If you like making crafts, then you probably work with vinyl or have done so in the past. Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV) is a vinyl polymer that you can use to make a wide variety of products. It is easy to alter; hence you can cut, weed and place it in many different designs.
However, using heat transfer vinyl is not as easy as most beginner crafters assume. Unless you know what you are doing, you will probably make plenty of mistakes when using HTV.
Mistakes happen and are a natural part of life. The following are four mistakes you are probably making with HTV and how to fix them:
1. Using The Wrong Temperature
Temperature is a significant factor when working with HTV. Using the right temperature will make a substantial difference to the results of your HTV results.
The temperature of HTV is especially vital when it comes to cutting it. According to the folks at thebestvinylcutters.com, you should have a table of ideal temperatures as instructed by the manufacturer of the vinyl you use for your projects. If you do, your crafts should have excellent results.
On the other hand, if you use a lower temperature than the manufacturer’s recommendation, the HTV will not stick. Contrarily, if you use a higher temperature than recommended, the HTV will melt and shrink.
The temperature settings recommended by the manufacturers have been tried and tested hence the recommendation. You may get away with slight variations if you are a skilled crafter, but no amount of skill will change the results if the temperature variation is too considerable.
2. Ignoring Recommended Application And Washing Instructions
There are more than ten types of HTV available today, including metallic, glitter, foil, and mosaic. Each of them has different application settings for your craft to last.
The requirements may include pre-washing, flipping, or pressing the garment. If you want the result of your project to be fantastic and withstand regular washing, it is paramount that you follow the manufacturer’s application and washing instructions.
It may be challenging to follow all the instructions as some garments have plenty. However, the more instructions you follow, the better the result you will get from using HTV. As with many other things, the more arduous path is usually the best.
Application and washing instructions for HTV will depend on the type. The brand of the HTV will also matter significantly, so you should be careful with the brand you use.
Making this fix will dramatically improve the results of your HTV projects. It will also spare you plenty of time, effort, and stress while working on your projects.
3. Layering The Wrong Type Of HTV
If you are a beginner crafter, you probably do not use HTV layers, so this is a mistake that is largely limited to intermediate and advanced crafters. Layering HTV is a science in itself and takes your projects to a whole new plane. However, there are rules to follow.
One of the rules to follow and a mistake you might be making is never using glitter HTV as the base layer whenever you are layering HTV. The reason is that the surface of glitter HTV is rough, preventing other vinyl layers from sticking to it. If a vinyl layer sticks on the glitter layer, it will soon fall off, usually after several washes.
Another rule is that vinyl will not stick on a holographic sparkle HTV. Once you apply holographic sparkle iron-on, it becomes a stick-resistant surface.
When layering HTV, most brands and types will only allow you up to four layers. Doing so will prevent the HTV from becoming bulky, which increases its chances of falling off the other layers. You should use as few layers as possible when layering HTV as the aim is to make the HTV and the fabric flow together.
4. Ignoring Peeling Instructions
As it pertains to HTV, peeling is just as necessary as its application. You should know that each type of HTV has its peeling instructions. Therefore, if you are having issues with your HTV projects, it may be that you are ignoring peeling instructions. Some types of HTV need peeling when warm, while others need to cool down for peeling.
If you do not follow the peeling instructions, the HTV will not stick and will become deformed.
Mastering the use of HTV on fabrics takes a lot of time and practice. Hopefully, you will avoid making the four mistakes above and be on your way to becoming a master. Apply the fixes, which mainly involve following instructions, and watch the quality of your craft projects dramatically improve.
