Asked on Jan 30, 2016

How to transfer personal letter to fabric for upholstery

Kat1450586
by Kat1450586
Recently, I found a handwritten letter from my deceased grandmother to one of her children. I want to use the process in the attached photo to upholster her favorite chair. How may I do this?
  14 answers
  • Moondancermel Moondancermel on Jan 31, 2016
    Have a look on You Tube for wax paper transfer tutorials. You will need to make a negative to use this process, a local ptinter may be able to help you if you don't use programmes like Gimp or Photoshop. There may be other tutorials to help with this.
  • Valerie Valerie on Jan 31, 2016
    What a fantastic idea, and such a lovely testament to your grandmother! I have attached a link to a Hometalk post which gives a great tutorial and should provide you with all the information you need - plus the ability to ask the person who posted it for specific advice! http://www.hometalk.com/diy/kitchen-dining/kitchen-dining-furniture/personalize-any-project-using-freezer-paper-11485240
  • I adore Valerie's link and suggestions! Another option is to have it professionally printed on fabric using a website based company called www.Spoonflower.com You can choose your fabric and you know it will turn out lovely.
  • Becky Becky on Jan 31, 2016
    You can also have it actually printed on fabric on Spoonflower.com
  • Joyce Bell Joyce Bell on Jan 31, 2016
    I got so special printing fabric from Amazon. Depends how big you want? Mine was A4 size.
  • Gail Gail on Jan 31, 2016
    Spoonflower.com can do it for you. scan the picture and your on the way.
  • Julie Moyna Julie Moyna on Jan 31, 2016
    Ask Paula Blankenship at Heirloom Tradiitions Paint. They make a wonderful transfer gel. www.heirloomtraditionspaint.com
  • Cindra1005 Cindra1005 on Feb 01, 2016
    how expensive is Spoonflower? Anyone ever order like a yard of material?
  • Gail Gail on Feb 02, 2016
    It can get expensive. 18.00 a yard. But they do a great job and it is one of a kind fabric.
    • See 2 previous
    • Cindra1005 Cindra1005 on Feb 02, 2016
      @Gail can't wait
  • Pat Ruge Pat Ruge on Feb 03, 2016
    You might consider using iron-on transfer paper. It is sold at most office supply stores and is relatively inexpensive. You need to scan the letter and when you print to the transfer paper it must be printed "mirror image". You then iron it onto the fabric. If you want to make it look more like your vision, you can cut and paste from the letter - enlarge where wanted and then do your printing. Always remember to print MIRROR IMAGE.
  • Pat Ruge Pat Ruge on Feb 03, 2016
    Oh! Lucky me, lucky you! I found my "Epson Iron-on Cool Peel Transfer paper". It sells on Amazon for less than $10 and contains 10 sheets 8.5x11" (standard paper size). Also I wanted to mention that you might include your grandmother's year of birth, and perhaps her hometown of birth. Try out different fonts. Don't think you have to include the entirety of the letter - pick out her best statements. Perhaps you can frame the entire letter. I have used this "Epson Iron-on Cool Peel Transfer paper" for my "I Spy" bead bags and found it works great. One package should give you enough to cover a chair such as you displayed. Take you fabric and lay out the things you want to express from the letter, move it about and once you have decided what is best, then print out your best expression on the transfer paper. I think you will be happy with the results. Good luck on such a wonderful expression you endeavor and keep up posted to your final result. Don't forget "Mirror Image" printing. Know that I have thought about you for the last 24 hrs. God be with you, and so it is.
  • Polly Zieper Polly Zieper on Feb 04, 2016
    I don't know if you can make it big enough to cover the entire back of the chair, but I've used iron on transfer copy paper.you put it into your printer and copy the original onto it, as easy as making a copy on any copier. The copy comes out of the printer/copier as an iron on transfer which you can then iron onto fabric to use on your chair. or maybe a printing shop could enlarge the text if you want it bigger. please post pics if you make the letter into schair cover.
  • Gini Gini on Feb 04, 2016
    It's relatively easy. I made a wedding quilt for my son this way. You can do it by yourself but the easiest way is to go to a print shop to have it reverse printed. Also they can enlarge it to the correct size. Anyway remember if you don't have it reversed then the letter will be reversed on your fabric. You will probably need to use more than one piece of printable fabric. I used to cut my muslin the same size as the copy paper iron it onto the shiny side of freezer paper that was also cut that 81/2 by11 size and print on that. Goes through the printer fine or any other fabric you want. I even did a light weight canvas. Good luck. Oh make sure you copy the letter. You can use the copy so if anything happens you will have the original.
  • Agnes Chrzanowska Agnes Chrzanowska on Feb 28, 2021

    use a screen paint ..but I would ask professional to do if you like bigger quantities