If you are considering making shirts and are researching some of the materials that you can use to start the process, I’m sure that you have come across the print to cut option. This option allows you to put pictures on a shirt, among other things. When making an informed decision most people also want to know how long will this stuff last. Surely you do not want to purchased a bunch of materials only to find that it does not hold up well.
In a recent YouTube video I share a few shirts that I have made back in January 2019 and show how they are holding up in September 2020. As you can see in this one example the difference is drastic.
The shirt above is about a year and nine months old. The manufacturer’s package notes that printable heat transfer (print and cut) material last for about 50 washes. In addition, the packaging notes that if you wash the item inside out in cold water on the gentle cycle you will have longer-lasting results.
If you are interested in this material I normally use Silhouette’s Printable Heat Transfer paper dark (https://amzn.to/35QgmVu). I have also used Print Works (https://amzn.to/32I2jzo). This is an inexpensive option and a good way to start making t-shirts.
If you are looking for something that will last longer, you may want to look into sublimation or DTG. These printers infuse the ink to the fibers of the shirt and will last the life of the shirt. I have recently purchased a sublimation printer from Heat Press Nation (https://shrsl.com/2ihyr) and will give you updates as I start to produce products.
For more examples of print to cut life spans watch this video…
Hello ProcrasCreators! In the last post, I demonstrated how to paint a shiplap design on your tumbler. Today we are going to take it a step further by adding a beach or ocean scene to the bottom of the shiplap tumbler. I know that you are just as excited as I am so let’s not waste anymore time. Let’s get started!
You will need the following to complete this project from the beginning:
Once you have caught up with us by completing the shiplap steps it is time to mix and add the epoxy. I use Amazing Clear Cast which is a 1:1 mix. For this project I used a total of about 10ml (5 ml each side). Place the tumbler on your cup turner and add a thick coat of epoxy.
Now add your inks. I used three different colors of blue (Ranger) and white (Pinata). I started with the darkest color at the bottom and added the other two colors additional colors.
All colors were added to a little below the halfway point of the tumbler. To give the appearance of foamy wave the white alcohol ink was dropped in varies places.
At this point, applied a little heat using my heat gun for only a few seconds.
Pick up your turner and allow gravity to work. Shift it towards the top and the bottom of the tumbler. This is one of the most important steps. The shift of your tumbler moves your alcohol ink around, giving the tumbler the overall look of an ocean. Do not let the alcohol inks run all the way to the top of the tumbler. I would stay less than 60% so that your shiplap still has time to shine.
The tumbler should stay on the turner for at least 14 hours to give the epoxy time to cure. Clean up the inside of the tumbler removing any rouge epoxy with a razor blade, wash and use. You did it!!!
Welcome to ProcrasCreationDIY. Today we are painting a shiplap pattern on stainless steel tumblers. If that is not exciting enough, we are adding a beach or ocean scene to the bottom of the tumbler in my next post. Both effects are created with alcohol inks. I am using a mixture on Pinata and Range alcohol inks.
To start this project you will need the following items:
The first thing you will need to do to prep your stainless steel tumbler. To do this, clean it by using your isopropyl alcohol and a paper towel. If there is any gummy residue from the label you can also use a razor blade to remove any build up. Once the tumbler is clean ensure that it is dust/particle free.
After you have cleaned the tumbler you will need to cover it with a base coat of white spray paint. I normally use one of the 2X Rustoleum flat white or matte white sprays. You may need to do 2-3 coats for an even base.
While your base coat is drying, you can start cutting your tape (electrical, painters, etc.) into varying lengths. I normally use the 3/4 size but of course you can use whatever size fits your project or is readily available.
Once the base coat is dry, place the strips around the tumbler. Start this process by placing the tape 1/8 of an inch from the top of the tumbler and slowly apply the tape as evenly as possible. You want to ensure that you are staggering the tape seams, just a wood floor would have staggered seams.
For the grout you can either use alcohol ink or use spray paint. Choose a color for the grout that will compliment the alcohol inks that you plan to use. If you choose to use spray paint, 1-2 coats would be appropriate for this step. If you choose to use alcohol ink, apply the ink to the open grout seams, let dry and add a clear gaze or sealant.
Now you can remove the strips of electrical tape.
For the next step you will brush on the alcohol ink. This should not be coated perfectly even. Have fun with it. You will find that you can make areas darker or lighter depending upon the amount of alcohol ink used and the amount of brush strokes.
To finish off the look you will take you sharpie and add dots to the end of each board, giving it a rivets effect.
That is part one of this project. As stated above, we will ad a beach scene in part two.
Today we are going to learn the steps required to make a beautiful faux wood grain tumbler. It is much easier than you are probably imaging right now. Before we get started you will need to gather a few things. I have compiled this list along with my associated affiliate link so you can get everything in one spot and be ready to create a beautiful wood grain tumbler.
Once you have all of your supplies, your first step is to wipe down your tumbler with the 91% alcohol.
After you have clean the tumbler and ensured that it is free of dust and particles, spray paint the tumbler until there is an even coat of white paint.
Spray Paint Your TumblerThree Coats of Spray Paint
Once you have an even coat, prepare the rest of your supplies. You will need a small cup of 91% isopropyl alcohol, a couple of paper towels and your make up brushes. I normally use two to three different size brushes. Dip your brush into the alcohol and wipe off the excess onto your paper towel.
Dip Your Brush in the Alcohol Remove Excess of Alcohol
I will also use a foam brush to use apply the initial coat of alcohol ink. Add 3-4 drops of two different brown toned alcohol inks directly yo your brush. Apply the ink by making straight lines around the entire tumbler.
Add a few drops of each colorApply in around entire tumblerTumbler has a complete coat
When you get to this point you have a choice. you can stop here and add clear coat and epoxy or you can make a knot. If you wish to make a knot you will need to select a smaller brush.
Grab a smaller brush to make a knot
Decide where you would like for your knot to be located and begin moving the ink around to the desired knot shape. (If these instructions ever get confusing, jump to the bottom of this post and watch the YouTube video that demonstrates the process.)
Push the Ink to form a knot
You will continue to do this, adding ink as you create new rings.
Add as many or few rings as you want
Once you have completed your knot you can choose to make additional knots or seal the tumbler. To be honest this is a step that I sometimes skip, hence no photo for sealing the tumbler. Please note that best practice is to seal in the ink. You can do this by spraying it with Krylon Clear Coat. After this step you could apply epoxy and a decal.
Watch this YouTube video to help you even more.
Watch Create and Share
I would love to see your creations. Please share your comments, questions, projects and request below in the comment section.
I recently started to make custom stainless steel tumblers (https://www.etsy.com/shop/ProcrasCreation) and one of the first things I did was ask people if I could redo the tumblers that they had. This saved me money and gave me items to practice with. I wish I could say that I had the foresight to take some before pictures, but I did not. Nevertheless, I want to show you just how easy this process is.
You will need the following items:
Acetone
Rubber gloves
Foil sheets (aluminum foil rolls will work)
Tray
Paper towels
Large Plastic Bag (not shown)
The first step in the process is to soak a paper towel in some acetone and lay it across the cup/tumbler. Repeat this process until you cover the entire cup.
Once you have your cup cover in paper towels soaked in acetone cover the entire cup with the foil sheets.
Place the cup in a bag and seal it up. Let it sit. Depending on how much epoxy and paint you have on it, it can take a few hours to loosen up the epoxy. I normally leave my cups overnight but you check them after 2-3 hours. I found these bags at the Dollar Tree.
The last step is taking the cup out of the aluminum foil and wiping it down with acetone to get any paint residue off.
Once you clean the cup up and let it dry, you are ready to begin your next project.
I hope this was helpful. For you visual people, I have a video on YouTube that you can watch and see the process first hand.
Hello ProcrasCreators!! Now that you have joined the Cricut family (Welcome) let’s put that machine to use. One of the first ways you can use it is by making your own T-shirt. You can make them for your kids, friends, your business or yourself. It is a quick and simple project, so let’s get started.
Using Design Space
You can use the images in Design Space or you can upload an image into Design Space. That is what we are going to focus on today. If you would like to use an image in Design Space you can watch the Youtube Video at the end of this post to see how.
Upload a Photo to Design Space
In Design Space select Upload in the lower left-hand corner, then select upload image.
On the next screen, you want to select Browse. Take note of the acceptable file extensions underneath the browse button.
Find your file and select open.
Name your file, add tags and hit save.
Your file has now been uploaded to Design Space (yay!). You can upload it and others into your current project. When you select an uploaded file Design Space puts a green box around it and list it at the bottom of the page. Once you have selected all of the files that you want, hit Insert Image.
Preparing Your Image
Sizing
There are several ways to size your image.
1. Unlock this button and you are able to shrink it or make it wider.
2. These arrows allow you to resize while maintaining the ideal proportions of the image.
3. Allows you to rotate the image.
You can also resize by using the toolbar option at the top of the screen, especially if you know the exact dimensions.
Color
You can change the color of the image to give yourself an opportunity to see what it could look like with different colors and you can separate what you want to cut by color and it will place it on separate mats.
You can change the color by selecting the colored circle next to the image on the right-hand side and then select your desired color. Once you have the image the way you want select Make It.
Mat Preparation
Once you hit Make IT button, it will take you to the mat page. You can move your image around on the mat. You can also move an image to a different mat or hide the image by selecting the image you want and clicking the three dots on the upper left-hand side.
If you are using an iron on design with words, you will need to mirror the image. I would suggest mirroring everything at one time so that you do not forget to do so and waste HTV vinyl.
Once you have made your mat adjustments, hit continue at the bottom of the page.
Connect, Material & Cut
The software will automatically look for your Cricut (make sure you cut it on). Once it has made a connection you need to select your material type from the popular menu or you can select Browse All Materials.
After hitting Browse All Materials, you can either scroll down to your desired selection or hit the arrow next to All Categories and select the general material that you want.
It will then take you down to everything that falls under that overarching category. Select your material and hit done.
Determine how much vinyl you need and apply it to the mat. Note: Keep the plastic covering that comes with the mat so that you can reuse it and preserve your mat.
Place the mat under the guides and hold it there. While holding it there, hit the flashing arrow button. Once it makes it initial adjustments the Cricut button will flash. Select the Cricut button and the machine will cut the image. When it finishes the arrows will flash again. Hit the arrow button to release the mat.
When removing your vinyl from the mat, pull the mat away from the vinyl and not the other way around.
Almost there. The next thing to do is to weed your vinyl. You are going to remove everything that you do not want to adhere to the shirt.
You can use the Cricut BrightPad to assist in the weeding process. It is more helpful with glitter vinyl than it is with regular vinyl.
The Cricut Easy Press comes with a quick guide for heat settings. You can also visit the Cricut website to figure out the settings. I set the temperature at 305 degrees for 20 seconds.
While the Cricut Press was warming, I ran the press over the shirt to prepare the shirt for the vinyl.
Then I placed the vinyl on the shirt ensuring that it was centered and level. Once I had everything in place, I set the Cricut Easy Press on the design and started the timer.
Once you pick up the Cricut Easy Press, you can shake out the shirt to disperse the heat.
Slowly pull the transfer tape away from your design.
You did it!!!!! I’m so proud of you. Please leave comments and questions below. If you are a visual learner and need more help, watch the video below.
This project added a great look to my ProcrasCreation DIY space. I was actually using the pipe to add legs to my door desk and had some leftover pipes and decided I would use them to make shelving above my upcycled bookshelves (See that project here https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBL5x2yhjroejuytSswVM1g).
I needed the following items to complete this project. You can click on the relate links to buy these items from Amazon:
The first thing that I did was paint the shelves. I started with white chalk paint and then I decided I wanted them darker so I used gray. To give the board a distressed aged look, I sanded them and randomly added some of my wall color.
From there I started on the pipe and fittings. I had to scrape off all of the stickers and clean the pipes with the Goo Gone.
After all of the pipes were cleaned, I added white and green painted to each pipe and pipe fitting creating the aged look.
The pipes were then screwed into the wall, ensuring that we used studs because the 2×4 boards were heavy. And here is the finished look…
I love these shelves!!! If you do too and want to see the step by step process on video, click here https://youtu.be/jZt_T9YVx2E
ProcrasCreationDIY is upcycling two particle board bookshelves into to one much more expensive looking piece by adding trim and fabric to the back panel.
