Screen printing DIY at home is super easy with just a few supplies and a cutting machine.

Have you seen all the DIY screen printing projects and wondered if you could do them too? I am with you! I kept getting so inspired but kept putting it off.

Well, I finally have done a couple of shirts and I have to admit I’m hooked!! This is definitely the best way to make multiple shirts with the same design. I will be making 10 cruise shirts soon and this is the way I will be doing it. It will save me time and money on htv.

I made a pair of wifey and hubby shirts and made them two different ways. In this post, I will be showing you screen printing DIY and in my other post, I’ll show you how to paint on fabric with a freezer paper stencil.

You’ll still need a cutting machine for both of these methods, but the extra materials you need are different so I split it into two different posts.

I also made a full video tutorial of each way and have printable instructions at the bottom of the posts. You can find the FREE SVG and PNG cut files at the bottom of each post.

Table of Contents

DIY Screen Printing Supplies

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links from Amazon and/or Cricut.com. I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my links (purple text).

shirts
screen printing frame
squeegee
Speedball paint
Cricut cutting machine – always check prices between Cricut.com and Amazon (click links to compare!)
Adhesive Vinyl
Transfer Tape
Weeding Tools
Wax or parchment paper
Iron, EasyPress2 or Heat Press
FREE Cut Files – see bottom of the post

I do have all of these screen printing steps in a video at the bottom of the post!

Preparing to Screen Print at Home

The first thing you need to do is cut out your image with a cutting machine. I have and love my Cricut. Make sure to check out my Ultimate Guide of Cricut Ideas to find out all about it.

You can design any image in your software or upload my file that you can find below. Size it to fit your shirt. Using the templates in Cricut Design Space is really helpful for this part!

Cut the file out of adhesive vinyl/ Oracal 651 on Mirror setting. Just like you would be cutting out iron-on vinyl.

Since we are using this as a silk screen stencil, weed out the letters. Make sure to leave all the extra inside pieces.

Cut a piece of transfer tape and apply it to the top of the vinyl. Scrape it down.

Peel it off your mat. Remove the backing paper and apply it to the top side of the screen printing frame.

It will be backward which is correct! Flip the frame over and scrape down the vinyl really well.

Flip the frame back over and remove the transfer tape. Mine was a bit too sticky so I had to keep scraping.

A low to medium tackiness would work best.

Once the transfer tape is off, flip it back over and scrape everything down again.

On To The Fun Part – DIY Screen Printing!

Add blue painter’s tape around the edges of the adhesive vinyl. This prevents paint from oozing over the edges on to the shirt.

Put a piece of wax or parchment paper inside your t-shirt so the paint doesn’t bleed through to the back.

Center the screen printing frame on your shirt. I just used a ruler. PigskinsandPigtails.com has some great tips on how to get everything centered.

Now add some Speedball paint above your design and all the way across.

Use the squeegee to slide the paint down. Slide it down 2-3 times making sure all the lettering is filled in.

Put your squeegee down so you don’t transfer any paint.

Hold down one side of your shirt and lift the frame with the other.

And viola! Admire your new wifey t-shirt!

Just a few more steps to ensure that the paint won’t peel off. Let the shirt dry fully.

Then you need to heat set it. Place a Teflon or another protective sheet over the paint and iron both sides for 3-5 minutes each. Or heat press or use an EasyPress at 325F for 45 seconds.

Refrain from washing the shirt for 5 days.

Repeat all the steps for the hubby t-shirt and go show off your new shirts!

I have a brand new post on how screen printing and sublimation differ if you want to check it out!

FREE Wifey and Hubby Cut Files

I have two different variations so you can use whichever you like. You could also use the files to make iron-on vinyl shirts.

As with all my files, these are for personal use only. If you would like to purchase a commercial use license, click here.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD SVG FILE

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD PNG FILE

If you need additional help with this step, make sure to watch my video tutorial on how to download and upload files to Cricut Design Space.

If you’d like to save this tutorial for later, simply hover over the top left of the image below and PIN It now.

Here are some printable instructions.