Guide To The Use Of Heat Transfer Vinyl Sheets For beginners

March 17, 2020
0

What are heat transfer vinyl sheets?

Heat transfer vinyl sheets are used for decorative purposes and to personalise fabric, textiles, and garments. The heat transfer vinyl comes in the form of sheets that can be cut, folded, pressed and attached to the fabric to create unique and impressive designs. The process of attaching the heat transfer vinyl sheets are attached to the cloth by a process known as heat pressing with the use of hot iron or other similar effective ways.

The heat transfer vinyl sheets are manufactured in the form of rolls or cut into sheets as per the requirement. They come with a plastic adhesive backing that enables easy attachment of the sheet to the fabric. Before the sheet is attached to the fabric, the adhesive back is torn away in the shape or design that is desired on the fabric.

The heat transfer Vinyl sheets have shiny sides referred to as the carrier. This enables the design to set on the fabric as desired and it holds all of the pieces together firmly and well intact. The adhesive side of the heat transfer vinyl sheet is the one that is to be cut. Upon application of the sheet on to the fabric, it will attach face up.

Types, finishes, and heat transfer vinyl sheet colours:

There are several different types of heat transfer vinyl sheets available in the market. They come in different sizes, shapes, textures, finishes. You will be overwhelmed with the available style options. Every type of heat transfer Vinyl sheets is different from the other in terms of the application of pressure and temperature, pressing duration and more. To obtain the best possible results, it is important to follow the instructions of the product as provided by the manufacturer.

Test cuts of the heat transfer Vinyl sheets:

Once you decide to use a different or new heat transfer Vinyl sheet, do test cuts before the final application. This will give the user an idea of the requirements and adjustments to be done to obtain the final desired outcome. It eliminates the chances of errors or mistakes every time. Sometimes the colour combinations on the sheet itself behave differently as a result of changes that occur in its composition at the time of cutting, or application. This can affect the settings and mess up with the end product outcome.

What works best with heat transfer Vinyl sheets?

Heat transfer Vinyl sheets are suitable with any fabric, cloth material or garments that can withstand the heat generated from hot iron. The material that it is used on should be one that does not get easily burnt when the heat is supplied to it. High heat and a bit of pressure are applied to the material during its application. It is always important to check out the heat withstanding ability of the fabric before going ahead with the rest of the garment.