How to Make a Tie Dye Sublimation T Shirt
Try your hand at tie dye with your sublimation printer! You can't go wrong with the bright colors and intentional randomness of tie dye...
In this tutorial we'll show you how to make a tie dye sublimation t shirt. Then, we'll add even more flair with a beautiful mandala design in heat transfer vinyl. We are using this sugar skull mandala, that you can find in the BIG Mandala SVG Design Bundle.
First, start by printing out a tie dye pattern with your sublimation printer.
We used the Sawgrass SG1000 for this project to print on 11 x 17 inch paper; however, 8.5 by 11 should be big enough for the project.
Then, for brightest results, use a white high polyester content t shirt.
Lay the shirt on your work surface and use one hand to swirl the shirt ...
... into a circular bundle.
Then, transfer the bundle onto your printed sublimation paper. Make sure the side of the shirt that you want to sublimate onto (i.e. the front of the shirt) is the side touching the sublimation print.
Use several pieces of heat resistant tape to secure the paper to the bundle t shirt.
Next, flip the entire thing over and place in on your heat press with the sublimation paper side up. Also, protect the bottom platen of your heat press by covering it with a piece of parchment.
Then, cover with another piece of parchment and press at 400 degrees F for 60 seconds. You may need to lighten the pressure of the heat press to handle the bulk of the t shirt bundle.
After pressing, remove and cut away the sublimation paper.
Here's what the sublimation transfer looks like after pressing.
Then, unwind the shirt and take a look at the amazing, random awesomeness of tie dye.
The shirt will probably have wrinkles in it from the pressing, but I was able to get most of them out after washing the shirt and then ironing it.
Now press your HTV mandala design onto your shirt.
This sugar skull mandala was cut with the Cricut Maker in Siser Easyweed HTV.
Then pressed on the shirt at the heat press at 305 degrees F for 15 seconds.
Find the sugar skull mandala (+120 MORE mandala svg designs) in the Big Mandala Design Bundle.
Watch the video tutorial below:
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