How to Transfer Embroidery Designs to Fabric (4 Easy Methods)
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One of the first questions stitchers ask me is: “How do I get the design onto my fabric?” The truth is—there’s no single “right” way. It depends on your fabric, your tools, and your personal preference.
In this post, I’ll walk you through four popular transfer methods I’ve tried myself. Each has its pros and quirks, and I recorded short demo videos so you can see them in action.
Tools
You'll need a light source behind your embroidery design in order to trace it. A window works with the light of the day or sun outside. A light board works great too and these are fairly inexpensive on Amazon. I got mine for about $17. Another way to create this is to have a box with a small lamp or flashlight inside and a clear flat glass or plastic surface you can lay across the top.
Fabric Choices
You'll want to use a simple fabric like 100% cotton quilting fabric. If you want to work on something really nice, 100% linen fabric would also be wonderful. If you're feeling scrappy—an old sheet or table linen fabric would work too.
In the examples shown, I've cut my fabric into 10-inch squares for the hand-embroidered Elf Ornament project.
So grab your fabric, and let’s dive in!
✏️ Method 1: Pencil Tracing
Simple, inexpensive, and beginner-friendly. Just trace the design with a sharp pencil onto your fabric.
- Best for: Light-colored fabrics
- Pros: Easy, no special tools needed
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Cons: Lines may fade or smudge as you stitch
🖊️ Method 2: Pilot Frixion Pen
A modern favorite! These pens make clear lines that disappear with heat from an iron or even a hairdryer.
- Best for: Light fabrics
- Pros: Crisp, easy-to-see lines that vanish when you’re done
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Cons: Faint “ghost lines” may remain on some fabrics—always test first!
✏️ Method 3: Aunt Martha’s Transfer Pencil
This classic tool has been around for decades. You trace the design on tracing paper or directly on your printout of the design, then iron it onto your fabric.
REMEMBER: if you want your final stitching design to be the exact same orientation as your printout, make sure you trace the design on the back side of your printout. This way you'll have the same orientation instead of a mirror image. In my video, I didn't do that so you see the mirror image of the printout.
- Best for: Light- to medium-colored cottons
- Pros: Lines transfer quickly with heat
- Cons: Lines are permanent (so cover them with stitches!)
🖊️ Method 4: Sublime Stitching Transfer Pen
A specialty tool made just for embroidery. This pen is used just like Aunt Martha's Transfer Pencil, except you can get a finer line with the pen. You trace your design, press with a hot iron, and the lines transfer beautifully.
Note: I used the black pen in this video example. These pens do come in a rainbow of colors, though. If you want a red pen to match your thread color, you can get one.
- Best for: Smooth cotton fabrics
- Pros: Bold, reliable transfers
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Cons: Lines are permanent—so stitch carefully!
✨ Recap: Comparing All 4 Methods
Each method has its moment:
- Need quick + temporary? Try the Frixion pen.
- Want bold, no-fuss lines? Go for Sublime Stitching’s pen.
- Love the classics? The pencil and Aunt Martha’s transfer pencil still do the job.
🎉 Ready to Stitch? Join the Elf Ornament Stitch Party!
Now that you know how to transfer your design, you’re all set to join my Elf Ornament Stitch Party on Sept. 27, 2025.
Bring your fabric with the design already transferred, and we’ll spend our time stitching together! It’s free, casual, and you’ll leave with new skills and holiday cheer.
Final Thoughts
Transferring your design might feel like a hurdle, but once you try a method or two, you’ll find what works best for you. The important part is getting your design on the fabric so you can enjoy the stitching itself.