It happened once again. There was yet another graphic tee I really wanted, but they did not have it in my size. I could have gone to one of those fancy websites that allows their customers to create their own things, but they were always too expensive. $25 or more, plus shipping was too much, especially in comparison to the $5 Rick and Morty graphic tees on the rack at Walmart. I didn’t want to sift through the internet for hours to find something similar and more affordable. Plus, I always thought that using the internet was made to order multiple custom t-shirts in bulk. However, I was also tired of never finding the right size in the store. That’s why I decided to start creating my own custom shirts. It’s extremely simple, quick, and anybody with a plain shirt can do it.

You will only need an iron, an ironing board, some parchment paper, plastic wrap, scissors, and a picture of your preference printed out. Cut off any unnecessary paper around your picture and place it on top of the plastic wrap towards the top. (If your picture is in the shape of a circle, then cut any extra paper so that it is just a circle.) Fold the plastic wrap over your picture. Make sure you cut enough plastic wrap to match the size of your picture. Cut any excess plastic wrap to match the size of the picture. (It should be similar to that of a sandwich.) Place the entire “sandwich” on top of your shirt in the area of your choice. Make sure your picture is facing upwards and away from the fabric. It should not be against the fabric. Place your parchment paper over your picture and iron very well for roughly thirty seconds. This will help to melt the plastic wrap to the shirt and to your picture, as well. It is safe to wash in the machine, but turn any custom made item inside out before you wash it. I have not tried putting these items in the dryer, because I’m worried the image will either fade or come right off. I always air dry my stuff. That is what I recommend, just to be on the safe side.

With that being said, there are other ways of placing your own images on your shirts and other clothes. You can use transfer paper, stencils and fabric paint. You can even use crayons and a hair dryer. (I’m paranoid about using crayons, because in order to get them onto the shirt, you have to melt them first. I’ve always wondered if you washed/dried it in the machine, wouldn’t the crayons melt again?)

Either way, choose whichever method makes you most comfortable. If this sounds like too much work, you can always look online to make your own. These are strictly for budget friendly projects, but my preferred method has always been the version with parchment paper and parchment paper. It is inexpensive very easy. It doesn’t take weeks to arrive, nor do I need any special products to use. Best of luck!