To wash or not to wash?

[whogirl'smom]

Do you wash a new t-shirt before you apply the transfer, like the instructions say, or not? The t-shirts just never look quite as new when they've been washed, but if it helps the transfer stay I'm all for it!
I made one mickey shirt, washed the t first in plain detergent, but the transfer is now crackled and peeling. I'm betting it's b/c it got put in the dryer by accident, but I didn't know if it might be something else, too. I just didn't want this to happen again.

 

[M_I_C_K_E_Y]

Do you wash a new t-shirt before you apply the transfer, like the instructions say, or not? The t-shirts just never look quite as new when they've been washed, but if it helps the transfer stay I'm all for it!
I made one mickey shirt, washed the t first in plain detergent, but the transfer is now crackled and peeling. I'm betting it's b/c it got put in the dryer by accident, but I didn't know if it might be something else, too. I just didn't want this to happen again.

Yes, be sure to wash the tshirt before putting the transfer on. And then since they have been freshly washed, I don't wash again until after our trip so they look new.

I dried my shirts in the dryer with no problems - I have never seen mention in the directions about not drying. I don't think that is why your transfer cracked.

I wish I could help with why your transfer cracked. Maybe someone else will be by with more advice.

 

[sajilunni]

I've never prewashed any of the tshirts that I've ironed on transfers to. And they've all crackled and started coming off after the first wash. Everyone here seems to swear by the prewashing, I had thought it just had something to do with making sure the tshirt still fit well in case of shrinkage, but maybe it does actually adhere better to a tshirt that's a little bit fuzzier after the wash. I've been okay with the tshirts being a one-wear-only before becoming pajamas for my kids, but since I'm making them into gifts this time, I'll be more cautious and make them higher quality.

The other piece of advice that I've gotten is to iron them on a very hard surface, and not just an ironing board, because it needs A LOT of heat. A lot of people do it on countertops. I have an extra piece of ceramic floor tile from our house construction that I think I'll put on top of my ironing board and iron the tshirt on top of that. Hopefully that will work.