INSTRUCTIONS TO CREATE YOUR OWN PHOTO PUZZLES

The suggested guidelines and instructions may vary with transfer paper, iron and operator. Some experimentation may be useful and operator may develop their own personal instructions.

Select your favorite images, drawings, clip art, etc. Customize your creations using your favorite software.

You will need:
 

• Puzzle (included)
• Cold Peel Puzzle Transfer (included)
• Print creativity software (for example, The Print Shop, PrintMaster, Microsoft Home Publishing 2000, etc)
• A color ink jet printer (with user manual)
• A plain sheet of 8.5" x 11" paper for practice
• Standard hand iron
• Scissors
• Clock or watch with a second hand
• Smooth, hard, flat surface (do not use an ironing board or metal surface)
• Piece of cardboard (included)
• Adult supervision is required

PREPARATION OF BLANK JIGSAW PUZZLE

1. While keeping the puzzle sheet intact, loosen the top, bottom and both sides of the puzzle. To do this, first place the cardboard underneath the puzzle. Hold the edges of the puzzle with both hands, and carefully move the puzzle back and forth, Then switch and hold the top and bottom, repeating the movement.
2. Next, loosen the inside pieces while continuing to keep the puzzle intact (and holding cardboard underneath). One row at a time, carefully press loops of the individual pieces up and down between your thumbs until they snap apart. KEEP THE PUZZLE INTACT.

PRINT TRANSFERS!

1. Choose Mirror, Reverse, Flip or Back Print in the in the printer setup to print your image for correct transfer onto fabric side of puzzle. (This step will not be required if the design contains no words or if your design software automatically makes this adjustment for T-Shirt transfer paper.
2. Test image by printing on a sheet of plain paper. Use the Plain Paper or Draft mode to conserve color ink.
3. If satisfied with the draft, insert a single sheet of T-Shirt transfer paper into the printer with the blank side loaded correctly for your printer, making sure the paper is not curled or bent. BE SURE TO PRINT ON THE BLANK SIDE OF THE TRANSFER.
4. Choose a Medium or High Resolution setting in your printer setup menu.
5. Set paper type as Plain Paper or Transfer Paper.
6. Print
   LET IMAGE DRY COMPLETELY BEFORE CONTINUING.
7. On the back of the transfer, measure and mark the dimensions of the puzzle. Using your scissors, trim away the unwanted portion on all four sides of the transfer. This will make the transfer the same size as the puzzle.

IRONING PROCEDURE

1. Preheat iron on the highest setting for 8 minutes. Do not hurry-wait the full 8 minutes. DO NOT USE STEAM!
2. Ironing surface should be flat, hard, solid and smooth. Do not use an ironing board.
3. Place puzzle on top and cardboard and place copied transfer image face down on jigsaw puzzle.
4. Quickly and firmly press the iron in a circular and constant motion as follows:
   4"x6" Rectangular, Small Heart & Round Shapes, 4"x4" - 25 seconds
   5 1/4" x 6 3/4" & 5" x 7"- 50 seconds
   7 1/2" x 9 1/2" Rectangular - 2 minutes
   Make sure you press the edges of the transfer.
   NOTE: Pressing firmly is critical! Otherwise the image will not transfer cleanly. Be sure to iron the corners and edges of the transfer completely.
5. Immediately place iron aside. Allow the puzzle to cool for at least 15-25 minutes.

REMOVING BACKING SHEET FROM TRANSFER

1. Starting in one corner of the transfer, separate the backing sheet from the transfer and begin to pull it back slowly. Remove the backing sheet with steady pressure. The transfer should separate from the backing sheet and appear on the puzzle. Once the transfer has been transferred to the puzzle, you are ready to carefully separate the pieces of the puzzle. REMEMBER, THIS IS A CRAFT...DO NOT HURRY!
2. Loosen and separate the puzzle edges. Holding the puzzle with both hands, carefully snap apart the edge pieces on all four sides of the puzzle until the edges are separated.
3. Loosen and separate the rest of the puzzle, one vertical row at a time. Carefully push each puzzle loop back and forth with your fingers until it snaps apart. Repeat this motion with the edges of each puzzle piece until they separate.
4. Go on to next vertical row and repeat this process. DO NOT PULL HARD and DO NOT HURRY!
5. Now you can put the puzzle together and enjoy!

TO AVOID BURNS, USE EXTRA CAUTION WHILE IRONING:
 

• Do not touch hot surface of iron
• Do not touch transfer while ironing
• Do not permit children to use this product without Adult supervision
• Never leave hot iron unattended.