Instant T-shirt Design With Laser Printer

Make your special one-day t-shirt design and impress your friends, with an every-day-new t-shirt ;)

What U need:
- laser printer
- baking paper
- plain paper (on what u normally print)
- some kind of cutter
- double-faced scotch tape
- hard underlay (heat resistant)
- iron
- t-shirt

What U get:
- nice individual clothing

mostly after washing your cloth is just like before - without individual style
sometimes some black color will be left anyway
so, it's all on your own risk ;)

Deutsche Version (german version)

Step 1: Prepare the Design

I only own a b/w laser printer, so my motive has to be b/w, too.
I think this should also work with a color laser printer (haven't tried).

So choose or create what you want to get on your clothes.
In case that it is a DIN A4 printer I fragmented my writing in order to get it bigger than A4.
For even bigger things, just use more sheets.
Do not just cut your image. The border-zones schould overlap a little bit, this will make it easier putting them together in the right way.
And don't forget to mirror it!

Step 2: Prepare the Printing

For transferring the motive on cloth, it has to be printed on baking paper.
baking paper isn't in printer friendly format, so you have to cut it in the format which is supported by your printer ;)

The next fact is: Printers don't like baking paper - they'll eat it and go on strike!
You have to make your printer believe it's a plain paper.
Use the double-faced scotch tape to mount the baking paper on the plain paper.
Baking paper should be a little smalle than the plain paper.
If your baking paper is coated on only one side, this side should be on top (you'll print on this side)

Step 3: Get Ready for Ironing

After printing you should handle the sheet with care so that the toner doesn't leave the paper.
A little bit of the toner will be left in the printer so that your very next print gets "dirty" (at least in my printer) don't care ;)

Now you have to cut the motive into a usable shape - better use a cutter or scalpel than scissors (above named handle with care).

looks good so far

Step 4: Ironing

last step:
For ironing you should use a hard underlay, otherwise the result will be ugly.
I used a sheet metal.
Before ironing you should test the position of the complete motive on the cloth - still handle wiht care.

Turn off the steam. Iron as hot as your t-shirt supports ;)
Iron the parts seperately.
Be sure to have everytime a baking paper between iron and toner.

At the beginning heat the complete part with the iron evenly.
Then go on from the border with some pressure, maybe use the edge of the iron.
While doing this, strip off the baking paper slowly - you will see wether the toner is on the cloth or on the paper -> should be all on the cloth.
Do not iron directly on the toner - the toner loves your iron much more than your t-shirt.

At the end all the toner should be on the cloth - nothing on the baking paper.

(the toner is black plasitc powder which melts on heat)