Which iron-on transfer paper works best on fabric? muslin, cotton-knit, etc.?

[joyful mommy]

I'm looking for ink-jet printable iron-on transfer paper to use on muslin, broadcloth, cotton-knit (t-shirts/onesies), etc. Has anyone used these out there to make fabric panels for books, quilts, decorative hangings for nursery; or for t-shirts/onesies, etc.?

Do you have a favorite brand or one that has worked great for you consistently? Do you recommend using them only for more stable fabrics like muslin or do they work well on cotton-knit for t-shirts too? Do you have particular tips to add to the instructions on the package? Also, does the background color/hue of the fabric matter (i.e., dark vs. light)?

I checked amazon.com and found that several companies make these, but the sparse number of reviews are often conflicting in their opinions of each of them. I'm hoping some of you have used these for crafts, labeling clothes, decorating, etc. and can offer more advice before I get started.

If you have suggestions where to get these at best prices (on-line or brick and mortar) I'd appreciate these tips too. :)

Thanks so much for any recommendations/suggestions here!

Joyful Mommy

[JTsMom]

I can tell you NOT to use the Office Depot brand ones. I did T-shirts for all 3 of us, and had a problem with almost every one. Also, they all faded really badly in the wash.

I know I saw some that were specifically made for dark fabric, so that's worth looking into.

Also, a couple of hints:
Make sure you pre-wash the material, then iron REALLY well.
Do a practice run on a piece of scrap fabric.
Really watch to make sure you're getting the design on straight- sometimes the fabric weave looks crooked.

Good luck!

[heidiann]

I just tried out our paper today. I made a t-shirt for jillian's grandmother. I used avery brand ( for lighter colors, i used an ash color t-shirt) I think it came out really nice. I will definately buy this brand of transfer paper again.

Heidi
Mom to Jillian 10/20/05