How to Make Your Own I Love T-Shirts

Customize your own T-shirts.

Expressing your love for a person, place or thing is easy. Design your own "I Love" T-shirt with text and words to show people where your heart belongs. Make your own T-shirts for parties, events or just as everyday wear. Get creative with your designs and use colors that exhibit your personal sense of style.

Things You'll Need

• Digital photo
• Photo printing paper
• Printer
• Cotton T-shirt
• Iron
• Large piece of cardboard or flat plastic
• Self-adhesive stencils
• Brush
• Fabric paint

Instructions

1. Find a high-quality digital picture you want to place on your T-shirt. Flip the image in a photo-editing program, such as Adobe Photoshop. Mirror images are needed so that the image will look correct once it is on the shirt. Print the image on a sheet of iron-on transfer paper.

2. Wash and dry the T-shirt to shrink it to its final size. Iron out any wrinkles. Lay the shirt on a hard flat surface, such as an ironing board.

3. Place the iron-on transfer paper with the image face down on the T-shirt where you want the image to appear. Apply a heated iron to the back of the paper evenly and firmly according the paper manufacturer's instructions. Remove the paper.

4. Lay the T-shirt face up on a hard and flat surface. Put a large piece of plastic or cardboard inside the T-shirt to cover as much area as possible so the paint will not seep through to the back of the shirt.

5. Arrange the stencils on the shirt in the location where you want to the words, "I Love," and any additional text, to be placed. Use self adhesive stencils or fabric spray adhesive to hold stencils in place. Use fabric paint and a paint brush to fill in the stencils.

6. Remove the stencils. Allow the paint on the T-shirt to dry for 24 hours.

Tips & Warnings

• White T-shirts work best for photographs. The colors from the photo will appear more vibrant.

• Read the instructions for the iron-on transfer paper. Each brand's directions are slightly different.

• You may need to apply the iron to the paper again, before it cools, to set the image.

• Hand wash the T-shirt or turn it inside out and wash it on a gentle cycle in warm water. Use gentle cycle to dry.

References

• CNET: How to Put your Favourite Photo on a T-shirt