How to Transfer an Embroidery Pattern to Fabric

Quick answer: which transfer method should you use?

There is no single best way to transfer an embroidery pattern. The right method depends on your fabric, how detailed the design is, and how you want the marks to disappear. A simple starting point:

• Light, thin cotton or linen: trace the design against a window or lightbox with an erasable pen or pencil.
• Dark or thick fabric: use a water-soluble stabilizer, or trace with a white or light-colored marker or transfer paper.
• Stretchy or fuzzy fabric: a stabilizer you stitch through is usually easier than drawing directly on the surface.
• Lots of identical copies: iron-on transfers.

Each method is covered below. If you are embroidering on a garment, our guide to adding embroidery to clothing shows how transfer fits into the whole process.

Before you transfer

A few habits save frustration with any method:

• Wash and iron the fabric first if it will be washed later, so shrinkage and sizing don’t distort your design.
• Center the design. Fold the fabric in quarters and press lightly to find the middle, or mark it with a few tacking stitches.
• Test your marking tool on a scrap of the same fabric, including the removal step. Some inks and pencil marks do not come out of every fabric.
• Draw fine lines. A thin, visible line is easier to cover and easier to remove than a thick one.
• Leave room around the design so the hoop doesn’t sit on top of your lines.

Tracing: window, lightbox or screen

Tracing is the simplest approach and needs very little equipment.

1. Print or draw the pattern at full size on paper.
2. Tape it to a window (or place it on a lightbox) and tape the fabric on top, right side up.
3. Trace the lines with an erasable pen, fine pencil or water-soluble marker.

A lightbox is gentler on your arm than a vertical window. Some stitchers also trace from a tablet or phone screen laid flat with the brightness turned up, with the fabric on top. Tracing works best on light, thin, tightly woven fabric. Thick or dark fabric blocks the light, so another method is better.

Transfer pens and how to remove them

Marker-style pens are the most common tracing tools. The main types behave differently:

• Heat-erasable pens: the lines fade when you apply heat from an iron or hair dryer. Marks can sometimes reappear in very cold conditions, and a faint residue may remain on some fabrics, so use them where you are confident the lines will be covered, or test first.
• Water-soluble pens: the lines wash or dab out with water. Avoid ironing over the lines before they are removed, since heat may set some inks.
• Air-erasable pens: the marks fade by themselves over hours or days, which suits only projects you will finish quickly.
• Sharp pencils or chalk pencils: fine lines that brush or wash away, often a good choice for dark fabrics.

Always check the manufacturer’s instructions and test on a scrap. Stitching over lines never guarantees every mark is hidden, so pick a pen that is removable.

Iron-on transfers

Iron-on (hot iron) transfers are printed patterns, often on thin paper, that are pressed onto fabric with heat. They are common for vintage-style designs and tea towels. Some pattern sites offer free iron-on or printable patterns, though availability and terms of use vary.

Typical steps:

1. Cut the transfer to size and place it face down on the fabric.
2. Pin or tape it so it can’t shift.
3. Press with a dry iron, without sliding, following the instructions on the sheet.
4. Lift a corner to check before removing the paper entirely.

Two cautions: the design is usually mirrored when it is transferred, which matters for lettering, and the lines are often permanent or only partly washable. Make sure your stitches will cover them. Printable iron-on sheets for home printers also exist, so check which printer type they suit.

Water-soluble stabilizer

Stick-and-stitch stabilizer (also called wash-away or peel-and-stick sheets) is a film you print or draw on, stick to the fabric and stitch through. When you finish, you rinse the fabric and the film dissolves.

1. Print or trace the pattern onto the sheet. Some are made for inkjet printers, so check the packaging.
2. Peel off the backing and press the sheet onto the fabric.
3. Hoop and stitch through the sheet.
4. Soak or rinse in water to dissolve any remaining film, then let the piece dry flat.

It is a good choice for dark fabrics, textured fabrics and stretchy knits, since it needs no drawing on the cloth. The film can feel a little stiff to stitch through, and dense stitching makes small fragments harder to remove, so rinse thoroughly.

Carbon and transfer paper

Dressmaker’s carbon or transfer paper sits between the pattern and the fabric. You go over the pattern lines with a pencil or stylus, and the pressure leaves a mark on the cloth. It comes in several colors, which makes it handy for dark fabrics. Marks can be hard to remove, so choose a type labeled washable, test it, and trace lightly. This method suits smooth, firm fabric better than loosely woven material.

Tear-away tracing paper

Another approach is to trace or print the design on thin tear-away paper, pin or baste it to the fabric, and stitch through both layers. Afterwards you tear the paper away carefully. It works for bold designs but can distort tiny stitches when torn, so it suits designs with generous spacing.

Transferring to dark fabric

Dark fabric is the hardest to mark. Common options are:

• A white or light-colored pencil, chalk or water-soluble marker.
• Water-soluble stabilizer, which does not rely on seeing the lines on the cloth.
• Light-colored transfer paper.
• Pricking and pouncing, an older method where you punch small holes along the design and dust chalk through them.

Can you embroider onto felt?

Yes. Felt is usually stable, so it holds stitches well. Because it is fuzzy, pens can skip or bleed, so many people trace with a pencil, use a stabilizer sheet, or cut a paper template and trace around it with a washable marker. Test removal first, since felt may not be washable. If you plan to cut shapes from stitched felt, see our guide to making your own embroidery patch.

Troubleshooting common problems

• Lines won’t show: switch to a lighter or darker tool, or move to a stabilizer.
• Marks still visible after stitching: repeat the recommended removal step and check the instructions again.
• Pattern is the wrong way round: this is the common iron-on mistake. Reverse the pattern before printing if the text matters. For lettering ideas, see fonts for embroidery.
• Design is distorted: avoid stretching the cloth when tracing, and hoop it evenly before stitching.

FAQ

What is an embroidery transfer pen? It is a marker used to draw a pattern onto fabric. Most are made to be removed by heat, water or air so the lines do not remain once you finish stitching.

Where can I find free iron-on transfers for embroidery? Some pattern designers and craft blogs offer free printable patterns, and a few offer iron-on versions. Check the terms of use for each, since many patterns are for personal use only.

How do I transfer a pattern to embroidery without special tools? Tape the paper and fabric to a window and trace with a pencil. It is cheap and reliable on light fabric.