Cricut Shirts Making Guide [Step-By-Step]
If you've ever wanted to utilize a Cricut to make shirts, you're in luck! We'll show you how to use your Cricut machine and iron-on vinyl in this blog post to make stunning customized shirts. Even if you've never done it before, we'll go through all of my top tips and tricks for utilizing your Cricut cutting machine to create gorgeous iron-on shirts.
Continue reading our blog for a step-by-step tutorial on how to make a Cricut shirt using iron-on vinyl and some creativity. So let’s start with our blog on Cricut shirts making guide.
Materials Required for Making Cricut Shirts
When it comes to cutting iron-on vinyl for T-shirt creation, the Cricut is truly ideal. These are the materials you'll need to use the Cricut to create shirts:
Materials
Pre-washed cotton Shirt without fabric softener
Iron-on vinyl
Tools
Cricut EasyPress mat or a folded towel for protecting the work surface.
Cricut EasyPress/ household iron/ heat press.
Weeding tools.
StandardGrip Cutting Mat or LightGrip.
Any Cricut machine
Step 1: Upload or Make Your Desired Shirt Design
The shirt design must be uploaded or made first. With Cricut Design Space, you may explore completed creations or create your own artwork. Following are the ways you can start making your Cricut shirts.
Method 1: Use Cricut Design Space to select a pre-made design.
Alternate Method 2: Insert an image or SVG file into Cricut Design Space.
Method 3: Use Cricut Design Space to create your own design.
Step 2: Cut the Iron-On Vinyl Using Cricut Machine
It's time to get the mat and vinyl ready for cutting. Put the vinyl on the cutting pad first. Use a StandardGrip (green) cutting mat that has lost a small amount of its stickiness or a LightGrip (blue) cutting mat. The vinyl should then be rolled using a brayer tool to ensure that it is flat and securely fastened to the mat.
Make sure that the vinyl must be placed on the cutting pad with the "shiny side downwards." In this manner, the transparent plastic layer will not be cut by the Cricut machine, only the vinyl.
Press the button to insert the mat into the machine when you're prepared. The design file should then be sent to the Cricut machine. Return to the Cricut Design Space on your computer, and send the file to Cricut your Cricut machine. Here is how to accomplish it:
At the upper right corner, click the green Make it button.
Then, toggle the Mirror toggle button to the On position on the Preparation screen. Always remember to mirror any iron-on patterns before cutting.
Click Continue after that.
Choose your base material on the following Make screen. Choose Everyday Iron-On from the list of widely used materials. You may also use the Explore All Materials button to look for vinyl of different expertise.
Step 3: Weed Your Design
Unload the mat once the vinyl has been cut. Then take out your weeding equipment. Weed or get rid of all the additional vinyl you don't want to transfer to your shirt. For instance, you would eliminate the inside gaps of other letters as well as the circle-like form in the center of the letter "O."
Once the vinyl has been cut, remove the mat. Then get your weeding tools ready. The next step is weeding or getting rid of all the extra vinyl you don't want to transfer to your shirt. For instance, you would get rid of the spaces inside of other letters and the rounded shape in the middle of the letter "O."
Step 4: Prepare Your Shirt for Heat Pressing
Now it's time to prepare everything for pressing at this moment. Set up your workplace first. A flat, solid, heat-resistant surface should be where you place your EasyPress mat or a clean, folded towel. Choose a sturdy ironing board instead of a fragile one because you'll be exerting quite an amount of pressure.
Next, heat up your home iron or the Cricut EasyPress in accordance with the Cricut Heat Guide. According to the kind of vinyl and the composition of the shirt you're using, the Cricut Heat guide will specify the precise temperature and pressing time you should use.
Then, spread out the pre-washed clothing flat on an uncontaminated EasyPress mat. The garment should be preheated for 5 seconds using EasyPress. Moreover, this will eliminate any creases on the clothing.
Step 5: Apply Iron-On Vinyl to the Shirt
On the shirt, center the vinyl pattern. Depending on the size of the garment, We normally position the pattern 2 inches below the collar.
Tip: Fold your shirt in half and softly press the folded edge to create a crease. This will help you locate the center of your shirt. The crease will serve as the shirt's midline when unfolded. The vinyl design's center may be located in the same manner. Just at the edge of the plastic carrier sheet, fold it in half and press a thin wrinkle. Your design will be in the middle when the wrinkles line up.
Put the glossy side of the vinyl design on the shirt. This indicates that the dull vinyl side of the plastic carrier sheet, which is up, is in contact with the fabric of the shirt. Then, heat the vinyl design in accordance with the directions in the Cricut Heat Transfer Guide. We applied gentle pressure for 30 seconds at 315°F on my cotton shirt.
Finally, turn the shirt over and follow the Cricut Heat Transfer Guide's instructions for applying heat to the design's back. I applied gentle pressure for 15 seconds at 315°F on my shirt. Peel off the plastic transfer sheet very carefully when the shirt has cooled to the touch.
Visit: Cricut.com/setup
Source: https://cricutdesign6cut.wordpress.com/2023/02/27/cricut-shirts-making-guide-step-by-step/