T-shirt colors...looking for advice

[mickeyluv]

This may be a stupid question, but this is my first time attempting any T-shirts. How do you determine which color T-shirt to put your design on? Do you match colors with what are in the design? I don't want to use all white and grey shirts. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[TravelinGal]

.....

 

[challada]

After making about 100 shirts (ok closer to 50) in the last few weeks, here's what I've learned:

1. matching shirts for your whole party is cute...go w/color that folks agree on.

2. pull out a design element and go w/that for color determination.

Here is what we did (for a group of 8):

Epcot design which was mostly gray, we used orange shirts to put them on since that was the color everyone liked at Old Navy...LOL

Seven Dwarfs designs by LadyLucca which are industrial looking, we used ash color shirts to keep w/the industrial look.

WDW sign w/family names and clipart, we used blue shirts since lettering had some blue in it (contrast most of the color of the rest of the design).

Mickey TieDye done w/white shirts

Kids designs (kids made their own iron-on designs once they got into it) were done on NATURAL color shirts...these are my favorite as they are not white, but can use the white/light iron-ons (wish I bought more).

Spray mickey dye heads done on white shirts, then sprayed w/glow in the dark also so mickey swirls will glow on the rides.

 

[sconnell]

After making about 100 shirts (ok closer to 50) in the last few weeks, here's what I've learned:

1. matching shirts for your whole party is cute...go w/color that folks agree on.

2. pull out a design element and go w/that for color determination.

Here is what we did (for a group of 8):

Epcot design which was mostly gray, we used orange shirts to put them on since that was the color everyone liked at Old Navy...LOL

Seven Dwarfs designs by LadyLucca which are industrial looking, we used ash color shirts to keep w/the industrial look.

WDW sign w/family names and clipart, we used blue shirts since lettering had some blue in it (contrast most of the color of the rest of the design).

Mickey TieDye done w/white shirts

Kids designs (kids made their own iron-on designs once they got into it) were done on NATURAL color shirts...these are my favorite as they are not white, but can use the white/light iron-ons (wish I bought more).

Spray mickey dye heads done on white shirts, then sprayed w/glow in the dark also so mickey swirls will glow on the rides.

These sound great! Have any pics?

 

[PrincessLeighsDaddy]

We just got back a few weeks ago and had shirts for each day we were there. The tshirts that got the most complements were the brighter colored shirts. We had a bright lime green and bright yellow, along with white and pastel colored shirts. But the brighter shirts got the most attention.

Also, when in a crowd, the brighter colored shirts make it alot easier to find all that are in your party. It came in handy when DD decided to go off on her own to see the "duckies". We spotted her immediately with the bright shirt on.

I don't have all the pics from our trip processed yet. So much going on at home right now. But, when I do, I will be sure to post them.

Have fun with the designs and the colors.

 

[julia & nicks mom]

I have done over 100 shirts (yea - I am insane) and I always print a small copy of the shirt and try it on different colors to see what I like it on -

yes I have taken them to the store with me to see how they look

this is my t-shirt trip report thread with all of my shirts and tips on making them

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=941186

 

[Cinderumbrella]

Call me boring- but 95% of the shirts I made last year (I think I made 27) were plain old white. The one's we got the most comments on were the ones with our names on them or on the days that all 3 of us matched.

 

[mickeyluv]

Thanks everyone for your posts. And thanks to Kate for your detailed link in your post!!! That was very helpful and wonderful to be able to see the pictures of the T-shirts!

I found this on a post from Kate's link....

I recently made some t-shirts for our trip this November, and I used my glass cooktop to iron on. It worked really great!

I had never thought of this. Has anyone else used there glass cooktop and how did it go? I ordered by transfer papers from the seller that Kate recommended and I can't wait for them to get here.

As far as buying shirts, how does 100% cotton work? Also, do you have to dry them in the dryer after washing them first before applying transfers? I hardly ever dry anything because of shrinking issues. If I do dry clothes, I dry them on low heat.

 

[Cinderumbrella]

Most of my shirts were 100% cotton and they were fine.

I don't have a glass cook top (gas stove) so I used my big Boos butcherblock on the floor in my den so I could put my weight into it.

Also, I prewashed my shirts (remember not to use fabric softener) and then air dryed them to avoid the shrinkage factor. When they were dry I put them in my dryer for a few minutes to help with the wrinkles then I pre-ironed all the shirts so they would be smooth.

It takes a long time but it is a lot of fun! Just don't try to do it all in one day or you may get overwhelmed. I washed and air dried my shirts one day and also printed all the transfers. The next day I cut all the transfers to size. The third day I pre-ironed the shirts. The 4th day I ironed on all the designs (27 I think) in about 2.5 hours.

Have fun!!!!!
Kristin

 

[mickeyluv]

Thanks for the advice Kristin. This is going to be so much fun! My only problem is that I'm a very impatient person and I will find it very hard to not do this all in one day. Maybe I'll do one T-shirt per day...that will probably work!

 

[my3princes]

My family has done the matching T-shirt thing for years. We have always gotten them most attention with the Lime Green T-shirts. They really stand out and CMs as well as other guest commented on them. Bright yellow was also noticed, but not as much. The Tye Dye Mickey head shirts were also a hit. The boys had the colored gel put in their hair to match the tye dye shirts.

Deb

 

[itdjbw]

I'm looking forward to eventually doing mine, will probably be the week before we leave as I am such a procastinator. I have printed some transfers though!!

 

[challada]

I don't have pics yet...but in a month when we're down there, I'm sure we might take a couple of pics in our shirts and I'll try to remember to post them...LOL

My advice after doing the 50 shirts...we split the jobs into certain weekends.
1. One weekend we did printing, cutting and first iron-on of set of shirts (superbowl weekend, during our party for cheering our poor robbed Seahawks, we were cutting designs).

2. Next weekend, we did the rest of the ironing (we cut everything at superbowl time)

3. Next weekend, we did the dyes (tie dye and spray die)


The other BIG thing I learned in all this: definitely cut your designs close so that your iron-on edges are crisp. I think that is what made some of the designs we did look down right professional....no clear stuff around the edges!

 

[DisneyMama629]

So you need to cut as close to the design as possible? Even with the dark transfer paper? What about the designs that that would be almost impossible, like the letter designs?

 

[my3princes]

So you need to cut as close to the design as possible? Even with the dark transfer paper? What about the designs that that would be almost impossible, like the letter designs?

You just need to keep in mind that whatever is white on the dark transfers will be white on the T-shirt. Trim to your own tastes.

Deb