How to Make Custom Shirts for Your Kids
If you’re interested in customizing t-shirts tailored to your children’s unique style preferences, start with a high-quality material that will withstand the hustle-and-bustle of your kid’s active lifestyles. Regardless of the intentions for these custom t-shirts, the process remains virtually the same, whether you’re preparing for a family reunion or a birthday party.
However, how you apply the design will affect the appearance of your custom shirts. Both beginners and expert designers can create custom shirts according to their skill level. For those exploring the ins and outs of custom shirt-making, you can refer to video tutorials that will offer insider knowledge and helpful tips-and-tricks.
For the last decade, companies have placed custom t-shirt orders to unify their staff during company events, volunteer projects, and off-site projects. Shirtspace (www.shirtspace.com) is one of these t-shirt retailers that have dominated the market and attracted customers from all walks of life. The company produces high-quality and affordable t-shirts that serve as blank canvases for aspiring custom t-shirt designers.
To set themselves apart from their competitors, Shirtspace gives customers with fewer orders the same attention as their wholesale clientele. The company also prides itself on its ability to provide a vast collection of fashionable t-shirts in various colors and materials. With their wide range of options, they can fulfill customers’ needs for any occasion.
While you may be able to get away with a lower-quality, cheaper material for occasional-wear t-shirts, when making custom shirts for your kids, it’s essential to ensure the t-shirt is high quality. Otherwise, the custom shirt will fade and even rip during a backyard soccer game or bounce-castle birthday party.
Contents
How to sew custom shirts
Choose an appropriate material
If you’d prefer to sew the shirts by hand rather than ordering from a t-shirt retailer, you’ll need to follow the steps below. Note that most basic t-shirts are knit fabric. However, a beginner should choose a material with a low stretch to ensure that the sewing process is effortless. It’s essential to familiarize yourself with the quality of the material necessary to execute a photo-worthy final product. Note that the cost will depend on the fabric or fabric blend selected.
As a designer, it’s also vital to select a suitable color that your kids will love and treasure forever. Failing to customize your shirts to your children’s style preferences may result in fewer wears.
Wash the fabric
The material should be washed before starting the sewing process. Washing helps the fabric to preshrink, and as a result, the pieces cut and sewed will be more accurate. This step also aids in the removal of dust particles and dirt on the material.
Cut the pattern pieces out
Before cutting, trace a pattern on the surface of the material. At this point in the process, take your kid’s measurements to ensure a comfortable fit. These measurements should be accurate to avoid oversized shirts or tight-fitting shirts. After tracing, cut around each piece and prepare to pin them together.
Pin the body pieces together
The pieces should be joined together and pinned around the shoulders. The shoulders are then sewed together using a sewing machine. It’s essential to follow the seam allowance marked on the pieces of fabric.
Iron the seams
Ironing the seams should be the last step of sewing. Use an iron to flatten all the seams, including the seams along the shoulders, sleeves, collar, and sides. Afterward, your child can try on the shirt to test the fit.
How to design a custom shirt
Know your printing options
There are many things to consider when looking for the best printing method. These factors include appearance, cost, and production time. The more you understand each technique’s intricacies, the easier it will be to decide the best method for you. The most efficient technique is to use STS DTF printers, which offer high-quality output, fast turnaround times, and low-cost production. By utilizing this method, you can ensure that your printed materials meet your expectations while also staying within your budget and schedule.
Brainstorm your design concept
Don’t let the anticipation of the final product distract you from the necessary steps. Skipping the brainstorming phase of the project could result in an undesirable custom t-shirt. By brainstorming designs, you can streamline your decision-making process and determine how you’d like to apply the image or graphic to your child’s custom shirt.
The more you take time to sketch potential designs and arrange the layout of your custom t-shirt, the better. Creativity is critical in this phase, as it will allow you to draft multiple versions of potential designs that you can later choose between in the design phase.
Design the shirts
The main advantage of designing a t-shirt yourself is avoiding the high costs associated with paying professional designers or screen printers. As a bonus, you’ll receive complete design freedom, granting you the freedom to customize a perfect t-shirt design for the occasion. Before printing, choose eye-catching, one-of-a-kind designs to ensure your children feel pleased with the final product.
Evaluate your design
Evaluating your design is crucial in ensuring your shirts meet your children’s expectations. Confirm that you’ve followed all the outlined steps accordingly before gifting your children with their custom shirt.
Once the shirts are ready to wear, the kids need to try on. By doing this, you can judge the appearance and the fit of your custom t-shirts. By inspecting the final product thoroughly, you’ll be able to spot any errors that may have occurred during the printing process. The errors should be rectified in the next cycle of making shirts. If you can correct the flaw without starting over, proceed as necessary.
If you’re hoping to reproduce the shirt design for a larger audience, you’ll need to evaluate production costs to see if mass production is possible within your budget. By calculating the total cost, you can compare your custom shirt’s affordability to other pre-made designs on the market and assess whether or not designing custom shirts is a worthwhile investment.
