DIY HTV T-Shirt with Manual Heat Press
Today we are making a super easy HTV t-shirt using the HTVRONT Manual Heat Press.
I've been wanting a new crafty t-shirt for a while now and this new machine gave me the perfect reason to get one made.
If you haven't made one of these before, you will need some supplies. And at first glance, the costs of these supplies just might cause you to swoon (any Bridgerton fans out there?)
You will need:
- E-cutter and the software to go with it
- Heat Press, I love the HTVRONT machines best
- Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV), again, I go with HTVRONT for my vinyl
- Teflon sheet to help protect your materials
- Graphic
- T-Shirt
Your two main costs will be your e-cutter and your heat press. Once you have those, then going forward everything is cheap!
HTVRONT's HTV is the best vinyl for the price. It's my go-to and has been for several years. You can get t-shirts for next to nothing at your local craft store or big box store.
Between the shirt and the heat transfer vinyl, this shirt cost me less than $3.50. So big outlay of cost in the beginning, small cost going forward.
The Machines
There are many different types of heat presses out there. The one I am using today is a newer release machine from HTVRONT, that has an adjustable height option so you can use it for thicker projects, not just t-shirts. It's called their Manual Heat Press.
I also have their 9″ heat press that you use like an iron, which I also love. This manual machine is bigger and it gives you even pressure when you clamp down the handle, so it gives me more confidence that the press will be better.
This manual heat press is also very heavy duty. I was pleasantly surprised by the weight of the box! It's legit!
As with any craft, it comes down to having the right tool for the right project.
The Making
The actual making of HTV t-shirts is easy and fast!
You start by pre-heating your machine and pressing your t-shirt. Pressing your t-shirt does two things. First, it gets rid of any wrinkles. Second, it gets rid of extra moisture from your shirt.
Then you will need your graphic or words created or added into your design software. I used my Silhouette for this and their software for this.
Make sure you mirror image your design before you send it to your e-cutter!!!
With HTV you cut the back side of the vinyl, not the front side. So that is why you have to mirror and why you put the vinyl shiny side (carrier sheet) side down.
Cut it out and remove the excess vinyl, which is called weeding the vinyl.
Line it up your t-shirt on your manual heat press, make sure your temperature is still set, press down on your timer button, and clamp down your machine handle. I do prefer to use a teflon sheet on top of my vinyl, that's a personal choice, but for me, it's a must! And they are so cheap it's silly to not use it and possibly scorch your project.
HTVRONT's heat transfer vinyl is a cold peel. Not a cool peel, a cold peel. So let it completely settle, don't rush the process as tempting as it may be.
Then you are ready to peel off the carrier sheet and enjoy the outcome of your creative session!
From start time to finish, I could have been completely done in under 15 minutes. Easily! But I was filming and so it took me longer. But these HTV t-shirts are done in minutes!
Ready to See the Video?
Here's a video of the unboxing and this adorable crafty HTV t-shirt I made.
Give it a try!
Now it's your turn to give it a try! There's is a great deal going on at HTVRONT's website for this machine right now, so don't miss out on that.
I will share a sweatshirt we are about to make for my daughter soon on my social media channels, so don't miss out on that. I love the HTVRONT Manual Heat Press so much that I started a list of projects I want to make. Then I noticed that Emily (who helped film) also made a list! We are going to have a busy few weeks!!! So that says a lot about this machine that we both made lists, right?
See you in the next project my friends! XOXO, Meg
