Olivia Storm

In the 1870s, the iron transfer was developed, a new one-step method which allowed the design to be applied onto the fabric with a warm iron.  Previously, women were encouraged to stamp patterns, which included perforated patterns, marking powder, along with instructions. 

Also, pullout patterns were in some of the lady's magazines at that time, promoting new subscriptions.  Occasionally they gave away a saw tooth edged wheel for marking designs on stiff parchment or carbon paper, as enticement by these magazines to promote their new product or different ideas. 

The new iron transfers were welcomed by the women of this period in comparison to the old-fashioned transferring methods they had been using.  What a wonderful thing these transfers were, opening up a new world for them and their needlepoint, making cross-stitch accessible to all women and young girls during that time. Cross-stitch was made easier with this new method as the time involved with the transferring was cut in half, allowing more time in the actual creation of the work.

Today, the iron on transfer is still used in needlepoint for transferring designs onto bags, T-shirts, pictures, quilts, etc.  Some people can draw their own designs, but most people prefer to either iron it on or buy a kit with the transfer already on the fabric. 

This is very much an individual choice, and each person will need to know what he or she likes, finding the easiest and least time consuming method to use.  The transfer is invariably quick and easy if done properly, with a wide variety of iron transfers available. 

Many vintage Aunt Martha's Iron Transfers are available from 1920 and on, which includes the Workbasket transfers also. 

A loose rule of thumb when choosing iron transfers was: brown paper was used in the 1920-1930s; blue and red paper with a feather edge on left, including scattered stars, was used in the 1940s; 1950s had a blue and red with a blue check background; blue and red with yellow ribbons in the 1960s; pink and yellow, or pink and yellow check in the 1970s; yellow in the 1980s; yellow with red or blue strip across top in the 1990s; and the current design in yellow with 3 languages on the top. 

The prices range approximately from $15 (£8.50) to $20 (£11) each, with some more and some less, and many are uncut and unused.

There are specific instructions that need to be followed when transferring the iron transfer onto the material or fabric.  They need to be properly done to prevent scorching, blurry, or double images: 

•  The iron needs to be very hot, without being hot enough to scorch.
•  The fabric or item to be cross-stitched is placed on the ironing board, right side up.
•  The transfer design should be cut out, and undesired lettering removed.
• Design is placed printed side down onto the fabric or item, making sure the desired location is centered where you want it.
• A thin piece of material or paper can be placed over the pattern to prevent scorching off the other areas of the fabric.
• The transfer will take several seconds to transfer properly (the time allotted depends on the heat of the iron.
• The iron should be in motion continuously to distribute the heat evenly.
• Do not allow the pattern to slip as blurred edges will occur or double imprints.
• The design lines will begin to show up lightly, becoming deeper as time and heat work into it.
• Linen contains fillers that scorch, so always use a test design on each type of fabric.
• Remove the iron immediately when the transfer of the design is done.
• This transfer can be used again, so fold it carefully once it is cooled, and place back inside its original location.

Check out the websites at the multitudes of available iron transfers for you to purchase or download.  As stated before, the vintage ones are still here and the new ones are endless in their subject matter.  The real hard part will not be the iron transfer itself, but how to pick a favorite out of the thousands of transfers available to you ~ Happy searching!