I often get disappointed at stores finding a T-Shirt with my kind of slogan or text printed on it. Also, I rarely find a design that matches my personality. Consequently, I decided to print my own T-Shirts at home. Being a textile engineer, it wasn’t difficult for me. Actually, it is very easy to print a T-Shirt at home with your own slogan or design on it if you have the proper ingredients and know the correct procedure to do it. Printing a T-Shirt at home with custom design is easy and cost effective as well. Make sure you have the following ingredients:
Things you need for Printing a T-Shirt at home with custom design
1. Embroidery Hoop
2. Water insoluble Glue
3. Acrylic Paint
4. Media (a chemical found in stationery stores)
5. Your Design on a paper
6. Woven cloth ( the thread density should be low, about 30)
7. Iron for hot pressing
8. Cardboard
9. Paint brushes
Steps you need to follow to Print T-Shirt at home with custom design
1. Place the woven cloth tightly in the embroidery hoop.
2. Draw the design on the cloth placed tightly in the embroidery hoop.
3. Apply glue on every parts of the T-Shirt where you don’t what your paint to be. Allow enough time for the glue to dry. It might take few minutes to several hours depending on the type of glue you use.
4. To make the acrylic paint suitable for fabric, one part media should be added to two parts of paint. (media : paint = 1 : 2)
5. Before painting, place the cardboard inside the T-Shirt so that the paint does not leak to the back part of the T-Shirt.
6. Place the embroidery Hoop on the T-Shirt where you want your design to be and the entire cloth in the hoop should be covered with the paint.
7. The paint will leak through the portion where there is no glue and thus the design will form on the T-Shirt.
8. Air dry the fabric for several hours. Ensure that the fabric is perfectly dried before moving on to the next step.
9. At last place the thin cardboard has on top of the design and carry out hot pressing with an iron.
Now you are done. Enjoy your own custom design printed on your T-Shirt. Show the world your extraordinary aesthetics and individuality! If you are feeling adventurous, you can even turn it into a business just like you can turn your glass painting hobby into a business.