How to Make a Children’s Valentine’s Day T-Shirt
With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, I decided to make a special T-shirt for my daughter to wear. Valentine’s Day is all about love, and the bond my daughter and I share is incredibly strong. She tells me everything, from the silliest jokes to her heartfelt worries. To celebrate this connection, I wanted to create a shirt that reflects our inside joke and brings a smile to her face on Valentine’s Day.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to making your own custom Valentine’s Day T-shirt for your little one!
Materials Needed:
- Laptop, iPad, or Smartphone
- Design Software (e.g., LOKLiK Studio, Affinity Designer, Adobe Illustrator, etc.)
- Sublimation Printer (or a converted printer if you don’t have a sublimation printer)
- Sublimation Paper (if you don’t have a printer)
- Polyester T-shirt (65% polyester or more)
- Sublimation Design of your choice
- Parchment Paper (2 sheets)
- Scissors
- Heat Press (can be a clamp press or auto press)
- Heat Resistant Gloves
- Heat Tape
- Lint Roller (or transfer paper/adhesive tape)
Heat Press Settings:
- Temperature: 200°C (392°F)
- Time: 40 seconds
Step-by-Step Process:
1. Prepare Your Heat Press
- Set the heat press to 200°C (392°F) and allow it to heat up while you work on your design and T-shirt.
2. Design Your T-Shirt
- Open your chosen design in the design software on your laptop, iPad, or smartphone.
- Resize the design to fit an A4 size in landscape mode, which is a standard size for printing sublimation designs.
3. Print Your Design
- Once your design is ready, send it to the printer. Don’t forget to mirror the design before printing—it’s crucial for sublimation printing.
4. Prepare the T-Shirt
- Use a lint roller to remove any fluff or dust from your T-shirt. Roll it up and down on both the front and back to ensure it’s perfectly clean.
5. Cut and Insert Parchment Paper
- Cut your parchment paper (or Teflon sheets) to the size of your T-shirt. You will need two sheets of the same size.
- Insert one sheet inside the T-shirt to protect the back from ink transfer. Position it where you plan to place your design.
6. Trim the Printed Design
- Once the design is printed, carefully use scissors to trim away the excess paper around the printed design, leaving just the image.
7. Position the Design on the T-Shirt
- Place the printed design face down onto the T-shirt. The print should be touching the fabric.
- Secure the design with heat tape, making sure it’s perfectly aligned with the shirt.
- Place the second sheet of parchment paper over the design to protect the T-shirt and the heat press.
8. Heat Press the T-Shirt
- Once your heat press has reached the correct temperature, carefully put on your heat-resistant gloves (the press will be very hot).
- Place the parchment paper and T-shirt inside the heat press, then press down firmly and let it press for 40 seconds at 200°C.
9. Remove the T-Shirt
- After 40 seconds, carefully remove the T-shirt from the heat press (using your gloves) and peel off the parchment paper.
- Let the T-shirt cool for a moment and give it a gentle shake to help it cool down faster.
10. Finish Up
- Carefully remove the heat tape and the sublimation design from the T-shirt.
- Your custom Valentine’s Day T-shirt is now ready for your child to wear!
Final Thoughts:
Now you have a beautiful, personalized T-shirt that’s perfect for Valentine’s Day. Whether it’s a special gift or just a fun way to celebrate the occasion, your little one will love wearing it! Enjoy the process, and don’t forget to share the love and laughter with your child on this special day.
amazing job
well done and it’s also funny 
what kind of printer or any you would recommend ive been looking at all different ones to start off with to do my daughters new logos xx