If you want to make an impressive custom shirt for yourself or someone else, then you want to make sure you know how to layer HTV with Cricut.
My son’s 11th birthday was last month, and as a tradition, I usually him a custom shirt that goes with the theme of his party, which I always find on Etsy. But, this year, I wanted to start a new tradition and make it myself. My son loved his shirt, and he wore it when we went to a classic arcade to celebrate his day. Unfortunately, we didn’t have a big party for the second year in a row because the Covid numbers were high in our area. Nevertheless, we had a blast, and the shirt was a huge success!
Let me share with you how I made it.
What You'll Need
- 100% Cotton T-Shirt (My T-Shirt was from the brand Gildan in the size Youth Large)
- 3 Different Color Everyday Iron-On Vinyl (I used black, red, and white)
- Cricut Machine (Any full-size machine will work, but I have the Explore Air 2)
- EasyPress
- Weeding Tool
- EasyPress Mat
How To Layer HTV With Cricut
Creating Your Shirt Design
Click on the Cricut Design Space App and open a New Project.
Click on “Images” and type “controller” in the search box. Cricut has plenty of free options, but I chose the $0.99 image. When you find the controller you want, click “Add To Canvas.”
Drag the controller until it is almost 11″ wide. The size you make your image will vary depending on the size of your shirt and how wide it is when it is laying flat on a surface.
The shirt that I bought for my son is red, so I will change the colors of the images to black, white, and red.
Click on the Text Box. Since it is my son’s 11th birthday, I will type “Level 11” in all caps.
Change the font to “Impact” or choose whatever font you’d like. Next, click on “Offset,” change the distance to 0.125 and click “Apply.”
Now, select both layers of “Level 11,” right-click and select the word “Group” so that both layers can move together. Drag both words until they are almost 11 inches wide.
Select the top layer on the right side of the screen and the change the color to white. Then, select the bottom layer of “Level 11” and change it to black.
Click on the “Text Box” again and type in the word “Unlocked.”
Click on “Offset” to create a second layer of the “Unlocked.” The second layer should have the same distance as “Level 11” (0.125).
Select both layers, right-click, select”Group,” and drag “Unlock” until it’s about 11 inches wide. This time, reverse the colors by making the top layer black and the offset white.
Select the entire project, choose “Align,” then select “Center Horizontally” to ensure that the entire project is centered perfectly.
Cutting your Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV) With Cricut
Now, click the “Make It” button. If you do not have a paid membership, you will need to click “Purchase” and enter your information to complete the transaction and pay for the controller.
When the payment is complete and you are back on the “Make It” window, click on each page and select “Mirror” to reverse all of the images.
Spread the white iron-on vinyl onto your Cricut Mat with the shiny side down using the Brayer tool.
Ensure that the dial on your Cricut Machine is set to “Iron-On.” Then, press the “Go” button and let your Cricut Machine do its thing!
Press the “Load/Unload” button to release your vinyl when it is complete.
Weed away the unnecessary parts with your Weeding Tool.
Repeat all of these steps with black and red vinyl.
Using Your EasyPress
Now Google the Cricut Heat Guide and go to the website. Change the “Heat-Transfer Material” to “Everyday Iron-On” and change your “Base Material” to “100% Cotton.” Then, hit “Apply.”
According to the guide, we need to set our Heat Press to 300 degrees, apply firm pressure for 15 seconds, then remove the liner when it is cool to touch.
So let’s do it!
Grab your red shirt. Mine is from the brand Gildan and the size is Youth Large.
Let’s find the center of the shirt by folding it in half longways and using your EasyPress to “Mark the Spot.”
Place your EasyPress mat inside your T-Shirt. Start with the bottom layer, which is the black vinyl. Place it where you want it, but make sure that it is centered horizontally.
I will be using Parchment Paper throughout this project to make sure that the EasyPress doesn’t touch any vinyl that is no longer covered with the plastic liner.
Place the Easy Press on top of the Easy Press on top of the first layer (black controller and black Level 11) and start the 15 second countdown. Repeat this as many times as necessary until you’ve touched all of the words with the Easy Press. It took me three times to cover it all.
Remove the liner when it cools off.
Now, let’s do the second layer. Place the white vinyl layer of the controller and Level 11 on top of the black controller and Level 11. Line them up properly and heat them with the EasyPress. Remove the liner when its cool.
Place the white bottom layer of the word “Unlocked” underneath “Level 11” and heat it up.
Then, place the top black layer of the word “Unlocked” on top of the white layer and line it up. Then, heat it with the EasyPress and remove the liner when it cools off.
Lastly, place the red accents on top of the controller. Heat it with the EasyPress and remove it when it is cool to touch.
Want to check other HTV tutorials? No problem! I got you!
Commonly Asked Questions
What temperature does my heat press need to be for vinyl?
You will need to heat the temperature of the Heat Press to 300 degrees.
Is Cricut HTV cold or hot peel?
Cold Peel. You have to wait to remove the liner from the vinyl until it is cool to touch.
Don't Be a Stranger...
I hope I have made learning how to layer HTV (Heat Transfer Vinyl) simple for you. This t-shirt was so fun to make, and my son loved it! I am sure if you make it for your gamer child, they will love it, too!
If you are making this shirt for a girl, you can change the color of the shirt or vinyl to give it a more feminine vibe (if that is what they would like).
Thanks so much for hanging out with me, and keep coming back because…
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