How to Screen Print with Craft Vinyl in 10 Easy Steps
With your vinyl cutter, you can create custom screen printed t-shirts at home with no chemicals! Follow the step-by-step instructions (with pictures!) and you will be creating your own t-shirts in no time at all.
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Everything You Need to Get Started
Essential Supplies to Get Started
- Vinyl Cutter like the Cricut Maker or Cricut Explore Air2
- Speedball Screen
- Squeegee
- Fabric Ink
- Oracal 651
- Transfer Tape (this is key to getting the vinyl to stick to your screen)
- Painter's Tape
- Easy Press 2, Heat Press or Household Iron
- Blank Shirts
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why doesn't my vinyl stick to the screen?
How do you size and align the design on your shirt?
I have a few tricks for sizing and aligning designs on my shirts. The size of the design is typically adjusted based on the look I'm going for. I use my dot trick to easily line up the screen on my shirt. This is especially helpful when you are working on multiple shirts. No more guessing whether the screen is centered!
Receive a free bonus guide “How to Better Position the Screen on Your Shirts” when you purchase my Beginner's Guide to Screen Printing. OR, watch this process in action with my step-by-step instructions in my Intro to Screen Printing with Vinyl digital course.
Can I reuse my screen?
Yes, you can use the same screen to make as many prints of one design as you need. Once you are done, immediately remove the adhesive vinyl and wash your screen with water. After your screen is dry, it is ready to use again for your next project! Here more information about How to Clean Your Speedball Screen.
Which screen printing setup do you recommend?
The best setup depends on your skill level. Each of these setups have everything you need to successfully complete whatever project you are working on right now.
Read this post for my recommended Beginner Setup, Intermediate Setup and Full Expert Level At-Home Setup
If you're looking for a comparison of the 1-color presses I have, this review shares the pros and cons of each.
How many shirts can you make with one piece of vinyl?
This is the most exciting part about screen printing with vinyl (instead of using HTV). With one vinyl stencil on the screen, you can use it over and over to make 75 or more shirts! I've successfully tested up to 75 (haven't had a need for more shirts than that yet!) and could have kept going.
Got More Questions?
My “Beginner's Guide to Screen Printing with Craft Vinyl” ebook and course will answer:
- How do you print multiple shirts with the same screen?
- How do you clean and maintain your screen?
- What is a screen printing press and why would I need one?
- What can I do if I completely mess up a shirt?
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