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How to Make a Shirt with Cricut

Home » Crafts » Cricut » How to Make a Shirt with Cricut

Published July 6, 2020 Last Updated July 26, 2022 / By Sarah 74 Comments

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The best tutorial for how to make a shirt with a Cricut! Everything you need to know from how to design, to cut Cricut iron on vinyl, to ironing it onto a t-shirt! You’ll be a pro ‘Cricut shirt maker’ in no time. 

*This post contains affiliate links.

Iron-on t-shirt Cricut tutorial collage - materials needed, gold iron-on weeded, and final t-shirt with word '#tired' on it.

Hey guys, we’ve got a super fun Cricut project for you today. You can make any shirt you’ve wanted or dreamed up!

It’s so fun to express yourself with a t-shirt you have designed yourself. Personalized shirts make ideal gifts, are a fun way to celebrate holidays or birthdays, and perfect for family trips (like Disney!) The list goes on.

Since getting our Cricut machines a five or six years ago, we have become professional Cricut Shirt Makers. No, really, it’s true!

We taught a class on How to Make Shirts with Cricut to over 150 beginners and Cricut enthusiasts at the 2018 Cricut Mountain Make-a-Thon. So let us share all of the details and pro-tips with you. It’s gonna be fun!

How to Make a Shirt with Cricut Iron On Vinyl

Making a t-shirt requires two important steps, and we’re going to go in-depth on both of them:

  1. Design it. We suggest sticking with one color on your first try. Words, phrases or simple images are perfect.
  2. Cut and apply the iron-on.

Need design inspiration? Check out ALL of our Cricut T-Shirts, and for more design advice check out: Cricut Fonts – Everything You Need to Know – or watch our video on YouTube! In it we share our FAVORITE Cricut fonts and answer FAQ. 

What you need to make a Cricut shirt:

Since this tutorial is for beginners, I’m not just listing the items, I’m also going to explain what they are!

Cricut Maker, t-shirts, iron-on vinyl, easypress and other materials needed to make a shirt with iron-on

Necessary:

  • Plain T-Shirt: the best shirt materials for iron-on vinyl are cotton or cotton blends. More of our favorite t-shirts for iron-on are listed below. 
  • Cricut Everyday Iron-On Vinyl: There are quite a few different kinds of iron-on but Everyday Iron-On is the most commonly used and comes in tons of colors. [Get it on amazon]
  • StandardGrip Cricut Mat: You use this green Cricut mat for materials with medium weight – like Iron-On, Vinyl, and heavy card stock. [Get it on amazon]
  • Cricut Machine: all of the machines (Cricut Maker, Explore Air 2 or Joy) can cut Iron-On vinyl!
  • Design Space software: downloaded to your computer. Alternatively, you can use the Cricut Design app on a tablet or mobile device.
  • Iron: A regular household iron will do the job of transferring the iron-on to a t-shirt. Make sure the steam setting is turned off.

Nice to have:

  • Weeding Tool: optional, but helpful, this little hook-shaped tool helps you to remove the extra bits of iron-on from a design before you iron it on.
  • Iron-On Protective Sheet: A non-stick sheet designed specifically for iron-on application. It evenly distributes heat from your iron or heat press.
  • EasyPress 2: The EasyPress 2 is a heat press that you can use in place of an iron. It takes less time, the temperature is easier to control, and it’s made specifically for iron-on. Read our thoughts on the EasyPress 2.

Favorite T-Shirts for Iron-On

  • Bella Canvas – comes in SO many colors and they are super soft! You can buy them from Amazon or Jiffy Shirts
  • Gildan Softstyle – These are comfortable and soft too!
  • Universal Thread Relaxed V Neck – I buy these the most often because I love the v-neck, fit and softness!

How to make a Cricut shirt – step by step:

Design

Option 1: Upload an Image or SVG to Cricut Design Space

  • Click ‘Upload ’ on the left side of Cricut Design Space. The screen you see next will show a library of images you might have previously uploaded, and a button to upload a new image. Click that. 

'Upload image' button and area in Cricut Design Space

Select your image. Now you can select what type of image it is. For this project, and most projects with iron on, you’ll select ‘Simple.’

Upload image to Cricut Design Space options screen

Now you click the whitespace that you’d like cut out. Remember to get the insides of each letter if you’re uploading words. This is really fun for me for some reason. It takes me back to my Microsoft Paint days when I used to use the Bucket tool. Remember that?

Image of flower uploaded to Cricut Design Space - Select & Erase tool screen

This next step is important! (Most of them are important but this is pretty easy to miss.) Select ‘Cut Image’ – NOT ‘Print then Cut Image’. (Print then cut is a completely different project type.)

Image of flower and 'Save as Cut image' option highlighted in Cricut Design Space

Option 2: Create a Design in Cricut Design Space

You can play around in Cricut Design Space and look through their library of images and fonts. Design away! The Cricut Access library has thousands of images and hundreds of fonts included. Read more about Cricut Access!

Size The Design

After you have uploaded a design (like an SVG file) or created something in Cricut Design Space, it’s time to make sure it is sized correctly for your t-shirt.

I recommend using a template to figure out how big to make your design. 

On the left hand side in Design Space, click on ‘Templates.’ You can browse all of the templates or search for a specific type. If you search ‘shirt’ all of the options come up there.

shirt templates to use to design a shirt in Cricut Design Space software

When you select one, it will appear on your design canvas and you can visualize what the design will look like on your shirt.

design on a t-shirt template in Cricut Design Space software

T-Shirt Design Pro Tips:

  • Be mindful of how wide your design is. I recommend leaving at least a few inches on either side of your design so that it doesn’t bend to the side and run into the armpits of the t-shirt.
  • Use a ruler, or your Cricut mat, to measure how many inches across the shirt you want to cover. I like to measure every shirt since they always vary in sizing.

How to Cut Cricut Iron On Vinyl

Gold Cricut Iron-On HTV placed shiny side down on a green Cricut mat.

Place iron on vinyl shiny side down on your mat.

Material settings for Iron-On vinyl on Cricut machine - left photo is Cricut Explore Air 2 and right photo is Cricut Maker

Next, choose the material.

  • If you’re using a Cricut Explore machine, you will turn the dial to Iron-on. [left image]
  • If you’re using a Cricut Maker or Cricut Joy, select Everyday Iron-On from the materials drop-down menu. [right image]

Then click ‘Cut’

Mirrored phrase "#tired" (appearing backward) in Cricut Design SpaceClick ‘Mirror image for Iron-On’ before hitting ‘Go.’ That’s an important and easy-to-miss step.

Follow the prompts and let the machine cut the design.

Cricut Maker cutting gold iron-on on a green mat

When it is finished, unload the mat.

Gold Cricut iron-on vinyl being weeded with a small weeding tool.

Remove the excess vinyl around the edges. If you have a weeding tool, it will be easier to take out the little pieces inside the letters.

gold iron-on with word '#tired' and weeding tools, scissors next to it

Once your design is cut and weeded, you can iron it on!

How to Iron on to a T-Shirt

Using an Iron

  1. Set your iron to ‘Cotton’ or the hottest setting it has. Make sure steam is turned OFF. 
  2. Start by getting the material warm. Press the iron onto the shirt for about 15 seconds.

"#tired" in gold iron-on attached to plastic ready to be ironed onto a white t-shirtPlace your iron-on vinyl where you’d like it. Put a press cloth, or plain cotton cloth, on top of the plastic. This is important & will reduce the risk the of plastic melting onto your shirt.

Blue and white iron over a sheet of fabric ironing a white t-shirt

Press the iron on top of the press cloth for about 30 seconds. Flip your shirt over, and do the same thing on the opposite side of the shirt.

Now you will peel the plastic sheet diagonally to separate it from the vinyl. Do this while it’s still warm! 

"#tired" in gold iron-on vinyl on a white t-shirt

Using an EasyPress 2

EasyPress 2 pink and white, turned on and heated to 315 degrees.

Heat the EasyPress 2 to the temperature recommended on the EasyPress settings guide. 315 degrees is the setting for cotton t-shirts and Everyday Iron-On.

Put the design on the t-shirt, then a press cloth or an Iron-On protective sheet, and use the EasyPress 2 to transfer the vinyl onto your shirt! The buttons on the EasyPress will help you count down for the amount of time you are pressing for.

Pro Tips:

  • If a piece isn’t staying on the shirt, put the plastic and iron-on back down and press the iron back on for a few seconds. Put the press cloth or iron-on transfer sheet back on and do another run with the iron so you know it’s on there really well.

You’re done!

We have outlined every step, so it might seem like a lot, but it’s really simple. Once you make one or two, you’ll be a pro Cricut shirt maker too and you won’t want to stop! 

Want to make sure you don’t miss a step? Print this Iron-On checklist from Practical and Pretty, and for more inspiration check out all of our friend Anna’s Cricut projects. We love this Iron-On Growth Chart so much!

Go ahead and print these instructions or bookmark this page if you want to keep them handy. If you find this tutorial helpful, please leave us a comment and positive review! 

Iron-on t-shirt with Cricut collage of supplies needed, iron-on cut and weeded, and then the final shirt that says "#tired" in gold iron-on letters

How to Make a Shirt with Cricut

Follow this easy, step-by-step tutorial to make Cricut shirts with iron-on vinyl! This is a perfect Cricut project for beginners.
5 from 6 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Active Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Makes: 1 T-Shirt
Author: Pretty Providence
Cost: $10

Video

Equipment

  • Cricut Machine
  • Standard Grip Mat (green Cricut mat)
  • iron
  • Press Cloth
  • EasyPress 2 (optional)
  • Weeding Tool (optional)
  • Iron-On Protective Sheet (optional)

Materials

  • Iron-On Vinyl
  • Plain T-Shirt

Instructions

Prepare Your Design in Cricut Design Space

  • Design within Cricut Design Space or upload an SVG file to use for your t-shirt.
  • Size the design to fit your t-shirt. Use a ruler to measure on your t-shirt to determine how big it should be. *See notes for more on this.
    design on a t-shirt template in Cricut Design Space software
  • Select 'Make It'

Prepare to Cut

  • Press iron-on vinyl onto the green StandardGrip Cricut mat, shiny-side-down.
    Gold Cricut Iron-On HTV placed shiny side down on a green Cricut mat.
  • Make sure that you turn 'mirror' on. Your design should appear backward.
    Mirror image option turned on in Cricut design space software
  • Select 'Continue' and choose material settings. For the Cricut Explore/Explore Air 2 machines you turn a dial to 'Iron-On' - for the Cricut Maker or Cricut Joy you will select 'Everyday Iron-On' in Design Space.
    Cricut material settings for iron-on vinyl. Left: dial on Cricut Explore Air 2 machine. Right: Cricut Maker settings in design space software.
  • Check that everything is set correctly and then follow prompts to load the mat and cut iron-on design.
    Cricut Maker cutting gold iron-on on a green mat

Weed Iron-On

  • Remove excess iron-on from the outside edges around your design and any little bits from the insides of letters or inside the design.
    Gold Cricut iron-on vinyl being weeded with a small weeding tool.
  • Once the design is weeded, you are ready to iron it on.
    gold iron-on with word '#tired' and weeding tools, scissors next to it

Iron On to the T-Shirt - Using an Iron

  • Turn on your household iron and set it to 'cotton' or the hottest setting it has. Make sure the steam is turned off.
  • Press the iron down onto the t-shirt for about 15 seconds to get it warm. Then, place the iron-on down onto the shirt where you want to iron it.
    Cricut Iron-On design (gold iron-on vinyl "#tired") placed on a white t-shirt before ironing on
  • Put a press cloth (thin piece of fabric) down on top of the plastic, and press the iron down for 30-60 seconds. Turn the shirt over carefully, and press the iron down on the back of the shirt.
    hand holding an iron on top of a t-shirt with a layer of fabric on top of it to protect from heat
  • Wait until the plastic is warm, but not hot, and slowly peel the plastic diagonally off of the iron-on. You are done!
    iron on design just ironed onto a white t-shirt, close up shot of the gold '#tired' t-shirt

Iron on to the T-Shirt - Using an EasyPress 2

  • Turn EasyPress 2 on and heat to 315 degrees.
    easypress 2 with pink accent, turned on and set to 315 degrees
  • Place the iron-on onto the shirt where you want it to be. Cover design with a press cloth or Iron-On protective sheet.
    Cricut Iron-On design (gold iron-on vinyl "#tired") placed on a white t-shirt before ironing on
  • Press EasyPress down onto the design with medium pressure for 30 seconds. Remove the EasyPress for a few seconds and then repeat press again for 30 more seconds.
    EasyPress 2 pink and white, turned on and heated to 315 degrees.
  • Remove the iron-on protective sheet. Peel plastic off of iron-on when it is warm to the touch (no longer hot, but not all the way cool.) Peel diagonally from one corner.
    iron on design just ironed onto a white t-shirt, close up shot of the gold '#tired' t-shirt
  • You are done! You are now officially a Cricut shirt maker.
    white t-shirt with '#tired' written on it in gold iron-on with sandals and a necklace

Notes

Pro Tips: 
  • Use a ruler, or your Cricut mat, to measure how many inches across the shirt you want to cover. I like to measure every shirt since they always vary in sizing. 
  • Be mindful of how wide your design is. I recommend leaving at least a few inches on either side of your design so that it doesn’t bend to the side and run into the armpits of the t-shirt. 
  • Use a t-shirt template in Cricut Design Space to help you determine how and where to place your design. 
Did you make this?Mention @prettyprovidenceblog or tag #prettyprovidence!

Do you have more questions about Cricut or a desire for more in depth tutorials like this? Check out this amazing course! 

an advertisement for a Cricut made easy ecourse

Our friend Kim from Sweet Red Poppy made this Cricut Made Easy Course and it is beyond amazing you guys! So worth it if you really want to invest in growing your Cricut knowledge. Here is a sampling of what it includes:

  • 19 Video Modules(Chapters)
  • 50+ Step-by-Step Video Tutorials
  • 30+ Cricut Cheat Sheet Printables
  • 160+ Page E-Book “Maker’s Guide to Cricut”
  • All 3 Cricut Machines Covered (Maker/Joy/Explore family)
  • 16 Different Projects with Printable Guides
  • 80+ High-Quality SVG Files
  • Print then Cut Sticker Files
  • Design Space Glossary
  • Exclusive Facebook Support Group
  • Tips and Tricks from an Expert!

Click here to check it out! Or just go to our Cricut project gallery to see ALL of our Cricut projects and tutorials!

Sarah

This tutorial was originally published in June 2017. It has been completely updated with new photos, a more detailed tutorial, a video, and printable instructions! 

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Comments

  1. Melanie

    March 26, 2022 at 6:47 am

    Do you have to wash t shirts before application of vinyl?
    Never made any yet and I’m planning on doing it soon!

    Reply
    • Jessica

      March 31, 2022 at 12:06 pm

      It is best if you do so that any shrinkage occurs before application. Good Luck!

      Reply
  2. Felix Hanthorn

    April 23, 2021 at 9:20 am

    It’s hard to say

    Reply
  3. Lauren S

    March 27, 2021 at 2:04 am

    5 stars
    Thank you for this tutorial. Sometimes you just want a steak by step with pictures, not video. It answered every question I had!

    Reply
    • Jessica

      March 31, 2021 at 1:22 pm

      Yay, I am so glad! Thanks Lauren!

      Reply
  4. Kelley Hobson

    February 03, 2021 at 9:05 pm

    I tried this but the machine did not cut thru the vinyl. Do I need a different blade?

    Reply
    • Sarah

      February 04, 2021 at 8:21 am

      Hey Kelley, I’m not sure – it sounds to me like maybe some settings were off. If I were you I’d chat with Cricut customer support, hopefully they would be able to help you figure it out.

      Reply
  5. Stephanie

    July 10, 2020 at 11:18 am

    5 stars
    Such a great tutorial! My daughter and I made 7 shirts today and they turned out perfectly!

    Reply
  6. Matt Taylor

    July 10, 2020 at 9:10 am

    5 stars
    Very cool! I still haven’t tried using a cricut machine. Looks like a lot of fun things you can do with it.

    Reply
  7. Lisalia

    July 10, 2020 at 8:10 am

    5 stars
    Thank you for the detailed step by step instructions. I can imagine ALL the mom hashtags that I could put on my shirts! lol This would make a great gift for a friend who already has everything.

    Reply
  8. Ashley Bryan

    August 15, 2019 at 8:45 am

    Hi. How durable are these vinyl tshirts? How well do they stand-up to washing in the washing machine?

    Reply
    • Sarah

      August 15, 2019 at 11:14 am

      They hold up really well! It depends on what kind of Heat Transfer Vinyl you use. Cricut Everyday Iron On seems to last forever.

      Reply
  9. George

    August 07, 2019 at 11:34 am

    Do you know how to get printed images (not vinyl) (say pictures of a celebrity for example) onto t-shirts?

    Reply
    • Sarah

      August 14, 2019 at 1:58 pm

      Yes, you will need to get printable iron-on to do this. Here is an affiliate link to link to the kind I used: https://amzn.to/2H97Kfv I’ve only done it once, but it worked great.

      Reply
  10. Crystal

    July 11, 2019 at 12:03 pm

    Do I need anything besides a cricut to make a t shirt?

    Reply
    • Jessica

      July 11, 2019 at 10:40 pm

      Just a blank t-shirt you like and iron on vinyl!

      Reply
  11. TAIRI FLANDERS ZORRILLA

    July 02, 2019 at 10:22 pm

    How do I get something with color printed is it the same procedure ?

    Reply
    • Sarah

      July 03, 2019 at 2:24 pm

      You can use iron-on in any color to do this!

      Reply
  12. Leslie

    May 22, 2019 at 9:29 pm

    Well you made this look easy. Great tutorial!

    Reply
    • Sarah

      May 24, 2019 at 6:01 am

      Thank you!!

      Reply
  13. Frank Ruiz

    May 14, 2019 at 9:17 am

    Awesomely Explained Love it You Answered Pretty Much Every Question I Had !!!

    Reply
    • Sarah

      May 14, 2019 at 10:12 am

      So glad you found it helpful!!

      Reply
  14. Rachele

    April 24, 2019 at 12:23 pm

    Hello

    Thank you for the tutorial. I feel like I have watched so many videos on YouTube and yours truly breaks it down for me. I know you uploaded an image and you got rid of the white space, but if I we’re to just use the text box in design space and create my own are the steps pretty much the same? So I need to use a different material to do that?

    Reply
    • Sarah

      April 24, 2019 at 6:59 pm

      Yes – it’s really easy to make your own design in Design Space! You don’t need a different material, just Cricut iron-on or you can use other brands of heat transfer vinyl.

      Reply
  15. Quincey

    April 10, 2019 at 11:52 am

    Hi, thanks for the tutorial, it’s great! I have a random editing question. Using design space, I’m trying to get rid of an odd shape before I print and cannot for the life of me figure it out. I cannot slice because it’s all 1 shape (a trex silhouette, and I’m trying to get rid of the shadow between his feet). Any suggestions? Whyyyyy is there no simple erase wand?

    Reply
    • Sarah

      April 11, 2019 at 8:57 am

      I just figured out how to erase a part of something the other day! I’m not sure if it will work perfectly for you for the shadow, but you can try! What I did is I put another shape over the part of the image I wanted to remove, and then I highlighted both images and sliced. It worked! I was able to just slice out that one part of the image and delete the extra shape too.

      Reply
  16. Tara

    March 12, 2019 at 10:38 am

    Hi! Would a Cricut Expression 2 work very good for making tshirts and coffee mugs?

    Reply
    • Sarah

      March 12, 2019 at 7:54 pm

      I’m not sure, we’ve never used one before. Sorry I can’t be more help!

      Reply
  17. julie

    March 04, 2019 at 3:25 pm

    I have the regular Cricut air (not air 2) can I make these shirts with my reg air???

    Reply
    • Sarah

      March 04, 2019 at 8:07 pm

      Yes, the Cricut Explore Air cuts iron-on very well!

      Reply
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Hey! We're Sarah and Jessica. We're BFF's and have known each other since we were 5 years old. This blog is our place to share all of our best recipes, tips, crafts and DIY projects.

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