| Whether it's for a kids ball team or the next family | | | | T shirt vinyl application |
| reunion making your own T shirts can be a lot of fun | | | | Ideally you need a Cricut machine or something like it |
| and save you a lot of money. There are many | | | | in order to cut your vinyl. This allows you to make |
| products available on the market today to help you | | | | the desired shape or lettering and still leave one piece |
| make your own garments. One of the most common | | | | of the protective film. This way it keeps everything |
| types of material available is vinyl. The vinyl for this is | | | | lined up nicely. |
| applied to a shirt by a heat process. These types of | | | | This type of vinyl is commercial grade and designed |
| vinyl are made for high quality applications and have | | | | for professional shirt making. The pros will use a |
| now become available to the home user with | | | | device called a heat press. This is sort of like a waffle |
| machines like the Cricut. | | | | iron that you put your shirt into. These are fantastic |
| How T shirt vinyl works | | | | devices, but not really practical for someone wanting |
| There are a few different varieties of T Shirt vinyl, | | | | to make a few T shirts at home. |
| but the one that we will discuss here is most | | | | For the home user and ordinary iron will work great. |
| common and easiest to use for the home crafter. | | | | Set your iron to a cotton blend setting. This is |
| For our purposes here I will talk about Siser brand | | | | approximately 300 degrees. For the Siser product this |
| EasyWeed vinyl. This T shirt vinyl is made up of two | | | | is ideal. Then iron the spot where the vinyl will go. |
| parts, the vinyl itself and a clear protective sheet. | | | | This removes any moisture and wrinkles. Place the |
| The clear protective sheet comes as part of the | | | | vinyl on the garment and apply firm pressure with |
| vinyl and ends up acting like transfer tape does for | | | | the iron. It only takes about 10-15 seconds to get |
| regular sign vinyl. Because of how this comes on the | | | | the T shirt vinyl attached to the garment. Then peel |
| T shirt vinyl it makes you have to do everything | | | | off the clear protective layer. You now have a |
| backwards. This sheet also protects everything | | | | completed project. |
| during the heat transferring process. | | | | T shirt vinyl care |
| Then you have the T shirt vinyl itself. For the Siser | | | | This vinyl is specifically made for clothing. So off |
| product it is a thin plastic film that appears to have | | | | course it is also made to be washed. While the vinyl |
| no adhesive. The desired shape is cut out and then a | | | | is very durable it is still somewhat delicate. Since the |
| heat press or an iron is used to activate the | | | | process to attach the vinyl involves heat it is not a |
| adhesives in this vinyl. The heat and pressure allow | | | | good idea to wash it in hot water or dry on high |
| the vinyl to grab on to your garment. When the heat | | | | settings. Siser recommends that garments made with |
| transfer is complete the protective layer is removed | | | | this vinyl be washed in cold water, tumble dry on |
| and the vinyl is now applied to the garment. | | | | low, and turn the garment inside out during the cycle. |