Tutorials

How to Apply HTV on a Shirt

This beginner-friendly tutorial will show you how easy it is to make a shirt with HTV!

Select a shirt. The shirt should be made of a material that is safe for high heat pressing. Cotton, polyester, or a cotton/polyester blend are good choices.

This tie dye patterned HTV works perfectly with this retro peace sign design from the Mandala & Monograms Design Bundle.

Cut the peace sign design with your cutting machine. Most HTV requires the design to be mirrored prior to cutting but check with the manufacturer.

Here are some basic guidelines when deciding how big to cut the HTV design for an adult t-shirt:

Small - XL: 9 x 9 inches. You can scale up to 10 - 12 inches for loose fitting, oversized t shirts.

2XL & larger: 11 x 11 inches up to 12 - 13 inches.

Weed out the excess HTV. We leave the HTV on the mat when weeding - it helps to hold it in place.

Press the HTV onto the shirt. Always check with the manufacturer for pressing instructions for the time, temperature, and required pressure needed. You can press HTV with either an iron or heat press.

A pressing pillow is a very helpful tool because it helps to add even pressure during pressing. You can either place the t-shirt on top of the pressing pillow or place the pillow inside the shirt during pressing.

Here are suggestions on where to place the HTV decal on your shirt:

Crew neck shirts: 3 - 3.5 inches down from collar center

V neck / scoop neck shirts: 1 - 1.5 inches down from center of the neckline

You can find the center of your shirt by folding it in half and pressing a crease.

Open the shirt back up and fold at the bottom of the arm pits. Press crease.

The result is two intersecting creases that can help you center the HTV design.

Always follow manufacturer's directions for pressing.

For Siser Easyweed HTV using a heat press, pre-press for 2-3 seconds.

Place the design, cover with a cover sheet or parchment paper, then press for 10-15 seconds at medium pressure at 305 degrees F.

The parchment or cover sheet protects both your heat press and the HTV.

If you're using an iron with Siser Easyweed, set your iron between the Cotton and Linen setting and press each area of the design with firm pressure for 10-15 seconds. Do not slide the iron, just press the iron straight down and lift it straight up.

Be sure to note whether the HTV manufacturer recommends a warm or cold peel of the carrier sheet. With Siser Easyweed, peel off the carrier sheet while it's still warm.

Washing: Check with the manufacturer for care instructions, but good general rules to follow is to wait least 24 hours before first wash. Wash inside out with cold water and mild detergent and no liquid fabric softener. Hang dry or dry on low, inside out.