Posted on 08/13/2007 1:08:47 AM PDT by LowOiL
Today I decided I wanted to wear my conservative stripes in public.. I wanted the all American T-shirt advertisment of my favorite canidate for President (which unfortunately happens to have next to zero dollars to give free advertisment stuff away). I turned to the web and did a google search and found numerous sites with a few logos for sale in the range of $25.00 to $35.00 with shipping. A tad high for my tastes... and none of them carried a pocket shirt design (I have to have a pocket, I am a spoiled rotten smoker).
So I think, well I am a fairly bright fellow.. I can make my own shirt.. so a hour later of googling... I find that perhaps I might possible be able to make a stencil type shirt.. With high hopes I go to Wally World and start looking for items to make this dream come true... I find fabric ink, I find 2X blank pocket tees for about 4 bucks each (made in some country far from here, but not China)..
Then I find a great invention for project simpletons such as myself.. Iron-on paper that you can just use your printer to print decals on. All you have to do is get a picture (reverse it if it has words, called "mirrow image" with most photo alter programs).
I used a simple photo edit program called "Paint Shop pro" (PSP for short) to combine the two seperate images I had borrored from people (left click on a picture you like and save image to your computer). I combined them together in PSP to get it where they both fit on one sheet of paper (to save money)..
I then cut the two printed pictures out with a straight edge and put the smaller picture on the front of the shirt and the larger on the back.
Wife took up the Iron work for me... she applied the first decals to the pre-washed (for shrinkage control) tee and it looked pretty good. I don't think the professionals have much to worry about, but to me, I am tickled.. for basically 5 bucks a shirt... I am pleased..
If you have done anything like this... please share with the rest of us... any idea's or tricks... I want to know... thanks..
Can’t find my digital camera right now.. wife must have it.. but will try to put up a photo of my tee as soon as I after work tommorrow.
What’s the value of your time? Saving anything by putting the stuff together, ironing, etc.?
Try CafePress.com
http://www.cafepress.com/cp/customize/?id=5
Not affiliated with the site...just noting that you can create and sell customize shirts relatively cheap.
Great site, but I don’t see pocket Tees there? I gotta have a pocket. Didn’t know you could customise your own designs there, but the conservative ones they had of DH were in the price range (expensive) I mentioned above (with the shipping)..
But it offers “direct printing” which in the long run is more durable. This home printing option I can basically do 4 shirts for that price, but they have shorter life spans (especially if you use the dryer to dry instead of drip dry)..
The Bad News: These don't have what you would call a real long life expectancy. The first time or two they go through the washer (cold) and dryer(remove while still slightly damp, hang to dry completely) but by the third or fourth time you'll notice the image starting to "crack" -- or even slightly peel away at the edges. After a few more washings the image will be really, unmistakably cracked up.
The Good New: Why, heck, if you can make these up at $5 or even $10 each, you can afford to just wear it a few times and then just toss 'em out. Problem solved.
(Now I know if you go to Ebay you can find the kind of t-shirts we're talking about sold by the dozen or more. Yes, in black. That might lessen the cost of your shirts even more.)
Now ya got me thinking. More in the morning.
They make the decal with a white background for black tee shirts, and it really stands out.
Another idea. I’ve made bumper stickers with magnetic paper for inkjet printers. The “paper” goes for about a buck a sheet but you can get three or four bumper stickers/sheet. Wish I still had the art to show you, but went something like “My Sorenio Kajukenbo kid can kick your honor roll students ass.” I made several for the parents of the other kids in his martial arts class. They were a big hit.
I have a new pack of T-shirts ready to do just this. But I also got a pack of 3 canvas tote bags at Walmart for $5, and made my own decals just as you did, and they turned out great. I’m giving them away, and will do some more as time permits.
Why dont you roll them up in your sleeves like they did in the 1950s? :-)
Great idea.
I’ll have to try it.
I have been making my own T-shirts like that for years. One of my favorite designs is to scan freshly-picked fall leaves and scan them, then print them on 2 sheets of decal paper and cut them up and Iron on. looks great, but yes,they have a short lifespan.
I have very little time between work and family,but I’ll be getting some today and will make up some shirts with my daughter on my next weekend.:)
It’s worth the money,even if they don’t last very long.
That has never been my experience, and my husband and I have been wearing shirts I designed and used the printer iron-ons for ages. I'm wearing one right now and I know it is as least 7 years old.
That picture must have been taken in his twenties. He’s a little more fleshed out now.
LOL< thanks for the laugh Jim... I needed that before work...
Hope tonight to load my pictures of my tee...
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