, but soft and with a velvety surface . These can therefore be completely different designs implement, but it is not printable. It is extremely durable like the flex film and the most durable of all types, which makes it particularly popular if you want to permanently implement designs that hold even after numerous washes still.

But you have to be careful with the use of flock film on the stretchability, since it can not be stretched. You would damage the film if you stretch it too much. The price for flock film is eight to ten euros for ten films in DIN A4 format.

Flock film in different colors

Various slides

Now you have a small overview of the different slides received. If you are still wondering which project is better for which film, then the properties need to be compared. So you should refrain from transfer film, if you want to use a high-resistant ironing film. It is normal for transfer film to be faster than flock or flex film .

If you have complex motives in mind, we recommend either the transfer film or the flock film. The transfer foil can simply be printed and flocked over. This is not possible with Flexfolie. Depending on the manufacturer, flex film has properties that the other two do not have. An example of this is breathability. Take your time choosing the slide.

Tip: When selecting the iron-on foil, it is imperative to pay attention to the manufacturer's instructions regarding the suitable textiles which are to serve as underlay. Not every film adheres to synthetic fibers or delicate ones like silk and can irreparably damage them.

Materials and utensils

In addition to the appropriate ironing foil, the other utensils are just as important. With these, the project is implemented effectively and without major hurdles and can be seen. Fortunately, you do not need too much and probably you will already have most of the following list at home.

  • Fabric or garment for ironing
  • foil
  • Iron
  • scissors
  • French chalk
  • baking paper
Use a tailor's chalk

Depending on which ironing film you want to use, additional equipment is required in addition to the above materials. In the case of the transfer film, for example, you need a computer and printer to print on the film. When choosing the fabric or garments, it is important to have a plan in advance. Once you are sure about what and in what size you want to iron on the fabric, everything goes much faster from the hand.

In addition, this facilitates the ordering process of the film, which also saves you money. If you plan sufficiently beforehand, do not spend too much money on too much ironing film, which will save your wallet.

Note: If you do not have a printer, you can print on the ironing foil either in the copy shop or in many libraries. However, this method is only suitable as an alternative for a few slides, since high quantities in shops naturally cause more costs and in the library many people use the devices.

preparation

Before you read the tips for using the ironing foil, you should prepare the project. This refers above all to the preparation of the material, so that it offers the ideal conditions for ironing. If you just use the ironing film, it will most likely simply peel off again, which is not desirable.

This can also lead to the loss of the film, which in turn causes higher costs, as you have to reorder more. To prevent these problems, follow the next steps in the preparation.

To wash

Before you iron the textiles, you must wash them. To do this, look for the temperature on the label or material so that you do not damage it before. The older the fabric is, the harder the use of the ironing paper becomes. It gets even more difficult if the fibers are damaged.

softener

Do not use fabric softener when washing. This prevents the fibers from absorbing enough adhesive, which is important for the support of the ironing film. Detergent, on the other hand, is important to keep the fibers clean, which is important for the adhesion of the films.

do without softener

dry

After washing, let the fabrics dry extensively. For the best effect you prefer drying in air, but nothing speaks against the dryer. There must be no moisture in the fabric after this process, otherwise the adhesive in the film is difficult to adhere. This is especially important for very large pieces, otherwise the heat distribution is not really sufficient to be effective.

Crop or print

The last point of the preparation is the cutting or printing of the ironing foil. When printing, be sure to mirror the subject before printing, as it will otherwise be mirrored on the fabric. Especially with lettering is not really recommended. You should already cut out complicated shapes with flock or flex foils, as this can take a long time.

With these points you are ready to go and can use the ironing foil.

Use ironing foil | Tips

When using iron-on film can go a lot wrong, especially if you have never tried anything in this area. The process is similar to the classic iron-on, but the films are usually much larger in size, which brings completely different difficulties. The following tips make it easy to iron your chosen slides on fabrics or garments and then look forward to the new style or uses.

underground

The underground is much more important, as you may think. This has an effect on the final shape of the film and can also result in the result not being as desired. Avoid the use of a classic ironing board. Since these are provided with fabric and a padding, it can quickly come to wrinkles, which does not effectively adhere the ironing film in some places.

During ironing, the film must rest on the fabric all the time. Be sure to select a base that is hard enough, such as a countertop or desk.

steam

If you are wondering if you should iron with or without steam, the answer is clearly no. The moister the fabric is, the worse the adhesive performance of the film and the project works only slightly. So be sure to always iron without steam when using the foil. You can check if your iron is steaming by placing it on baking paper and turning it on. If the unit moves by itself, the steam function is either switched on or there is water in the iron.

temperature

The required temperature of the iron is selected based on the fabric being ironed. Ideally, your garment or fabric is cotton with no synthetic . In this case, a temperature of 150 ° C to 170 ° C is sufficient. If you use a film that is suitable for other materials, you should follow the manufacturer's instructions as described above. That makes it easy to choose the right temperature.

Place ironing foil

Before you put the iron on, you have to place the ironing foil. To do so, it is best to mark with tailor's chalk either corner points or the entire shape of the foil or sections. This allows you to place them without problems.

baking paper

The baking paper is always placed on the ironing foil after the foil has been placed on the fabric. Baking paper protects against accidental sticking of the ironing foil during use, which could irreparably damage it.

Iron

When ironing, be careful to run the iron slowly over the surface. The more time you leave, the better the result. For this reason, you should "drive" each part of the fabric for about 25 to 30 seconds with the iron . More is not necessary per job and may even damage the film or fabric. Do not forget to iron on links.

Use iron and baking paper

To let it cool down

Finally, it is important to let the film cool completely. On cooling, the adhesives strengthen even better and survive the wearing and washing of the garment.

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