DIY Screen Printed T-Shirt
Hello friends! This is Linh or LV Handcrafted across the socials. Do you like making custom T-shirts to give as gifts or for family reunions or even to sell?
Screen printing might be something worth trying. There are beginner-friendly supplies and screen printing inks you can use to get started.
The wonderful thing about screen printing is that it dies the fabric permanently. Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV) is a plastic that gets adhered to the top of the shirt through heat. It will always have a raised feel to it and with some vinyls can feel stiff. Over time, that vinyl can crack or peel off.
With a DIY Screen Printed T-Shirt, because the fibers of the shirt are dyed, the shirt stays soft and the design is permanent for as long as the t-shirt will last.
I used the “Love is Love Retro Stack” SVG file but I modified it for my sister-in-law who is a librarian and loves books! The “I Like Big Books” SVG file is where I grabbed the word “books”. The wonderful thing about SVG files is every element is on its own layer, so you can easily pick and choose the parts you want to customize and create exactly what you need.
To see me make this t-shirt and learn more about screen printing, check out the video below:
If you prefer written instructions, follow the steps below:
| STEP 1 Create the design you want to screen print. Mirror the design and cut from permanent vinyl (not HTV). |  |
| STEP 2 Weed your design. Apply transfer tape. |  |
| STEP 3 Remove the vinyl’s paper liner and stick onto the flat side of your screen. Mask off any area you don’t want ink with painter’s tape or masking tape PRODUCTS This is the starter kit I got – https://amzn.to/48BTBSu But, I think this screen is better if you plan to do a lot of screen printing because you can tighten the screen or even replace it entirely if needed – https://amzn.to/4aJx8EE |  |
| STEP 4 Line up your screen on your T-shirt. NOTE: put paper or parchment inside your shirt to prevent the ink from bleeding through to the back. |  |
| STEP 5 Run a line of Screen Printing Ink across the top of your design. PRODUCTS Marabu Inks – https://amzn.to/3vlCS7A (What I used on this first shirt) Speedball Inks – https://amzn.to/3tK18zB (I tried these on the next shirt and like it better.) |  |
Thanks for checking out my project today!
LV Handcrafted
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