Crafting, Silhouette Cameo, The Silhouette Challenge

Customizing textiles with Heat Transfer Vinyl

director chair squeak

This month’s Silhouette Challenge is FABRIC! I ordered some heat transfer vinyl in a bunch of colors I’m planning to use from US Cutter and it came super quick! (2 days, wow!) My first project was to customize my director’s chair (bought on amazon) for my beauty company feto soap! The fabric on it was black canvas so I decided to add white to offset the black.

directorschairI typed out “feto soap” in the Silhouette Studio software, selected the word and created an offset (the white part is the offset). I reversed everything horizontally, cut out the white section first. Then using a household iron on the cotton/linen setting (no steam) I pre-ironed the fabric for two to three seconds. You pre-iron to prepare the fabric so it can take the transfer and to get any wrinkles out. I ironed the white/offset section for about 4 seconds after eyeballing it in the center. Then I lined up the black heat transfer vinyl centered over the white, and gave each section a firm 15 second press with my body weight. Viola! Now I have a custom director’s chair to bring to shows, like having a mini banner behind my table!

The next time I heat transfer vinyl black material with white, I can just crop out a void in the software where the black is in the white so I don’t have to waste black vinyl and worry about getting it lined up just right!

P1000500

table skirt

My next  project for my cosmetics company will be a table runner to use at shows. This is the blank I bought online (still waiting on it) but I have the black vinyl cut out and waiting to be ironed on!  I’ve always wanted one, but custom table runners cost somewhere in the $60 – 80 range (shipped) the last time I checked, so I passed. The blank white table runner cost me around $17 including shipping. I used about $9 of black heat transfer vinyl for the table skirt because I made a few newbie mistakes.   I was using 15″ width vinyl, so I plugged that into the software, and it cut off center since the Cameo can only cut within 12″. Whoops! and then when I went to cut it again, I forgot to flip it horizontally. So I made about $5 in material cutting mistakes, which is not too bad for early projects with a new material/medium. and hey. I’m not going to make those mistakes again!

heat transfer vinyl

I found a local supplier for Heat Transfer Vinyl, River City Graphic Supply in Austin, TX, but it’s not for hobbyists. You’ll have to provide your Sales Tax & Use Number when you buy from them. You can also order from them online! It’s wonderful and terrible that they are so nearby! I’m eyeing their Copper from their Siser Electric line for a project, but I feel the need to work with some of the htv I have on hand first. That being said, I did pick up some hot pink flocked heat transfer vinyl from Hobby Lobby today ($2.99 for a little piece 5.5 x 9″)  just in case I wanted to add hearts to things. You can iron on flocked heat transfer to wood & cork, too! Not just fabric.

Next month’s Silhouette Challenge is paper. 

Want to Check Out More Silhouette Projects?

My Silhouette Challenge buddies and I are all sharing projects on our blogs today, so peruse the projects below for a wealth of Silhouette inspiration!

Silhouettechallengecollage

  1. No-Sew Valentine’s Day Pillows by A Tossed Salad Life
  2. No-Sew Interchangeable Fabric Bunting by unOriginal Mom
  3. Monogrammed Burlap Garden Flag by The Turquoise Home
  4. Crawl, Walk, Bike by It’s Always Craft Time
  5. Freezer Paper Stenciled Tote Bags by Weekend Craft
  6. DIY Bleach Spray Shirt by Practically Functional
  7. Stenciling Sherlock by Please Excuse My Craftermath…
  8. Felt Star Wands by Cutesy Crafts
  9. Yoda Kid’s T-Shirt by Architecture of a Mom
  10. Mark Your Territory- Dog Flags by Black and White Obsession
  11. Nautical Pillows by Lil’ Mrs. Tori
  12. Big Sister Gift & Silhouette Cut File by Creative Ramblings
  13. Nerdy Baby Onesies + Free Cut File by Essentially Eclectic
  14. Easy Easter Bunny Onesie – Silhouette Cameo Craft by Adventures in All Things Food & Family
  15. Fabric Envelopes for LEARNING LETTERS! (& cut file) by From Wine to Whine
  16. “Good Morning, Sunshine!” Memo Board by Tried & True
  17. Hearts-A-Lot Burlap Pillow Cover by My Paper Craze
  18. Baby Quilt by Dragonfly & Lily Pads
  19. Surprise Holiday Banner by Whats Next Ma
  20. “Team Betty” Tote Bag by The Thinking Closet
  21. DIY Sock Minion by Create it. Go!
  22. Pretty Up Some Organza Bags by Getsilvered
  23. Easy Heart Appliqued Onsies by Create & Babble
  24. Bleach Pen Gel & Freezer Paper Stencils Made with the Silhouette Machine by Bringing Creativity 2 Life
  25. Valentines Baby Onesie & Boy’s Shirt + Free Cut Files by The Frill of Life
  26. Valentine’s OWL Always Love You T-shirt by My Favorite Finds
  27. DIY Screen Printed Curtains by Chicken Scratch NY
  28. Fabric Painted Quilted Wall Hanging by Terri Johnson Creates
  29. Glitter Iron-On Top by Simply Kelly Designs
  30. DIY Monogrammed T-shirts with Silhouette Heat Transfer Material by Pitter and Glink
  31. Birthday Challenge by Fadville
  32. Machine Applique with SIlhouette Cameo by The Sensory Emporium
  33. Fabric Applique Valentine’s Day T-Shirt by DailyDwelling
  34. “Cute as Cupid” shirt by crafts, cakes, and cats
  35. Sew Cute Applique by Life After Laundry
  36. Rhino Onesie by It Happens in a Blink
  37. Upcycled Birchbox Cameo Accesory Organizer by Cupcakes&Crowbars
  38. Customizing textiles with Heat Transfer Vinyl (working title) by feto soap
  39. Easy Fabric Art by McCall Manor
  40. Lady Bug Tote Bag with Silhouette Rhinestones by Ginger Snap Crafts
  41. Mommy and Em’s Coordinated Aprons by TitiCrafty
  42. Canvas sketch project and a share by Clever Someday
  43. Foxy Lady Pajamas by Mabey She Made It
  44. Teddy Bear by Work in Progress

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23 thoughts on “Customizing textiles with Heat Transfer Vinyl”

  1. Pingback: From Wine to Whine – Fabric Envelopes for LEARNING LETTERS!

  2. Trisha D. says:

    Visiting from the February Fabric Silhouette Challenge!

    Oh my goodness, your directors chair tuned out amazing. Way to think ahead and reverse the vinyl as to not waste material (my personal favorite).Way to score on the white table runner for so little!

    I guess great minds craft alike as I too created a personalized directors chair, well actually two. One Simpson’s themed and the other Batman themed for our outdoor movie nights. Here’s the link if you’re curious: http://www.blackandwhiteobsession.com/2013/04/goodwill-upcycle-contest-tutorial.html

  3. Meredith says:

    This is brilliant! I’d never thought about commercial/advertising uses for htv! Probably because I don’t own my own business…but plenty of my friends do! Great job.

  5. Lisa Chouinard says:

    If I wasn’t such in a hurry to get the chairs, I would have looked harder for them second-hand! I love that your post shows you how to make completely custom covers for director’s chairs!

  12. Pingback: The Silhouette Challenge |

  13. mypapercraze says:

    Fabulous project! Love how your chair turned out. And I’m sooooo jealous of your vinyl supply!

  14. Pingback: Foxy Lady Pajamas & 43 Other Silhouette Projects - Mabey She Made It

  15. Pingback: Make Your Own Bleach Spray Shirt In Just 10 Minutes! || Practically Functional

  16. Pingback: Upcycled Birchbox Silhouette Cameo Accessory Organizer | Cupcakes&Crowbars

  19. Pingback: February Silhouette Challenge: Glitter Iron-On Top » Simply Kelly Designs

  20. Pingback: No-Sew Monogrammed Burlap Garden Flag | The Turquoise Home

  21. Pingback: Canvas sketch project and a share

  22. Pingback: Felt Star Wands - Cutesy Crafts

  23. Pingback: Fabric Painted Quilted Wall Hanging

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