When it comes to creating iron-ons, there are a lot of things you have to consider. You want to make sure that you have the right design and also that you have the proper tools for the job.
The first thing you will need is an image of your design. This can be a photo or a drawing. You may be able to find an image that already has an iron-on design, or you can create your own by using photo editing software.
Once you have your image you will need to print it out on transfer paper and iron it onto your shirt. The transfer paper will have directions on how to iron the design.
If your shirt is light colored you will want to put a piece of cardboard or a folded up brown paper bag inside of the shirt directly underneath where the design is going to be ironed on. This will help to protect the fabric from the transfer and prevent it from peeling or cracking.
You will need to be very careful when choosing the transfer paper that you use for your project, as some are designed for dark shirts and others for light shirts. You will want to choose a dark transfer paper if you are going to be printing the design on a dark shirt or a light transfer paper if you are going to be printed the design on a light shirt.
Another thing to keep in mind is that if your transfer paper is designed for light fabrics it will need to be reversed before it is printed on your t-shirt. Typically this is done from your print settings in your printer or you can search online for a reverse image tool.
After you have printed the image onto the transfer paper it needs to dry. This will take a few minutes. Once it has dried, you can then start to iron it onto your t-shirt.
When you have finished the ironing on process it is very important to wait at least 24 hours before washing your shirt and turning it inside out. This will give your design the time to completely adhere and last for several washes before showing signs of cracking or peeling.
If you have an easy press be sure to read the instructions on your machine for the exact temperature and timing that you need to apply the vinyl. You can also consult the Heat Press Guide that came with your Cricut machine to determine the exact temperatures needed for the material you are using.
Once you have the vinyl transferred to your t-shirt you need to carefully flip over your t-shirt and press it for another 15-30 seconds on the back side of the shirt. This is very important to do because the vinyl will lift and peel off if it does not adhere correctly.
You can also retouch the back of the t-shirt after it has been pressed on for another 15-30 seconds to try and get it to stick better.