Search

How to make your own slogan T-shirt with heat-transfer vinyl

Collaborative feature

If you love the look of slogan T-shirts but don’t want to be wearing the same thing as everyone else, why not make your own? With just some heat-transfer vinyl and a lovely font, you can easily create a design to express yourself through your clothing. Here’s how…

I am such a fan of slogan tees. Whenever I see a super-cool fashion blogger wearing one on Instagram, I feel like I ‘need’ that T-shirt in my life! That said, I can’t always justify splashing out on a T-shirt (especially when I need a new kitchen sink – not kidding) so I tend to pass them up. Sure, there are low-cost fast-fashion versions available on the high street, but that’s not my preferred way to buy clothing PLUS you’ll probably bump into many other people who are wearing the same slogan tee as you.

What I want is something unique, that says exactly what I want it to say, and in the colours I love. That’s one of the problems for me; I might love a design when I spot it online or in the shops, but it’ll be printed onto green fabric, so I know it won’t suit me. Having the flexibility to choose the colour of the t-shirt, the colour of the text, the design of the font and the slogan itself is why I love making my own.

Another bonus is that it can cost next-to-nothing to make a slogan tee at home. You can use a plain t-shirt that you already have in your wardrobe and funk it up with a colourful message. Or you could pop out to the local charity shop and pick up a basic top in your size to upcycle. I much prefer the idea of recycling clothing in this way rather than buying new.

It’s not important what clothing you print your slogan on (even a striped or patterned fabric can look great with a bold slogan added!) but the design you create IS important. I like to use unusual fonts and graphics so that I can achieve a design that’s completely unique. If you buy a downloadable bundle of fonts and graphics, they will have been designed by talented independent designers and you can then use them to create a t-shirt that’s exactly what you want to wear this summer.

I found unique hand-lettering fonts like this one at Fontbundles.net

So what do you think? Have I persuaded you to have a go at making your own slogan T-shirt yet? You never know, if your friends and social followers love your designs, you could end up turning your DIY T-shirt project into a side hustle business to make a little extra cash!

YOU WILL NEED

  • Heat transfer vinyl in your choice of colour
  • A cutting machine or use a printer and craft knife with a cutting mat
  • Your preferred slogan and a font file that you like
  • Ruler or tape measure
  • Iron and ironing board
  • Any t-shirt that fits you!

STEP 1

Firstly, come up with your slogan idea. I’ve spent hours scouring Pinterest for inspiration and there’s no end of designs that I’d like to recreate. It could be something you’ve seen somewhere before, or a phrase you’ve come up with yourself – an in-joke or favourite saying.

STEP 2

Once you’ve got a slogan you like, it’s time to choose a font you like. The best slogan tees have bold, basic fonts or Script Fonts that you’ve never seen anywhere before. This will ensure your t-shirt is a completely unique design that’s personalised to you. You can download font bundles to give you more options to choose from than the standard fonts that come with your PC. Bear in mind that a script font is easier to transfer onto a t-shirt because each letter is joined together, so you can position the whole word onto the tee at once rather than letter-by-letter.

STEP 3

Create the slogan design with your favourite font on your computer. Take care to size it to fit onto the T-shirt you’re using – either make it bold and big to fill the whole front of the tee, or make it cute and tiny to fit onto a chest pocket. You can then transfer the file to a cutting machine to cut the design or print it out onto white paper.

STEP 4

Cut the slogan out of a sheet of heat-transfer vinyl. Just make sure that you’re cutting the text back-to-front if you’re working on the reverse of the vinyl with a cutting machine. If you’re cutting it out using a paper print-out as a template, you can work on the top of the vinyl (with the protective coating). Simply use a little adhesive to position your paper design onto the protective top layer of the vinyl and then CAREFULLY use a craft knife and cutting mat to cut around the word.

STEP 5

Iron your t-shirt so that it is completely flat and then position the cut-out slogan onto the front of the t-shirt. If you’re aiming to get it central on the tee, use a ruler or tape measure to make sure it’s lined up correctly. Either use a heat-press or an iron to apply heat and transfer the vinyl on to the t-shirt. Follow the instructions on the heat-transfer vinyl to safely transfer it onto the t-shirt – you might need to cover it with a cloth or a piece of paper while ironing, or change the temperature setting on the iron or heat press to suit the vinyl.

Peel away the protective backing and ta-daaa! Your very own slogan t-shirt, personalised to you! There’s no end of designs and messages you can create so be prepared to fill your wardrobe with unique slogan tees for summer.

What do you think? Will you have a go at making a slogan tee for yourself? Let me know in the comments below – I’d love to find out what slogan you’re going to make! 🙂

This article is a sponsored collaboration. The pink links in the content indicate a sponsored link or information source. The blog post reflects my own experience and the sponsor hasn’t had any control over my content 🙂

One Response

Share your comments, tips and ideas...

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Share this article:

Cassie is a freelance writer with a Masters degree in Lifestyle Promotion Studies and is trained in Personal Money Management. She loves to ‘get the look for less’ so regularly shares thrifty-living advice, DIY interior design ideas and low-cost recipes on her blog.

Take care and stay safe...

 

Please take care, stay safe and use common sense when following the advice, projects, recipes or ideas from Cassiefairy.com.

Your use of any information or materials on this website is entirely at your own risk – so please stay safe!

New to the blog?

Popular posts

More about Cassie

Latest posts

Take care and stay safe...

Please take care, stay safe and use common sense when following the advice, projects, recipes or ideas from Cassiefairy.com.

Your use of any information or materials on this website is entirely at your own risk – so please stay safe!

CHECK OUT THE fREE

Resources Library

Download free money-saving
checklists, budget planners + ebooks to inspire & motivate you!

+ Top Thrifty Tips Newsletter

A round-up of money-saving
articles & seasonal tips

GDPR Cookie Consent with Real Cookie Banner