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How to sew with HeatnBond Iron-on Vinyl – a tutorial

How to sew with HeatnBond Iron-on Vinyl – a tutorial

by Robin Bogaert

Happy Friday! I enjoyed sharing several products from the HeatnBond family and showing you how they can make your sewing life sew easy.

Today I’m discussing a really exciting product called HeatnBond Iron-on Vinyl. When I knew I had the opportunity to work with this I was really excited as it can be applied to regular fabric. Just imagine the possibilities with your own stash! Also, you can sew through it easily.

There are so many projects that can be enhanced with vinyl. These projects include: lunch bags, baby bibs, placemats, coasters, luggage tags, pouches, tote bags, beach bags, make up bags, bookmarks, crafts, home decor and so much more!

HeatnBond Iron-on Vinyl 17" x 2yd package

HeatnBond Iron-on Vinyl 17″ x 2yd package

Some fantastic attributes of HeatnBond Iron-on Vinyl

  • It protects fabrics.
  • It provides water resistance to the fabric.
  • You can use your own stash of fabric (as opposed to purchasing vinyl coated fabric).
  • Helps to make customizable projects as you can vinyl cover the fabric you want.
  • It’s durable.
  • Has a UV rated finish.
  • The vinyl has a protective backing with grid lines which can be used for accurate cutting and placement.

Some useful tips

  • Use a medium setting on your iron (no higher or you will melt the vinyl)
  • You must use a Pressing Paper or the backing that is attached to the vinyl to protect the vinyl and your iron.
  • You should use an iron without the steam.
  • If it gets wrinkly when turning something right side out (ie. a placemat, bib etc. ) no worries you can re-iron it.
  • Recommended to use clips instead of pins to hold your project while sewing to eliminate unnecessary holes in the vinyl.
  • If you applique a design on your project and are planning to apply HeatnBond Iron-on Vinyl, there’s no need to applique stitch the design as the design will be sealed inside the vinyl.
Make a Placemat with HeatnBond Iron-on Vinyl, see how to below
  • Assemble backing, appliques, placemat top fabric and vinyl (vinyl should be cut exact to size of fabric). Top fabric is from Girls of the World by Northcott Studio.

Placemat materials assembled

Placemat materials assembled

  • Iron the appliques to the right side of the fabric. I used HeatnBond Feather Lite to fuse the appliqued flowers.

Appliqued top of placemat

Appliqued top of placemat

  • When using the vinyl, there’s no need to sew down the appliques as the vinyl will lay on top of the applique and provide another seal to the motifs. Using the vinyl is a fantastic time saver.  Fabric is from Girls of the World – Single Colorway, by Northcott.
  • Cut out the vinyl to fit the top of the placemat. Remove the paper backing and lay the sticky side of the vinyl to the right side of the fabric matching corners.

Vinyl laid down sticky side to right side of placemat.

Vinyl laid down sticky side to right side of placemat.

  • Use backing of vinyl laid on top of vinyl to protect iron, ironing surface and vinyl from direct contact.

Ironing the vinyl with the paper backing on top of the vinyl as protection from the heat of the iron.

Ironing the vinyl with the paper backing on top of the vinyl as protection from the heat of the iron.

Caution: It’s important not to have your heat set too high (medium setting) and to make sure the vinyl is protected with the vinyl backing, if it’s not covered, direct contact with your iron will cause the vinyl to melt. 

  • Using the paper backing on the vinyl or a Pressing Paper, iron the vinyl to the top of the place mat using a medium heat setting and no steam.
  • Press for 8 seconds and move slowly to make sure that the entire surface of the place mat is pressed.
  • Pull back the paper backing to reveal your place mat.  I used HeatnBond Iron-on Vinyl luster finish vinyl and this makes the place mat shiny.

Vinyl is heat fused to the front of the place mat with HeatnBond Iron-on Vinyl.

Vinyl is heat fused to the front of the placemat with HeatnBond Iron-on Vinyl.

  • Using UNIQUE quilting clever clips, clip the backing of the placemat right sides together with the top of the placemat. These clips are great with stiff materials or with vinyl as they avoid the use of pins and leaving unnecessary holes in the vinyl.
  • Sew with a ¼” seam allowance, leaving a 3” opening, clip corners and turn to the right side. Press again with the vinyl paper backing covering the vinyl front and remove wrinkles from turning. Slip stitch opening closed by hand and top stitch the perimeter of the placemat ¼” from edge.

Unique quilting Clever Clips, great for use with vinyl to avoid pinning and needle holes.

Unique quilting Clever Clips, great for use with vinyl to avoid pinning and needle holes.

Unique quilting Unique quilting Clever Clips used to hold placemat right sides together for sewing around perimeter of placemat.

Unique quilting Unique quilting Clever Clips used to hold placemat right sides together for sewing around perimeter of placemat.

Placemat completed! Now very wipeable, vinyl covered with protected appliques.

Placemat completed! Now very wipeable, vinyl covered with protected appliques.

Other Project Ideas:

Protect baby's clothing with a HeatnBond Iron-on Vinyl laminated baby bib.

Protect baby’s clothing with a HeatnBond Iron-on Vinyl laminated baby bib.

HeatnBond Iron-on Vinyl laminated lunch bag, fabric is X's and O's Wild Orchid, Northcott Studio by Deborah Edwards & Northcott Colorworks

HeatnBond Iron-on Vinyl laminated lunch bag, fabric is X’s and O’s Wild Orchid, Northcott Studio by Deborah Edwards & Northcott Colorworks

Use your left over bits of HeatnBond Iron-on Vinyl and fabric for luggage identifying tags. Fabric X's and O's By Deborah Edwards, Northcott Studio

Use your leftover bits of HeatnBond Iron-on Vinyl and fabric for luggage identifying tags. Fabric X’s and O’s By Deborah Edwards, Northcott Studio

I hope you’ve enjoyed this fun week exploring the amazing HeatnBond products and luscious Northcott fabrics.

HeatnBond certainly allows sewists a multitude of potential creative ideas. We would love to hear from you how you used HeatnBond Iron-on Vinyl, leave your comments in the section below.

Thank goodness it’s Friday, enjoy more time to sew, have a great weekend!

This is part 5 of 5 in this series.
Go to part 4: EASY paper piecing with StitchnSew EZ Print Quilt Block Sheets

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3 comments

Seema May 12, 2021 - 8:42 pm

Hi Robin
I would like to make some quilted patchwork tablemats and wonder whether I can laminate them.
Please let me know the best type of vinyl or laminate to buu.

Thank you very much and have a great day.
Seema

Reply
Dani February 1, 2021 - 2:22 pm

I am making my first project using iron-on vinyl, and I’m wondering how you would clean the project. I know the vinyl part can be wiped clean, but if it’s a bag, with vinyl inside and fabric outside, how do I clean the whole bag when the outside needs a cleaning?

Reply
Robin Bogaert February 1, 2021 - 4:54 pm

Hi Dani, I would wash it by hand in cold water. The aggitation of your washing machine may cause wrinkles in the vinyl. Hang to dry. Thanks for your question 🙂

Reply

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