We all know about heat transfer vinyl—it’s responsible for our T-shirt logos. It’s a popular way to jazz up shirts and tote bags, but what about other surfaces? Can you iron vinyl onto leather or wood? Let’s look at three alternative uses for heat transfer vinyl and explore options beyond the basic.
Add Fun to Leather Goods
Whether it’s a jacket or a journal, I’m sure y’all have a little leather in your life that’s looking plain. HTV sticks to leather and doesn’t peel off. I ironed a couple of metallic motifs onto my classic leather jacket, but y’all can go wild with the vinyl on leather cuff bracelets, hardcover notebooks, or that fringed vest sitting at the back of your closet. Breathe new life into the stuff y’all already got instead of buying replacements.
Get Creative on Canvas
Y’all don’t have to be master painters (I know I’m not!) to make gorgeous art on a canvas. There are a million creative ways to use patterns with HTV and layer different looks to create art worthy of hanging over the fireplace. Get those kindergarten scissors out, y’all! I like to create a collage look by cutting and “pasting” (ironing) different patterns onto the canvas to create a layered landscape. Blank canvases are budget-friendly and available at craft stores; I picked one up and spent a whole glorious weekend mixing and matching my colors!
Brighten Up Your Mousepad
How many hours a day do y’all spend on your computer? I have a desk job, so I spend eight hours a day with my friends: the laptop, mouse, and mousepad. It can get monotonous after a while. I found myself staring at a plain green mousepad, seeing nothing but a blank canvas. I wanted to jazz up my workspace, so one morning, I ironed a big yellow smiley face onto that mousepad. It left me grinning all day long, and it makes my desk a welcoming place to work.
I use heat transfer vinyl for way more than just T-shirts. It’s a versatile material that comes in a million colors and patterns, and it can brighten up many articles besides basic tees. Bring your old leather jacket back to life, or make your own mantelpiece art for a fraction of the time and price required for traditional painting. These are only three alternative uses for heat transfer vinyl, but your options are wider than y’all may think!
