20 steps to making a custom shirt using DARK transfers - "how-to" procedures

[erin327]

Thanks! This is a great help!

Does anyone know of any good deals on transfers right now?

 

[DisneyBabies]

Thanks for the ideas everyone. The transfers didn't bleed at all, it just looked like the ink rubbed off in a few places. It was the all the colors, as it happend to a few different shirts. I was able to fix most of them (I think ) by using fabric paint pens on the bad spots, but I haven't washed them again yet because the instructions on the pens said to wait 24 hours. A couple of them couldn't be fixed, so I am going to do them over and skip the vinegar wash. I don't know that the vinegar wash had anything to do with it, but I am going to take the risk of not doing it this time and see what happens. I will post pics of the shirts as soon as they are all done (unless they are completely awful ). Thanks to everyone for the helpful tips and encouragement on my first time making t-shirts!

Cassandra

 

[heartbeeps]

Thanks! This is a great help!

Does anyone know of any good deals on transfers right now?

I thought I recall Amy (M-I-C-K-E-Y) offers them. You could pm her to find out for sure. Other than that, check HP's web site as they sometimes offer buy 2 get 1 free (or something like that).

 

[heartbeeps]

 

[extremesoccermom]

OK I read the entire thread and I didn't see this tip yet.
We have been doing iron ons since the late 80's. There was a shirt shop that would press premade sayings onto a blank shirt or jacket of your choosing starting around $15.00 which was alot back then. But we could buy just the iron on for $2.00 and do it ourselves at home. We found the home iron wasn't quite hot enough for the big prints and we didn't get a consistant result.
So now my tip!
Place a piece of aluminum foil over your cutting board and place both inside the shirt. The foil will help reflect the heat back up making for a more even heating. Remember not to slide the iron but to lift and press for each move.

 

[heartbeeps]

...So now my tip!
Place a piece of aluminum foil over your cutting board and place both inside the shirt. The foil will help reflect the heat back up making for a more even heating. Remember not to slide the iron but to lift and press for each move.

Wow; never thought of that! And, there are times when I wish we could somehow delete the "bump" posts to skinny down the posts to the essence of the subject but... if we don't "bump" once in a while this thread gets lost in the shuffle and they aren't interested in making it a sticky so.........

 

[chaoscent]

Sorry, another bump post. Someone is looking for this.

 

[roscoepc1]

Amy (M-I-C-K-E-Y)'s transfers are the B-E-S-T!!

I had wonderful results with them.....and ordered more, then had wonderful results with the next bunch too!

 

[ang]

WOW great help! Thanks

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Amy (M-I-C-K-E-Y)'s transfers are the B-E-S-T!!

I had wonderful results with them.....and ordered more, then had wonderful results with the next bunch too!

I agree. I just did my t-shirts with her transfers and they were so easy to use and turned out great. I loved the way the color popped on them.

 

[ang]

I agree. I just did my t-shirts with her transfers and they were so easy to use and turned out great. I loved the way the color popped on them.

I was wondering if these are any good and worth the money. Since so many of say they are...I am going to buy some.
I bought some transfer long time ago and was not happy with the results. I just love seeing everyone t-shirts. They look so good.
thanks!

What kind of T-shirts do you guys buy? Hanes or ANVIL? 100% cotton? or 50/50?

 

[heartbeeps]

I was wondering if these are any good and worth the money. Since so many of say they are...I am going to buy some.
I bought some transfer long time ago and was not happy with the results. I just love seeing everyone t-shirts. They look so good.
thanks!

What kind of T-shirts do you guys buy? Hanes or ANVIL? 100% cotton? or 50/50?

I purchased from two online vendors - from shirtsupplier I ordered Hanes, Gildan and Anvil. I believe the Anvil (laides) ran a little snugger than the Gildan brand. I made more than 50 shirts. About 90% of them were 100% cotton; however, I did pick up a few at the Dollar store that were 50/50 and didn't have a problem with them.

The other online vendor (Jiffyshirts.com), I didn't care for as much. Their return policy wasn't as good as shirtsupplier.com and I found very small pin holes (1 or 2 per shirt) on a few of the shirts from the other guy. I can't vouch for Amy's transfers; I used 90% HP (b'c they were on sale at HP's web site) and ~10% Avery (light) b'c I ran out and needed something I could pick up quick that wasn't the brand carried by Michaels!

 

[ang]

I purchased from two online vendors - from shirtsupplier I ordered Hanes, Gildan and Anvil. I believe the Anvil (laides) ran a little snugger than the Gildan brand. I made more than 50 shirts. About 90% of them were 100% cotton; however, I did pick up a few at the Dollar store that were 50/50 and didn't have a problem with them.

The other online vendor (can't recall the name), I didn't care for as much. Their return policy wasn't as good as shirtsupplier.com and I found very small pin holes (1 or 2 per shirt) on a few of the shirts from the other guy. I can't vouch for Amy's transfers; I used 90% HP (b'c they were on sale at HP's web site) and ~10% Avery (light) b'c I ran out and needed something I could pick up quick that wasn't the brand carried by Michaels!

Thank you for the info....i am going to look!

 

[incruzcontrol2]

Hello.. Just found this GREAT thread... Read everything but still have some questions.. please advise..

Basicaly, with everyone's help.. I've got most of my disigns, got my iron-on transfer paper (thanks Amy!) and printed the disigns on them, purchased t-shirts (and washed and them)... Now... I'm ready to iron the disigns onto the shirts.. so here are my questions:

1. The shirts are wrinkled after drying them.. can I iron the shirt first before I put the actual iron-on transfer on them?

2. What platform can I use to iron the transfers on? I've read NOT to use the ironing board because the heat will not transfer properly. I've read to iron it on a wooden cutting board.. but my cutting board is plastic so can't do that. Don't know what to do???

3. After the disigns are ironed on, do I have to hang them to dry or something of that sorts? Or can I just fold right away and pack it?

Thanks for all the input.. This is my first time doing iron-on transfers and I just don't want to mess them up! I'm inspired by everyone's work and hopefully can get mine to come out just as nice.. Thanks so much.

 

[heartbeeps]

1. The shirts are wrinkled after drying them.. can I iron the shirt first before I put the actual iron-on transfer on them?
ABSOLUTELY, please do!

2. What platform can I use to iron the transfers on? I've read NOT to use the ironing board because the heat will not transfer properly. I've read to iron it on a wooden cutting board.. but my cutting board is plastic so can't do that. Don't know what to do???
Perhaps you or your spouse have a piece of 3/4" plywood that's good on one side? Maybe you could borrow a big cutting board? (I took the stain right off the top of my coffee table when I just used a pillwo case so I wouldn't recommend that without some think wood layer between it and the shirt! (The pillowcase was ruined too!)

3. After the disigns are ironed on, do I have to hang them to dry or something of that sorts? Or can I just fold right away and pack it?
I just let mine cool down and then folded them for the luggage.

Good luck! You'll do fine.

 

[erin327]

I plan to use one DISign on the front and one on the back of some tshirts. Can I do that? Do I need to let the first ones cool for a while before doing the others? Do I need a protective layer between them to protect the first one while I do the second one?

 

[heartbeeps]

I plan to use one DISign on the front and one on the back of some tshirts. Can I do that?

Yes, I've done that; the only caution is a) it's sometimes "sweaty" in humid weather and b) it is a bit of a pain to iron them every time they're in the wash!

Do I need to let the first ones cool for a while before doing the others?
Yes, I'd recommend you let the first iron on "cool" so you don't accidentally damage the first iron on while handling the shirt (and it only takes minutes to do so).

Do I need a protective layer between them to protect the first one while I do the second one?
ABSOLUTELY! I used a 2nd cutting board - one under the tee and one between the front and the back of the tee but it works just perfectly. And, don't forget when you wash your shirts and iron them you'll need to ensure they're turned inside out or you'll risk hitting the transfer with the hot iron and that would NOT be a good thing.

 

[heartbeeps]

 

[mcz100]

Can I use dark transfers on 95 cotton/5 spandex shirts?

Thanks!

 

[EmilyJ]

I bought light transfers. All my shirts are white. If I do a DISign with white surrounding it (like a mickey head) do I need to trim that to just the shape of the mickey head, or will it not matter since its a white shirt?

Also, do I need to flip the images so the words are backward?