Whether using the Cricut Maker, the Cricut Explore Air 2, or the Cricut Joy, you can make attractive and professional finish-looking designs or patterns with Cricut’s iron-on vinyl. Today, I will show how to make this amazing “Crafty for Life” custom T-shirt with Cricut Explore Air 2 and Cricut’s Everyday Iron-On Vinyl.
Want to make a custom t-shirt by using an iron-on and Cricut machine? Well, today is your lucky day! I will walk you through all the basics of making a custom t-shirt with these step-by-step tutorials!
What is an Iron-On Vinyl?
Iron-on vinyl is a unique craft vinyl that contains a heat-activated adhesive. Iron-on vinyl sticks to fabric material or other surfaces when pressed with household iron or a heat source such as an EasyPress.
If you’re new to crafting vinyl, you may be thinking: What’s the difference between iron-on and heat-transfer vinyl? The answer is simple: nothing! Iron-on and Heat Transfer Vinyl (or HTV for short) are different names for the same thing.
Supplies You Need To Make Cricut Custom T-Shirts
The Cricut machine is the perfect tool for cutting iron-on vinyl to make custom t-shirts. Here are the supplies you will need to make custom T-shirts with the Cricut machine.
Material
Iron-on vinyl
Cotton T-shirt prewashed without fabric softener.
Tool
Cricut Machine (I mostly use both Cricut Maker and Cricut Joy)
LightGrip or Older StandardGrip Cutting Mat
Weeding equipment
Cricut EasyPress, household iron, or heat press
Cricut EasyPress mat or a folded towel to protect work surface
Important Tip: Prewash the T-shirt before applying the vinyl for best results. First, washing the T-shirt removes any dirt or oil interfering with the vinyl’s adhesive. If the T-shirt shrinks, the vinyl won’t crack with that method.
Instructions To Make Custom T-shirts With Cricut Machine
Here is the easy step-by-step for making an iron-on vinyl t-shirt with a Cricut machine.
Step 1. Upload or Make a T-Shirt Design
The first step is you have to upload or make a T-shirt design. We will be using the Cricut Design Space app, where you can browse your existing projects’ work or design your picture with it.
Option 1. Choose a pre-made design in the Cricut Design Space app
You will find various pre-made designs for iron-on T-shirts in the Design Space app available with a Cricut Access subscription. Press on Projects in the left-hand sidebar section, type in “shirt” in the search bar section, and browse the results for some more ideas.
If you are a beginner, start with a simple, one-color design. Search for easy and simple shapes and large letters that can be quickly weeded out.
Option 2. Upload a picture or SVG file to the Cricut Design Space app
If you have brought or downloaded a free SVG file you want to cut out, you can upload it to the Cricut Design Space app. Press the Upload button on the left-hand sidebar section and upload your cut file. Then, add the uploaded file to a new project.
If you are not sure where to find SVG files, I recommend searching Etsy! Etsy has tons of designers with a great selection of fun SVG files for custom T-shirts.
Option 3. Make your design at the Cricut Design Space app
You can use Cricut Design Space’s app tools to make your designs. It is the best choice, especially if the design you want to create is text-based.
What size should the t-shirt design be?
The iron-on T-shirt is designed to be at least 10″ smaller than the width of a T-shirt, measured from your armpit to armpit.
For example, if an adult medium T-shirt measures 20″ wide, I would make the iron-on design about 10″ wide.
Using the T-shirt template at Cricut Design Space app
Before cutting it out, use a Cricut design space app template to visualize the iron-on design.
First, press on the Templates in the top left side corner. Then, select “Classic T-Shirt” and use the drop-down menus to choose a style, size, shape, and color. Also, you can resize your design so that it fits over your T-shirt.
Size the design to fit the T-shirt
The best way to change the size of a design is to use the resizing handle. Choose the picture, and the resizing handle appears in the lower right side corner. Press and drag the handle to enlarge or shrink the design—type-specific measurements in the Size box in the toolbar section.
Step 2. Cut Iron-on Vinyl With Cricut Machine
First, load the vinyl onto the cutting mat: You have to use a LightGrip (blue) or an older StandardGrip (green) cutting mat that has lost some of its stickiness. Then, I recommend rolling the vinyl with a Breyer tool to ensure it is flat and is well attached to the mat.
You have noticed that iron-on vinyl has a dull side and a glossy side. The glossy side is the side with the plastic backing sheet – sometimes known as a plastic liner or carrier sheet.
Always remember you will need to lay the vinyl “glossy side down” on the cutting mat. The Cricut machine will cut the vinyl, but not the plastic layer.
When ready, press the button to load the mat into the Cricut machine. Then, send the design file to the machine.
Go back to the computer and the Cricut Design Space app. Then, send the file to the machine. Here is how you can do it:
Press the green “Create it” in the upper right-side corner.
Press the “Mirror” toggle button to turn it on to the next Prepare screen. Then, press Continue. Always remember: Every iron-on design must be mirrored before cutting!
On the next Make screen, choose the base material. Select Everyday Iron-On from the ingredients list. Or, press Browse All Content to find other particular types of vinyl.
When you choose Iron-on vinyl as your material, the Cricut Design Space app reminds you to ensure the mirror is on and that the Iron-on vinyl material is facing down (the shiny side).
Load up the Fine-Point blade and mat. Then, press the Flashing Go button to cut out the design.
Step 3. Weeding the Design
The next step is weeding or removing every extra bit of vinyl that you don’t want to transfer to your T-shirt. For example, you would remove the circle shape in the middle of the letter “O” and the inner spaces of other letters.
Start in the corner and use a hook-shaped weeding tool to take the excess vinyl. Once you start, use your fingers to take excess vinyl off the plastic carrier sheet.
After removing the larger pieces, go back with a smaller tool or tweezers to weed out the smaller pieces. Complex designs take some time, but you can always listen to a podcast while you’re done!
Step 4. Prepare to Press
First, set your workspace: Place your EasyPress mat or a folded towel on a flat, strong, heat-resistant area. Avoid a lightweight ironing board since you will be applying too much pressure.
Next, preheat the Cricut EasyPress or household iron as per the Cricut Heat Guide. The Cricut Heat Guide tells the exact temperature and pressure depending on the vinyl and T-shirt fabric material.
Use EasyPress to preheat the T-shirt for 5 seconds. It also smooths out any wrinkles on the T-shirt. Then, lay the prewashed T-shirt flat on an EasyPress mat.
Step 5. Apply Iron-On Vinyl to the T-shirt
Center the design on the T-shirt. I generally used to place the design about 2 inches below the T-shirt’s collar, according to the size of the T-shirt.
Place the vinyl design on the T-shirt with the glossy side. The plastic carrier sheet is up, and the dull side touches the T-shirt fabric material.
Then, apply heat to the vinyl design as directed in the Cricut Heat Transfer Guide. For my cotton T-shirt, I mostly used light pressure for 30 seconds at 315°F.
After that, flip the T-shirt and apply heat to the back of the vinyl design as directed in the Cricut Heat Transfer Guide. I mostly used light pressure at 315°F for 15 seconds for my T-shirt.
Let the T-shirt cool to the touch, and carefully take off the plastic transfer sheet.
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