Easy image transfer onto burlap fabric tutorial

Create a stunning image transfer onto burlap fabric gift bags for Christmas gift packaging. Adding an image transfer onto burlap is easier than you might think because the transfer paper does all the work. Don’t let the supplies and long instructions fool you.

Supplies for image transfer onto burlap fabric:

• Burlap: wine bag, 1/3 yd.; pinecone starters, 1/2 yd. or premade
• Jute twine: 12” length, 20” length
• Wooden tags, 2-1/2”, two
• Polyform Sculpey III Clay: Red Hot Red, Moss, White
• Fabric scraps: natural canvas, green ticking, muslin
• Clipart: wine bottle, pinecone
• Artificial holly berry stems, two
• Self-adhesive rhinestones
• Green ribbon, 7/8”-wide, 10” lengths, two
• Jacquard Transfer Paper
• Polyform Sculpey Nature-Themed Mini Metal Cutters
• Polymer clay flower press mold
• Alphabet rubber stamps and black pigment ink
• DecoArt Americana Acrylic Paints: Lamp Black, Snow White, Antique Green
• Emperor’s Gold Dazzling Metallics
• Jacquard Black Tee Juice Marker
• The Warm Co. Lite Steam-A-Seam
• Sewing machine and thread
• Computer and printer
• Clay-dedicated rolling-pin, parchment-lined baking sheet, and oven
• Beacon Adhesives Gem-Tac

BASIC SUPPLIES
scissors, rotary cutter and cutting mat, iron, towel, cornstarch, paintbrushes, wax candle, sanding block, newspaper (to cover work surface)

Instructions for image transfer onto burlap fabric gift bags:

1. Use rotary cutter and mat to cut two 7″x14″ (wine) burlap rectangles or two 13″ (pinecone) burlap squares. Press seams 1/2″ at short sides of wine rectangle and 1″ on one side of each pinecone square with iron; sew seams closed. (Note: This will be top opening of bags.)

2. Download and print wine bottle or pinecone clip art onto inkjet transfer paper. (Note: Print on plain copy paper first to make sure size is correct). Follow manufacturer’s instructions to trim images from remainder of paper, leaving 1/2″ border on all sides. Place towel on firm work surface. Heat iron to med-high non-steam setting.

3. Place image transfer face down on burlap (for front of bag). Working slowly, move iron across image, getting each piece of image thoroughly heated to ensure image transfer. Pay close attention to edges of image. Peel back edges of paper to check if image is adhering to fabric. If image pulls up with paper, continue ironing image to fabric. When adhered, allow image to cool; peel backing off.

 

Clay embellishments for image transfer onto burlap:

1. On clean work surface, roll 1/2″ ball of Red Hot Red clay. Use paintbrush to dust flower mold lightly with cornstarch. Pinch off dime-sized piece of Red Hot Red clay; press into mold. Remove flower; set aside. Roll 1/2″ ball of Moss clay; use acrylic roller to roll clay into 1/8″ thickness on work surface. Dust lightly with cornstarch.

Use leaf mini metal cutter to cut out several leaves. Roll 1/8″ ball of White clay into tiny balls; press onto flower center. Repeat process, creating second flower for other bag. Follow manufacturer’s instructions to bake flowers and leaves on parchment-lined baking sheet in oven. Let cool.

On covered work surface, paint wooden tags Lamp Black. Let dry. Rub surface of tag with wax candle. Paint tag Snow White (for wine bag) or Antique Green (for pinecone bag). Sand surface of tag to reveal distressed finish. Drybrush clay flowers and leaves Emperor’s Gold. Let dry.

For pinecone bag, cut 3-1/2″x2-1/2″ and 1-1/2″x3-1/4″ rectangles from canvas. Paint both rectangles Emperor’s Gold. When dry, use Black marker to draw script font design by hand. Set aside 3-1/2″x2-1/2″ rectangle.

How to sew embellishments for image transfer onto burlap:

Follow manufacturer’s instructions to fuse muslin and ticking rectangles to fusible webbing. Cut ticking rectangle to 2-1/4″x4″; fuse to burlap over pinecone image. Pin 1-1/2″x3-1/4″ painted canvas on top; cut fused muslin to 1″x2-3/4″ and stamp “peace warmth” using black pigment ink.

1. Fuse muslin onto top of painted canvas. Use sewing machine to sew edges of ticking, canvas, and muslin rectangles onto front of bag.

Position burlap pieces together with right sides facing. Sew seams together along right side, bottom, and left side with 1/2″ seam allowance. Use iron to steam seams open. Cut small slits, 1″ apart, around outside of bag approximately 5″ down from top for wine bag and 1″ down from top for pinecone bag. Thread jute lengths in and out of holes; tie bow on front of bag.

For wine bag, use tacky glue to secure leaves and poinsettia onto front of bag on wine image label. Stamp “cheers” on tag using alphabet stamps and black pigment ink. For pinecone bag, use tacky glue to adhere wooden tag onto remaining painted canvas rectangle. Stamp “merry” on tag using alphabet stamps and black pigment ink. Use tacky glue to secure leaves and poinsettia onto front of tag.

Adhere gems on tags as shown. Tie tags and berry stems around bag using green ribbon.

Tip for fire starters in the image transfer onto burlap fabric gift bag:

1. To make pinecone fire starters, position pinecones on wax paper. Boil water in double boiler and melt wax in top boiler. Add recycled crayons to wax to color. As crayons melt, add ground cinnamon into wax; mix well. Remove wax from heat. On covered work surface, pour melted wax over pinecones. Let cool.

Try out this holiday gift idea using burlap.

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