DIY Iron-on Vinyl Shirts using the Cricut Expression

My mom and I were out shopping and we saw some cute T-shirts but didn’t want to spend $20.00 on them so we decided to make our own. The supplies we used to make these shirts were: Cricut Expression, t-shirts and iron-on vinyl.

First, go to http://us.cricut.com/home/ to start creating your own project. Once, you get there your screen will look like this. Click on the green button or the white link under the sign in log that says “Cricut Design Space” to get started.

Then, click on the “Create New Project” board.

  A new template will look like this and you will click on the “Add Text” button located on the left side of the page.

Now, you are ready to type in your words. I chose a font called Kates ABCs-Bal for “WRECK ‘EM” and a font called Pharmacy for “Y’ALL”. When your words are the font you want, your next step is to size your words. I wanted my words to go across the front of a shirt so my words were pretty big. “WRECK ‘EM” was Width: 9.71 in. and Height: 2.08 in. and “Y’ALL” was Width: 6.01 in. and Height: 2.01 in.      

I also made a shirt for my sister who graduated from A&M! Her shirt said “GIG ‘EM Y’ALL”. It was made the same way as the shirt above but I used the font ENGRAVERS MT for “GIG ‘EM” and Pharmacy for “Y’ALL”. “GIG ‘EM” had a Width of: 7.55 in. and Height of: 2.29 in. and “Y’ALL” had a Width of: 6.02 in. and Height of: 2.01 in.   

Now, you are ready to hit the green button at the top to cut out your project. Make sure to check the "Mirror Image" at the bottom of the page before you start cutting! I always do a trial run on regular printer paper before cutting the iron-on vinyl (just to make sure it’s the size I want). Also, make sure you place your iron-on vinyl, shiny side DOWN on the cutting mat and move the knob on the Cricut to “Iron on” before cutting.  

Iron-on vinyl shiny side down.

Here are the words after I removed all the unwanted material around them.

 

I had my mom try on the shirts so I could decide where the words should go before I ironed them on. Once the shirt was on her, we pushed the words in place so they would stick. Then, we very carefully took the shirt off her without moving the words (she held them in place while I tried to take the shirt off LOL). It was quite a scene! After that, I ironed on the words (following the instructions that came with the vinyl).

Here are the finished shirts: 

I think next time I will choose more fitted tops to make them look a little nicer, but I still love how they turned out! 

Enjoy the day,

Kami

DIY Monogram Shirts

I recently got a Cricut Explore cutting machine and I love it! I’ve been noticing monogrammed shirts are becoming very popular, so I decided to make some. Here are the step by step directions to monogram a shirt using the Cricut Explore machine.

First, go to http://us.cricut.com/home/ to start creating your own monogram. Once, you get there your screen will look like this. Click on the green button or the white link under the sign in log that says “Cricut Design Space” to get started.

Then, click on the blue “Create New Project” board.

  A new template will look like this and you will click on the “Add Text” button located on the left side of the page.

Now, you are ready to type in your initials. Make sure to put the last name initial in the middle (e.g., Kim Leigh Wall should be kWl). I chose to use a free font I got off Pinterest, called Monogram KK SC. When your initials are the font you want, your next step is to size the letters. It’s easier to size all the letters together (to get the first and third initials the same size).  

When, your first and third initials are the size you want, you can isolate each letter to make the middle initial bigger. To isolate the letters you will select the “isolate letters button” under the Edit palette (It is highlighted in green below).    

When the letters are detached, a screen will pop up on the right side to show you each individual letter. Now, you are able to increase the middle initial size (Remember, the last name initial should be in the middle). After your letters are the size you want, you will need to “weld” them together. First, highlight all three initials by putting a box around them and then hit the "weld" button, which is located at the top left corner of the Layers palette. When the letters are welded together, you are ready to cut out your monogram. Hit the green “go” button located at the top of the page.

Make sure to check the "Mirror Image" at the bottom of the page before you start cutting, since we want our iron-on to be cut correctly! I did a trial run on regular printer paper before cutting out the initials on the iron-on vinyl (just to make sure it was the size I wanted).

*Also, make sure you place your iron-on vinyl shiny side DOWN on the cutting mat and move the knob on the Cricut to “Iron on”. 

 

Here are all the monogrammed shirts I did and I must say I LOVE how they turned out!!!

   

   

Enjoy Monogramming!

Kami