How to create a custom T-shirt using heat transfer vinyl with your cutting machine

How to create a custom tshirt using heat transfer vinyl with your cutting machine

Alright so I'm on the down hill with my huge paper flower project so this week I can get back to a new fabulous tutorial for my patience readers. 

This week I am teaching you a heat transfer vinyl (HTV)  t-shirt project using your cutting machine of choice. 

I'll be using my cricut explore air but you can use the same techniques with your silhouette cameo. 

For years I've avoided vinyl with my machines because it honestly looked like a huge challenge and I really wasn't aware of all the amazing projects you could create with it!

Let's go over supplies. 

• HTV- I found a great and reasonably priced selection at My Vinyl Direct. They have a lot of other great items too, including canvas bags, shirts and mugs to use your vinyl on!
• Weeding tool (you can use tweezers in a pinch) Pun intended. :)
• Cutting machine
• T-shirt 
• Iron
• Thin dishcloth or pillow case

Pick out some pretty colors. I love sparkle so I went with glitter. They have a big selection!

Alright ready for how easy this is?!

1. Gather your HTV and cut a piece to size for your design. In this tutorial I'm using my 'Mermama' and 'Merbaby' SVG design. 

IMPORTANT! 

WHEN USING WORDS YOU MUST MIRROR THE IMAGE FOR THE LETTERS TO COME OUT THE CORRECT DIRECTION!

And make sure you set your machine to vinyl cutting. Then place the vinyl glitter side face down. 

2. Once your design has been cut out you will  need to weed it. 

Weeding is a fancy term for removing the extra vinyl away from the cut design. 

There are weeding tools you can buy online or in craft stores or you can use a pair of home tweezers. 

Once you have finished weeding, heat up your iron. 

3. Place your design on your shirt face up and lay your towel over. You will want the iron to be on a high setting. 

Press back and forth for 20-30 seconds, let rest and repeat 2 more times. 

Peel off the plastic top and then lay your towel down again and press for 20 more seconds. 

Repeat the last step adding in your phrase. 

And that's it! 

Super easy 3 steps to making your own t-shirts whether for personal use or starting a business! 

If you have any questions ask below in the comments!

On that note don't forget that all our SVG designs come with a 500 commercial sale use! You can purchase a license if you exceed that limit. 

If you have a design you want to see me create leave it in the comments!

And give my sweet Ella bean a round of applause for modeling her new shirt for me!

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