How to use Heat n Bond Lite on fabrics

When sewing an applique or small parts to another piece of fabric (let’s call it “main fabric”), it’s helpful to use Heat n Bond Lite to adhere the applique or small parts to the main fabric then sew.  It keeps the applique in the right shape and avoids shifting, puckering and fraying while sewing.  Heat n Bond Lite is a washable iron on the double-sided adhesive with a glue side (rough, dotted side) and a removable paper side.  I use it on small pieces such as nose, eyes, tail, inner ears, etc. 

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Here are the steps:

1.  Pre-wash the fabrics if needed.  Cut the fabric using a pattern. 

If cutting fleece/wool felt applique, see our tutorial on How to cut fabrics using freezer paper.

2.   Trace pattern on the paper side of the adhesive.  If the pattern is an irregular shape, trace the pattern back side up.

3.  Cut the adhesive along the inside of the traced line.   

4.   Iron the adhesive to applique 
   
Place the cut fabric (wrong side up) on a flat surface.  Place the adhesive on top of the fabric with the paper side up so the glue side is facing the wrong side of the fabric.  Iron with low dry heat for 2 seconds.  Make sure not to over iron.  If you are using cotton fabric, you may iron from either the fabric side or the paper side.  Make sure that the glue side is facing the wrong side of the cotton fabric.

5.   Remove paper backing and iron the applique/small part to main fabric. 

Place the applique (fabric side up) on top of the main fabric (right side up).  Iron from the wrong side of the main fabric (cotton) without press cloth for 2-3 seconds in low dry heat.

Important
  
— If the applique is fleece or wool felt, make sure to iron with a press cloth over it.   

— When ironing fleece or wool felt applique, iron with medium heat for more than 3 seconds or until applique is adhered to the main fabric.

6.  Sew the applique to the main fabric.

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