Articles : Tutorials - Hybrid

Crop-wear!

Creating your own T-shirt and totebag transfers

Sometimes, you just can't find the right thing to wear! Now, you can create your own crafty crop wear from the comfort of your own home!

We have instructions for both digital and non-digital scrappers, so there is nothing to fear. Just read on through and follow the appropriate set of instructions...

FOR DIGITAL SCRAPPERS

1. Create your T-Shirt design as you wish it to appear. I recommend using an 11”x8.5” document to begin with. Merge layers once completed.

2. Print out a sample of your design on plain printer paper. Compare with the size of the item you wish to iron the transfer onto and determine what size you will need. For example, the design was way too big for my 6-9 month onsie.

3. Re-size your design appropriately. For example, for the onsie, the design needed to be shrunk down to 4” wide.

4. Reprint a sample to compare with the item to confirm it is the correct size. Resize again as necessary, until the design is the right size.

5. Flip your image Horizontally. In Photoshop, go under the bar, “Image”. You will find the “Rotate Canvas” side-bar. Select “Flip Canvas Horizontally”. You will now have an inverted copy of your image to print.

6. Select Print. Set your Quality to Top Quality Photo and your media to Matte Photo Paper. (If you have a “T-shirt Transfer” media option, you DO NOT need to go through step five. The programme will flip the image for you automatically).

7. Before hitting the final “Print” button, insert your transfer paper into your printer. Make sure that your orientation is the right way. If copies come out image side up, you will want the transfer paper facing up (blank side). If copies come out facing down, you will want the transfer paper facing down (blank side down).

8. Depending on your printer’s drying time, allow the transfer to sit for a few moments. Then, cut the image out of the paper, avoiding corners. Curved corners work better, as they are less likely to peel up.

9. Follow the iron-on instructions on your pack of iron-on transfer paper. Generally speaking, place the shirt or item down on your ironing board, on top of a towel or pillowcase, then lay the transfer onto the shirt, face down. The iron should be set at it’s highest setting for cotton and with the steam turned off. Press firmly and to move the iron in a continual circular motion according to the time recommended on the package.

10. If you are giving the item as a gift, you may wish to create your own little card to enclose, with a copy of the care instructions listed on the transfer sheet package.

FOR NON-DIGITAL SCRAPPERS

For those of you who are not digital scrappers, you can still use many of the images available in digital scrapbooking kits to create your own T-shirts in MS Word!

1. Open a new document and orientate the page as you wish. In my example, I’ve left it as normal, but you can turn to horizontal.

2. Go to the INSERT bar and Select PICTURE and FROM FILE. A window will open up allowing you to find the image you want to include.

3. Once you have opened your picture, double click the image. A FORMAT PICTURE window will open up. Select the LAYOUT button along the top and then select the BEHIND TEXT box.

4. Select the COLORS AND LINES button along the top of the same box and make sure the FILL is listed as NO FILL. Select OK.

5. Continue doing this until you have inserted all the images you want to include. Without changing the Layout to Behind the Text, you would not otherwise be able to move the image and drag it to where you want it to be in your design.

6. When you are ready to insert text, select the INSERT bar and choose TEXT BOX. A box will appear on your page. You will be able to size as you wish by pulling on the squares in the corners and along the sides. Type in your text, changing font and color as you wish. When you are finished typing, deselect the box by clicking elsewhere on the page, then quickly double-clicking the text box. The FORMAT TEXT BOX window will open. Make sure the FILL COLOR is set to NO FILL and the LINE COLOR is set to NO LINE. Click OK.

7. When you are ready to print, select PRINT. The PRINT window will open. Select the QUALITY & MEDIA button.

About the author ...
Sara Westhead (Keling) resides in West Yorkshire, England, with her husband of 8 years, Andrew, and their two boys, Tommy, aged 6, and Jonathan, 3. Sara started digi-scrapping in January 2006, and relies on her background in advertising and graphic design. She was a formerly a journalist in Bermuda, but is now a stay-at-home-mom working to change the world!

Submitted by Keling