Create Your Own T-shirt

Have you ever been out somewhere and someone's t-shirt showcasing a witty line or funny image catches your eye and sense of humor? It is most likely happening more often because more and more people are not relying on shirt manufacturers to be clever, but they are applying their own ingenuity into making their own shirts. The possibilities are now limitless in making your self, your friends, and the rest of the world envious of your duds by engineering your own shirts. You don't need many tools to accomplishing this fashion feat!

What You Will Need

- Software
- Artwork
- Transfer paper
- Printer
- Iron
- Hard surface
- Pillowcase
- T-shirt

There are kits that you can buy that supply almost all of the provisions you will need. Here are some tips to remember during the process.

Print a Preview

Always print a preview copy before printing it on the transfer paper. Do this to make sure that colors print correctly, the image does not delve into the printer's no print zone,' and to see a life-sized version of the image.

Flip the Image

You have to flip the image, especially if you have text in the design. The text should be backwards on screen or on the print out.

Use the Right Side of the Paper

The transfer paper has stripes on the non-print side. Put the paper in the printer so that it prints on the clear white side.

White Does Not Print

Consider the background color when selecting the color of text or the color of an image. For instance, white does not print, you will just get an outline of the desired image, but not the complete image.

Test Your Design of Scrap Fabric

Wasting the transfer paper is bad, but wasting a t-shirt is worse. Some fabrics will take to the image more readily than others, so keep this in mind.

Make it HOT

It is easy to get anxious during the process, so be sure to set the iron on the hottest setting without producing steam. It will take a great amount of heat to produce the image, so be sure to keep the iron on for a while and evenly cover the design onto the fabric. Peel the paper while it is still hot.

Use a Hard Surface

A harder surface will retain heat better, so make sure that you are using the hardest surface you can find in the process. Ironing boards are not the best surfaces to use for this particular process.