There are so many sublimation blanks to choose from these days and one of my new favorites is pens! They are relatively easy to make, the aren’t expensive, and you can endlessly customize them.

In today’s post, we’re going to talk about how to sublimate pens, plus I’ll give you tips and tricks for adding a name and getting the image wrapped tightly around the barrel of the pen. I’m using my J-Trans sublimation oven, but you can use any convection oven you have set aside specifically for sublimation crafting (never use an oven you use for food for sublimation!).

Let’s get started!

Watch the Video

Click play below to watch a video of me sublimating pens! Or keep reading for a written tutorial.

Supplies for Sublimating Pens

Get everything you need to sublimate pens in my Amazon Shop!

• Sublimation pens (these should come with specialty shrink wrap)
• Heat-resistant tape
• Heat-resistant gloves
• Alcohol and a microfiber cloth
• Sublimation oven
• Weeding hook or scissors (optional)
• Heat-resistant mat

How to Sublimate Pens

You can use the free file above as is to create non-personalized pens, but let’s hop into Cricut Design Space to add a name. Skip this first part if you don’t want to add text to your pen.

Adding a Name to Sublimation Pens

Upload your PNG file to Cricut Design Space. Despite designing these in the correct size, Cricut Design Space will bring it into the Canvas too large. We’ll re-size it before we make our project.

Type your name or other text, and then resize the text and place it about 2/3 of the way up on the background image.

If you’d like, change the color and add an offset.

Select the text, offset, and background and click Flatten in the lower right.

Re-size the project to be 4″ wide.

Click Make It. On the Prepare Screen, mirror your image.

And then print with your sublimation printer with the Bleed turned off.

Sublimating Pens in a Convection Oven

Start by cutting out your transfer. I’m not using my Cricut for the cutting—I just cut my transfer down using a paper trimmer.

Loosen the screw part of the bottom of the pen and remove the inner workings. Make sure to not lose any of the small pieces.

Clean your barrel with alcohol and a microfiber cloth.

I am using a trick I learned from Angie Holden for taping tumblers. Add a piece of heat-resistant tape along the long edge on the back of the transfer. The transfer is slightly bigger than the circumference of the barrel, and this will keep the sublimation ink from bleeding through both layers.

Now wrap your transfer around the barrel with the image facing the barrel. We’re not taping yet—we’re just trying to get the paper to “remember” that it needs to curl like this.

Add three pieces of tape on the back side of the transfer, with half of each piece off the transfer. Do this on the side that does not have that first piece of tape we used.

Now use your hands to roll the transfer around the barrel, tucking the side with the long piece of tape under as you roll.

Keep rolling and the three pieces of tape will nicely secure your whole barrel at once!

Add your pen to a shrink wrap sleeve.

Bake your pens in your sublimation oven for 5 minutes at 375°, rotating halfway through.

Remove the shrink wrap and transfer (this is where the weeding hook or scissors come in handy) and add the inner workings of your pen back into the barrel.

That’s it! You’re done with your sublimated pens!

Hope you found this tutorial for sublimating pens helpful! If you need any help or have any comments, please leave them below!

Print

HOW TO SUBLIMATE PENS IN A CONVECTION OVEN

Use sublimation to make cute pens for your desk or as gifts! Here's how to sublimate pens in a sublimation or convection oven, plus add a name to customize them!

Author Cori George

Equipment

• Sublimation oven
• Weeding Hook or
• Scissors (optional)
• Heat-resistant mat

Ingredients

• Free Sublimation Pen Bundle #S33
• Sublimation pens (these should come with specialty shrink wrap)
• Heat-resistant tape
• Alcohol and a
• microfiber cloth

Instructions

• How to Sublimate Pens

  You can use the free file above as is to create non-personalized pens, but let's hop into Cricut Design Space to add a name. Skip this first part if you don't want to add text to your pen.
  
• Adding a Name to Sublimation Pens

  Upload your PNG file to Cricut Design Space. Despite designing these in the correct size, Cricut Design Space will bring it into the Canvas too large. You'll have to re-size it before making the project.
  
• Type your name or other text, and then resize the text and place it about 2/3 of the way up on the background image.
  
• If you'd like, change the color and add an offset.
  
• Select the text, offset, and background and click Flatten in the lower right.
  
• Re-size the project to be 4" wide.
  
• Click Make It. On the Prepare Screen, mirror your image.
  
• And then print with your sublimation printer with the Bleed turned off.
  
• Sublimating Pens in a Convection Oven

  Start by cutting out your transfer. For this project Cricut was not used for the cutting. Just cut your transfer down using a paper trimmer.
  
• Loosen the screw part of the bottom of the pen and remove the inner workings. Make sure to not lose any of the small pieces.
  
• Clean your barrel with alcohol and a microfiber cloth.
  
• Add a piece of heat-resistant tape along the long edge on the back of the transfer. The transfer is slightly bigger than the circumference of the barrel, and this will keep the sublimation ink from bleeding through both layers.
  
• Now wrap your transfer around the barrel with the image facing the barrel. Not taping yet—just trying to get the paper to "remember" that it needs to curl like this.
  
• Add three pieces of tape on the back side of the transfer, with half of each piece off the transfer. Do this on the side that does not have that first piece of tape that was used.
  
• Now use your hands to roll the transfer around the barrel, tucking the side with the long piece of tape under as you roll.
  
• Keep rolling and the three pieces of tape will nicely secure your whole barrel at once!
  
• Add your pen to a shrink wrap sleeve.
  
• Bake your pens in your sublimation oven for 5 minutes at 375°, rotating halfway through.
  
• Remove the shrink wrap and transfer (this is where the weeding hook or scissors come in handy) and add the inner workings of your pen back into the barrel.
  
• That's it! You're done with your sublimated pens!
  

The post How to Sublimate Pens in a Convection Oven appeared first on Hey, Let's Make Stuff.

Father’s Day is coming up, so let’s make some custom beer mugs for dad! Of course, dad isn’t the only one who enjoys a cold beer, so you can also make these sublimation beer mugs for anyone who loves a frosty brew! Sublimation beer steins are the perfect way to customize something special for the beer-fan in your life.

Today I’m going to show you how to sublimate beer mugs two ways—using a tumbler press and using a sublimation oven. That way, no matter which heat source you have, you’ll be able to make this fun and easy gift! This is one of the easiest sublimation projects and I was really impressed with the quality of the final image on these blanks!

I have two images for you today—one in color and one in black. Normally I like a lot of color in my sublimation images, but I think some guys are pretty straightforward and black might work better for them. Of course, depending on who you are making these mugs for, you could use any image you’d like! I have a funny beer-themed SVG bundle that you might like, too.

Watch the Video

Want to watch my step-by-step process for sublimating beer mugs? Hit play below! Or keep reading for a written tutorial.

Supplies for Sublimation Beer Mugs

You can get everything you need to make these sublimated beer mugs in my Amazon store!

• Sublimation beer mugs
• Sublimation printer
• Sublimation paper
• Tumbler press OR
• Sublimation oven
• Alcohol + microfiber cloth
• Heat-resistant tape
• Heat-resistant gloves
• Butcher paper (if using tumbler press)
• Shrink wrap (if using oven)
• Heat-resistant mat
• Paper trimmer or scissors

How to Sublimate Beer Mugs in a Tumbler Press

Start by cleaning your blank using alcohol and a microfiber cloth.

Use a paper trimmer or scissors to cut out your design.

Tape your design to your clean blank (make sure the alcohol has evaporated) using heat-resistant tape.

Tape two pieces of butcher paper over your design. This will protect your tumbler press from any ink blowing through the transfer paper.

Press your mug for 240 seconds at 360° with medium pressure

Remove the butcher paper and transfer to reveal your final image!

How to Sublimate Beer Mugs in a Sublimation Oven

We’re going to prepare this blank similarly. Start by cleaning off your blank using alcohol and a microfiber cloth.

Use a paper trimmer or scissors to cut out your design.

Tape your design to your mug using heat-resistant tape.

Instead of using butcher paper, we’re going to use shrink wrap. I found the 12″ x 8″ sublimation shrink wrapped worked well for this project.

Cut out a hole for your handle. It doesn’t have to be neat—just enough to allow the shrink wrap to sit flat against the mug.

Add a piece of tape to connect the two sides of the butcher paper.

Now a lot of people would have you use your heat gun here to pre-shrink the shrink wrap, but I haven’t found it necessary. I put it right into my oven! I baked at 385° for 12 minutes.

Remove the shrink wrap right away (it’s so much easier to remove when it’s hot!) and then remove your transfer to see your final mug. It turned out great!

These sublimation beer mugs really are easy to make and are an easy gift for dad or any other beer lover in your life!

I hope you found this tutorial to sublimate beer mugs helpful! If you have any questions or need help troubleshooting your sublimation project, drop me a comment below!

Print

SUBLIMATING BEER MUGS

Sublimation beer steins are the perfect way to customize something special for the beer-fan in your life.

Author Cori George

Equipment

• Sublimation printer
• Tumbler press OR
• Sublimation oven
• Heat-resistant gloves
• Heat-resistant mat
• Paper trimmer Or
• Scissors

Ingredients

• Sublimation beer mugs
• Sublimation paper
• Alcohol
• microfiber cloth
• Heat-resistant tape
• Heat-resistant gloves
• Butcher paper (if using tumbler press)
• Shrink wrap (if using oven)
• Dad Jokes Sublimation File #S34

Instructions

• How to Sublimate Beer Mugs in a Tumbler Press

  Start by cleaning your blank using alcohol and a microfiber cloth.
  
• Use a paper trimmer or scissors to cut out your design.
  
• Tape your design to your clean blank (make sure the alcohol has evaporated) using heat-resistant tape.
  
• Tape two pieces of butcher paper over your design. This will protect your tumbler press from any ink blowing through the transfer paper.
  
• Press your mug for 240 seconds at 360° with medium pressure
  
• Remove the butcher paper and transfer to reveal your final image!
  
• How to Sublimate Beer Mugs in a Sublimation Oven

  Prepare this blank similarly. Start by cleaning off your blank using alcohol and a microfiber cloth.
  
• Use a paper trimmer or scissors to cut out your design.
  
• Tape your design to your mug using heat-resistant tape.
  
• Instead of using butcher paper, use shrink wrap. The 12" x 8" sublimation shrink wrapped worked well for this project.
  
• Cut out a hole for your handle. It doesn't have to be neat—just enough to allow the shrink wrap to sit flat against the mug.
  
• Add a piece of tape to connect the two sides of the butcher paper.
  
• At this point a lot of people would have you use your heat gun here to pre-shrink the shrink wrap, but it isn't necessary. Just put it right into the oven and bake at 385° for 12 minutes.

  Remove the shrink wrap right away (it's so much easier to remove when it's hot!) and then remove your transfer to see your final mug. It turned out great!

  These sublimation beer mugs really are easy to make and are an easy gift for dad or any other beer lover in your life!
  

The post How to Sublimate Beer Mugs appeared first on Hey, Let's Make Stuff.

More and more sublimation blanks are coming onto the market and recently I realized that there were a lot of options for jewelry! Sublimation jewelry is a fun way to create matching accessories for your outfits or to show off some of your favorite photos.

In today’s post, we’re going to walk through making four types of sublimation jewelry—dangle earrings, stud earrings, a rhinestone necklace, and a charm bracelet! You can use pretty much any heat press for these, even the Cricut EasyPress Mini!

Watch the Video

Get a video walkthrough of all of the jewelry pieces I made by clicking play below! Or read on for a written tutorial.

Printing Your Sublimation Files

You can use whatever images you’d like for your sublimation jewelry. For this project, I sized down my images to be small to fit my different jewelry pieces and I put them all on a single sheet of paper so I wouldn’t waste extra paper.

You can see my posts How to Use Photoshop for Sublimation and How to Use Cricut Design Space for Sublimation if you need a place to start.

I used my Brother sublimation printer for these images. Make sure to reverse your image so that it transfers correctly!

Preparing Your Sublimation Jewelry

All of these projects are prepared the same!

Start by removing the plastic film from the sublimatable surfaces. Every piece of jewelry I bought had a coating, and some were hard to see. I found a weeding hook to be super helpful!

Start by cleaning your blank using some alcohol and a microfiber cloth. You can use a lint roller as well.

Tape your blank (the white sublimation piece) to your transfer using heat-resistant tape or heat-resistant spray adhesive. I found the spray to be a lot easier on these little blanks, but tape works as well.

Press according to the time, temperature, and pressure settings below! Make sure to use butcher paper below and above your project to keep your ink from transferring to your press.

Sublimation Dangle Earrings

Let’s start with these dangle earrings. These have been around for a while but they are super fun to match to your outfit and are super easy to make. These are a great money-maker as well. They aren’t expensive to buy and they are easy to transport to and from craft shows or to ship if you’re selling online.

You can do both sides, one at a time. Press the first side with the blank facing up and the image facing down. Then flip and press the second side.

• Sublimation dangle earrings
• 360°
• 40 seconds
• Medium pressure

To assemble, just use jewelry pliers to add the earring findings to the earrings.

Sublimation Stud Earrings

These little stud earrings would be so cute with little kawaii characters or pictures of the grandkids! These are a bit more difficult to assemble and I didn’t follow their instructions fully.

To start, there is a bag of sublimation pieces and adhesive circles. The sublimation pieces are silver on one side and a sort of shimmery bright white on the other. You’ll want to sublimate that bright white side.

• Sublimation stud earrings
• 385°
• 60 seconds
• Medium pressure

To assemble, I ditched the adhesive circles and just used a tiny drop of super glue instead to seal the sublimation image in the earring back.

And then instead of using glue to adhere the glass cabochon on top of the sublimation image, I used a small dot of UV resin. Yes this is more difficult and requires you to buy a UV resin kit, but I found that the UV resin was completely invisible whereas glue made my image cloudy.

Double-Sided Sublimation Rhinestone Necklace

If you want a little sparkle, there is a lot of rhinestone sublimation jewelry to choose from! I chose this bling necklace which is actually double-sided. Unlike the dangle earrings above, though, you’ll sublimate each disk individually. I did them at the same time.

• Sublimation rhinestone necklace
• 385°
• 60 seconds
• Medium pressure

To assemble, you can use the adhesive circles that come with the necklaces, but I found it easier to use a tiny dot of glue. Glue the disks you sublimated to each side of the necklace, taking care to make sure your images are straight up and down.

Add the chain and you’re done!

Sublimation Charm Bracelet

Finally we have a sublimation charm bracelet! I feel like this would be great for a grandma with photos of all the grandkids or for a mom who always wants to have her littles close to her heart.

For these, there’s just a single sublimation square/heart disk for each charm, three charms in all. I pressed them all at the same time.

• Sublimation charm bracelet
• 385°
• 60 seconds
• Medium pressure

These are super easy to assemble—just peel back the backing on the adhesive piece inside each charm.

Place your sublimated image for each and you’re good to go!

Hope you felt inspired by this post to make your own sublimation jewelry! I would love to hear what sort of projects you’re making with sublimation down in the comments.

Print

SUBLIMATION JEWELRY

Show off your style with sublimation! Make all sorts of custom sublimation jewelry, including earrings, necklaces, and even charm bracelets!

Keyword Jewelry, Sublimation

Author Cori George

Equipment

• Cricut EasyPress Mini
• Brother sublimation printer
• Weeding Hook

Ingredients

• Sublimation dangle earrings
• Sublimation stud earrings
• Sublimation rhinestone necklace
• Sublimation charm bracelet
• Geometric Pattern Bundle File #S32

Instructions

• Print your sublimation files. You can size down your images to be small to fit the different jewelry pieces and put them all on a single sheet of paper so as to not waste extra paper.
  
• Prepare the sublimation jewelry by removing the plastic film from the sublimatable surfaces. Every piece of jewelry used in this project had had a coating, and some were hard to see. Using a weeding hook is super helpful!
  
• Clean the blank using some alcohol and a microfiber cloth. A lint roller can be used as well.
  
• Tape the blank (the white sublimation piece) to the transfer using heat-resistant tape or heat-resistant spray adhesive. Spray was found to be a lot easier on these little blanks, but tape works as well.

  Press according to the time, temperature, and pressure settings as shown below for each project. Make sure to use butcher paper below and above your project to keep your ink from transferring to your press.
  
• Sublimation Dangle Earrings: Both sides can be done at one time. Press the first side with the blank facing up and the image facing down. Then flip and press the second side. 360° – 40 seconds – Medium pressure
  
• Assemble by using a jewelry pliers to add the earring findings to the earrings.
  
• Sublimation Stud Earrings: To start, there is a bag of sublimation pieces and adhesive circles. The sublimation pieces are silver on one side and a sort of shimmery bright white on the other. Sublimate the bright white side. 385° – 60 seconds – Medium pressure
  
• To assemble, ditch the adhesive circles and just used a tiny drop of super glue instead to seal the sublimation image in the earring back.
  
• And then instead of using glue to adhere the glass cabochon on top of the sublimation image, use a small dot of UV resin. Yes this is more difficult and requires you to buy a UV resin kit, but the UV resin is completely invisible whereas glue makes the image cloudy.
  
• Double-Sided Sublimation Rhinestone Necklace: This bling necklace is double-sided. Unlike the dangle earrings above, though, you'll sublimate each disk individually. I did them at the same time. 385° – 60 seconds – Medium pressure
  
• To assemble, you can use the adhesive circles that come with the necklaces, but found that it is easier to use a tiny dot of glue. Glue the disks you sublimated to each side of the necklace, taking care to make sure your images are straight up and down. Add the chain and you're done!
  
• Sublimation Charm Bracelet: For these, there's just a single sublimation square/heart disk for each charm, three charms in all. They can be pressed all at the same time. 385° – 60 seconds – Medium pressure
  
• These are super easy to assemble—just peel back the backing on the adhesive piece inside each charm. Place your sublimated image for each and you're good to go!
  

The post How to Make Sublimation Jewelry appeared first on Hey, Let's Make Stuff.

Are you a pet lover? I absolutely love dogs. We have a big cuddly Bernese Mountain Dog named Gus, and I never pass up the opportunity to pet a dog whenever I’m walking around our neighborhood. I know so many of the names of our neighbors’ dogs, but I don’t know their human names (sorry Kevin’s dad!). I think I’d like cats more, but I’m quite allergic, so I’ll admire their cuteness from afar!

If you’re a sublimation crafter, you can get crafty for your pets with the fun pet sublimation blanks in this tutorial! We’re going to make five different projects, all designed for your fluffy best friend (unless you have one of those hairless cats…but you can make stuff too, I guess!).

Because we’re making a wide variety of projects, I have a few different heat presses. First, I’m using my WALApress from Heat Transfer Warehouse, but you could use any traditional flat press or a handheld press. Then I am also using my J-Trans Sublimation Oven.

Sublimation ink is safe for pets and humans once it has been sublimated. So, grab your sublimation supplies and let’s get started on making some tail-wagging, purr-worthy creations!

Watch the Video

Want to watch to watch me make these projects? Check out my video below! Or keep reading for a written tutorial.

Printing Your Sublimation Transfers

I went ahead and pre-printed all my sublimation transfers for these projects. I sized the image to fit my projects and printed using my Sawgrass SG1000. If you need more information about printing sublimation transfers, check out my post on Sublimation Software.

Other Supplies You’ll Need

You can find everything I feature in this post in my Amazon store!

In addition to the actual pet sublimation blanks I have listed below, you’ll also need:

• Butcher paper
• Heat-resistant tape
• Heat-resistant gloves
• Nomex pad (optional)

Sublimation Pet Tags

Let’s start with a simple pet tag! These are double-sided so we’ll sublimate each side separately. On the back, you can put your pet’s information if you’d like! Because this one is just for this tutorial and not for my actual dog, I am just putting a pattern on both sides to show you the process.

• Sublimation pet tags
• Flat press
• 385°
• 45 seconds

Remove the plastic film from both sides of the tag.

Clean your blank using a lint roller or alcohol and a microfiber cloth.

I printed my design small and cut it in half to use it with both sides of my tag.

Tape your blank to the sublimation print. We’re doing this one side at a time, so pick a side and we’ll do that one first.

Place a piece of butcher paper on the bottom of your press. Then add the tag with the tag facing up and the print facing down on top.

Add another piece of butcher paper on top.

Press according to the time and temperature above.

Repeat with the other side using the same process.

Add the metal ring and attach to your pet’s collar!

Sublimation Pet Collar

Collars go right along with pet tags and they are pretty easy to make once you figure out what you’re doing.

• Sublimation pet collar
• Flat press
• 365°
• 45 seconds

To start, un-clasping the dog collar. Then you’ll need to basically move the clasps until the long white piece is flat. It took me a bit to figure it out, but you need to slide one of the pieces all the way to one side for it to lie flat.

Clean your pet collar using a lint roller.

Then tape your pet collar to your design. The length of my sublimation area was 11.5″, but I was able to put the collar on an 8.5″ x 11″ piece of paper (hooray, Pythagorean Theorem) and make it work for this project.

Add a piece of butcher paper to the bottom of your press. When placing your pet collar in your press, you do NOT want any of the plastic or metal bits within the press. I have a 15″ x 15″ press, so I had to place my collar at a diagonal because it was too short going straight across. If you have a smaller heat press, you may not need to do it this way.

Add another piece of butcher paper and press for the above time and temperature. Then remove the paper to reveal your sublimation pet collar!

Small Sublimation Pet Bandana

Let’s start with the easier, smaller pet bandana. I really like this one because it presses flat and then uses a small collar attachment for your pet. I think this is easier and tidier than knotting a bandana.

• Small sublimation pet bandana
• Flat press
• 375°
• 60 seconds

Remove the bandana piece from the collar piece. Clean your bandana using a lint roller.

Then tape your pet bandana to your design.

Add a piece of butcher paper to the bottom of your press with the bandana facing up and the design facing down.

Add another piece of butcher paper and press for the time temperature listed above. Then remove the paper to reveal your sublimation pet bandana!

Large Sublimation Pet Bandana

I also picked a large pet bandana because my dog is the size of a small pony. This one is a bit tougher because it’s so large—it’s bigger than both my printer paper and my press! So instead of using my pattern for this one, I just printed out my dog’s name in a cute font. You could tape a pattern together and press it in sections, but I went the simple route for this one.

• Large sublimation pet bandana
• Flat press
• 375°
• 60 seconds

Clean your bandana using a lint roller.

Then tape your pet bandana to your design.

Add a piece of butcher paper to the bottom of your press with the bandana facing up and the design facing down.

Add another piece of butcher paper and press for the time temperature listed above. Then remove the paper to reveal your sublimation pet bandana!

Sublimation Water Bottle with Built In Bowl

This is a great blank for going on a hike with your dog! The top part is like a regular water bottle and the bottom houses a bowl. You can either split the water bottle, with the top part for you and the bottom part for your pup, or you can use the water bottle to refill the bowl if your dog is particularly thirsty.

I am using my oven for this particular blank, but if your tumbler press has an extra large attachment, you may be able to use that instead.

• Sublimation water bottle with built-in bowl + shrink wrap
• Tumbler press / sublimation oven + shrink wrap
• 360° / 375°
• 120 seconds total, rotate once / 6 minutes total, rotate once

Clean your blank using a lint roller or alcohol and a microfiber cloth.

Tape your blank to the sublimation print. If you need tips and tricks, check out my post How to Tape a Tumbler to Minimize Seams and Uneven Edges.

Add your water bottle to the shrink wrap sleeve. Note that I do not use a heat gun to pre-shrink my shrink wrap, since it shrinks so quickly in the oven. You can choose to if you’d like!

Set your oven to the specified time and temperature. I like to use a Nomex pad to prevent grill lines on my project, but it’s not necessary.

Bake according to the time and temperature above, rotating once halfway through the time.

Then remove the paper to reveal your water bottle!

I hope you found this tutorial for pet sublimation blanks helpful! If you have any questions, I’d be happy to answer those below!

Print

PET SUBLIMATION BLANKS FOR DOGS AND CATS

Make all sorts of fun gear for your favorite furry friend with these pet sublimation blanks! From collars to tags to water bottles, these fun projects are perfect for personalizing items for Fido or Fluffy!

Author Cori George

Equipment

• WALApress
• J-Trans Sublimation Oven

Ingredients

• Free Paw Print Sublimation Pattern #S31
• Butcher paper
• Heat-resistant tape
• Heat-resistant gloves
• Nomex pad (optional)
• Sublimation pet tags
• Sublimation pet collar
• Small sublimation pet bandana
• Large sublimation pet bandana
• Sublimation water bottle with built-in bowl
• shrink wrap

Instructions

• Printing Your Sublimation Transfers

  All of the sublimation transfers for these projects were pre-printed, and the images were sized to fit the projects. The images were printed using a Sawgrass SG1000. If you need more information about printing sublimation transfers, check out this post on Sublimation Software.
  
• Sublimation Pet Tags

  Let's start with a simple pet tag! These are double-sided so each side will be sublimated separately. On the back, you can put your pet's information if you'd like! Because this one is just for this tutorial and not for an actual dog, the pattern is being put on both sides to show you the process.

  Remove the plastic film from both sides of the tag.

  Flat press – 385° – 45 seconds
  
• Clean your blank using a lint roller or alcohol and a microfiber cloth.

  This design was printed small and cut in half to use it with both sides of the tag.
  
• Tape your blank to the sublimation print. This is being done one side at a time, so pick a side and do that one first.
  
• Place a piece of butcher paper on the bottom of your press. Then add the tag with the tag facing up and the print facing down on top.

  Add another piece of butcher paper on top.

  Press according to the time and temperature above.

  Repeat with the other side using the same process.
  
• Add the metal ring and attach to your pet's collar!
  
• Sublimation Pet Collar

  Collars go right along with pet tags and they are pretty easy to make once you figure out what you're doing.
  
• To start, un-clasp the dog collar. Then you'll need to basically move the clasps until the long white piece is flat. It might take a bit to figure it out, but you need to slide one of the pieces all the way to one side for it to lie flat.

  Flat press – 365° – 45 seconds
  
• Clean your pet collar using a lint roller.
  
• Then tape your pet collar to your design. The length of this sublimation area was 11.5", but was able to put the collar on an 8.5" x 11" piece of paper (hooray, Pythagorean Theorem) and make it work for this project.
  
• Add a piece of butcher paper to the bottom of your press. When placing your pet collar in your press, you do NOT want any of the plastic or metal bits within the press. A 15" x 15" press was used for this project, so the collar had to be placed at a diagonal because it was too short going straight across. If you have a smaller heat press, you may not need to do it this way.
  
• Add another piece of butcher paper and press for the above time and temperature. Then remove the paper to reveal your sublimation pet collar!
  
• Small Sublimation Pet Bandana

  Let's start with the easier, smaller pet bandana. This one presses flat and then uses a small collar attachment for your pet and is easier and tidier than knotting a bandana.

  Flat press – 375° – 60 seconds

  Remove the bandana piece from the collar piece. Clean your bandana using a lint roller.
  
• Then tape your pet bandana to your design.
  
• Add a piece of butcher paper to the bottom of your press with the bandana facing up and the design facing down.
  
• Add another piece of butcher paper and press for the time temperature listed above. Then remove the paper to reveal your sublimation pet bandana!
  
• Large Sublimation Pet Bandana

  This one is a bit tougher because it's so large—it's bigger than both the printer paper and the press! So instead of using one of the patterns for this one, a dog's name was just printed out in a cute font. You could tape a pattern together and press it in sections if you want to use the pattern.

  Flat press – 375° – 60 seconds

  Clean your bandana using a lint roller.
  
• Then tape your pet bandana to your design.
  
• Add a piece of butcher paper to the bottom of your press with the bandana facing up and the design facing down.
  
• Add another piece of butcher paper and press for the time temperature listed above. Then remove the paper to reveal your sublimation pet bandana!
  
• Sublimation Water Bottle with Built In Bowl

  This is a great blank for going on a hike with your dog! The top part is like a regular water bottle and the bottom houses a bowl. You can either split the water bottle, with the top part for you and the bottom part for your pup, or you can use the water bottle to refill the bowl if your dog is particularly thirsty.

  A J-Trans Sublimation Oven was used for this particular blank, but if your tumbler press has an extra large attachment, you may be able to use that instead.

  360° / 375° – 120 seconds total, rotate once / 6 minutes total, rotate once

  Clean your blank using a lint roller or alcohol and a microfiber cloth.
  
• Tape your blank to the sublimation print. If you need tips and tricks, check out this post How to Tape a Tumbler to Minimize Seams and Uneven Edges.
  
• Add your water bottle to the shrink wrap sleeve. Note that a heat gun was not used to pre-shrink the shrink wrap, since it shrinks so quickly in the oven. You can choose to if you'd like!
  
• Set your oven to the specified time and temperature. A Nomex pad was used to prevent grill lines on the project, but it's not necessary.
  
• Bake according to the time and temperature above, rotating once halfway through the time.

  Then remove the paper to reveal your water bottle!
  

The post Pet Sublimation Blanks for Dogs and Cats appeared first on Hey, Let's Make Stuff.

Looking for a fun sublimation project that will really wow people? Sublimation slate might be for you! You can create really beautiful home decor items or gifts by sublimating on slate.

The problem is, a lot can go wrong when sublimating slate. It’s so easy to get ugly blotchy transfers or faded images, in particular. And these are not cheap sublimation blanks! You want to make sure you’re getting your sublimation slates correct the first time.

There are a lot of great tutorials out there for sublimating slate, but in this tutorial I want to tackle one specific process that people have asked me about quite a bit—how to sublimate slate with an auto press.

There are quite a few auto press heat presses on the market today, including the Cricut AutoPress (review), the Vevor Auto Heat Press (review), and the HTVront Auto Heat Press. These presses apply their pressure automatically, which means that you cannot set the pressure manually. Sublimating on slate generally requires heavy pressure, so if you can’t control that, sometimes you can get terrible results.

So in today’s post, I’m going to share how I sublimate slate with an auto press. I’ve done a bunch of testing to figure out how to get great results using the other variables (time and temperature) so you don’t end up ruining your slate blanks!

Watch the Video

Want to see sublimating slate in action? Check out my YouTube video by clicking play below! Or keep reading for a written tutorial.

What Makes Slate Hard to Sublimate?

There are a few reasons you might struggle with sublimating slate. Let’s take a look at them.

Moisture in Sublimation Slate

One of the biggest problems people have with slate is moisture. Slate can hold onto a lot of moisture, resulting in uneven, blotchy images.

The best practice here is to hover your heat press over the blank slate for at least two minutes. The problem is, it’s hard to do with an auto press! With the Cricut AutoPress, you can hold the top plate down for two minutes, but that can get boring. I actually put a book on top of the press and that allows it to hover without me being involved.

For the HTVront Auto Heat Press, you can just place your blank on the bottom plate, close it, and it will hover. There is NO way to hover the Vevor Auto Heat Press, at least as far as I could tell.

Uneven Edges on a Sublimation Slate

Sublimation slate also has edges that are uneven compared to the flat surface of the slate. These can be hard to sublimate because the plate of the press is only coming in contact with the flat part of the slate, not the rough edges. This can leave you with unsightly white edges.

To avoid this, use a sublimation green pad. While the green pad isn’t cheap, it really is the best option for blanks like slates and tiles. The pad has metal fibers that conduct heat, so the pad gets just as hot as the plate of the heat press. Then the rubbery mat conforms to the contours of the edges of the slate, pressing down and sublimating those uneven surfaces. We’ll use this green pad in the tutorial below.

Pressure Considerations

I mentioned above that the reason that it’s difficult to use an auto press to sublimate slate is because you need heavy pressure…but you can’t control the pressure of an auto press. So we can fake some of the pressure by using a wool mat on the base of the heat press. This wool mat is much more solid than the mat that comes with the heat press, and it can help create more pressure. We’ll be using one below as well.

Testing Time and Temperature

I did quite a bit of testing to figure out how to best and I think these four coasters best illustrate how to vary your temperature to get a better result.

• Top Left: This coaster was done at 400° for 240 seconds using the green pad. You can see that it’s the most faded of the bunch. These are the same settings I would use in a regular heat press with heavy pressure, but clearly it wasn’t enough here.
• Top Right: For this one, I added the wool mat to the bottom of my heat press, and then pressed at 400° for 240 seconds. The wool mat did make a difference, but I still wasn’t happy.
• Bottom Left: I increased the time to 380 seconds at 400° (with the green pad and wool mat) and this was much better. But I still thought I could get a more vibrant image.
• Bottom Right: I increase the time to 420 seconds at 400° (with the green pad and wool mat) and I was very happy with this result!

Supplies Needed to Sublimate on Slate

I have included the time and temperature settings for the three slates I’ve used. If you are using a different type of slate, you may need to do some tests varying the amount of time you are pressing your project as I did above.

• Small sublimation slate coaster (400°, 480 seconds)
• Large sublimation rectangular slate (400°, 540 seconds)
• Large sublimation heart slate (400°, 540 seconds)
• Cricut AutoPress or other heat press
• Alcohol
• Microfiber cloth
• Wool mat
• Green pad
• Butcher paper
• Heat resistant tape
• Heat resistant gloves

Sublimating Slate with an Auto Press

Start by cleaning your blank using the alcohol and microfiber cloth. This will remove any dust or oils from your surface so you get a nice clean transfer.

Once the alcohol has evaporated, tape your slate to your image using heat-resistant tape. You want to make sure your image is slightly larger than your surface to make sure your image bleeds off the edge and you don’t have any unsightly white space.

Now we’re going to create a “sublimation sandwich,” which is basically how we’re stacking things inside the heat press. Here is the order of the layers, from bottom to top.

• Bottom pad of your heat press
• Wool pad
• Butcher paper
• Sublimation slate facing up
• Sublimation print facing down
• Butcher paper
• Green pad
• Butcher paper

Then press your slate for the time and temperature I recommended in the materials list.

The Reveal

Once your image is done pressing and your autopress opens, know that both the slate and the green pad will be very hot! Remember that the green pad is conductive so it’s basically the same temperature as the plate of your press. Use your heat resistant gloves to remove the green pad and then the slate from your press.

Peel back your transfer to reveal your final image!

Overall, the settings I mention above should work for slate in your autopress! But sublimation can be affected by more than the blank. Your heat press, your sublimation paper, the humidity in your room, and many other factors can affect the outcome. If you aren’t happy with your first press, try again! Increase the time to see if you can get a better image.

I hope you found this tutorial on how to sublimate slate helpful! If you have any questions or need any help, I’d be happy to answer in the comments below!

Print

SUBLIMATING SLATE WITH AN AUTO PRESS

Sublimation slate is a really trendy blank that can be a bit tricky to use! Here's instructions on how to sublimate on slate using the Cricut AutoPress. It should work for other auto press heat presses as well!

Author Cori George

Equipment

• Cricut AutoPress or other heat press
• Heat-resistant gloves
• Alcohol
• Microfiber cloth
• Wool mat
• Green pad
• Butcher paper
• Heat-resistant tape

Ingredients

• Small sublimation slate coaster (400°, 480 seconds)
• Large sublimation rectangular slate (400°, 540 seconds)
• Large sublimation heart slate (400°, 540 seconds)
• Sublimation Beach Files #S29

Instructions

• Start by cleaning your blank using the alcohol and microfiber cloth. This will remove any dust or oils from your surface so you get a nice clean transfer.
• Once the alcohol has evaporated, tape your slate to your image using heat-resistant tape. You want to make sure your image is slightly larger than your surface to make sure your image bleeds off the edge and you don't have any unsightly white space.
• Now you are going to create a "sublimation sandwich," which is basically how we're stacking things inside the heat press. Here is the order of the layers, from bottom to top.

  Bottom pad of your heat press

  Wool pad

  Butcher paper

  Sublimation slate facing up

  Sublimation print facing down

  Butcher paper

  Green pad

  Butcher paper
• Then press your slate for the time and temperature recommended in the materials list.
• The Reveal: Once your image is done pressing and your autopress opens, know that both the slate and the green pad will be very hot! Remember that the green pad is conductive so it's basically the same temperature as the plate of your press. Use your heat resistant gloves to remove the green pad and then the slate from your press.

  Peel back your transfer to reveal your final image!
  
• Overall, the settings mentioned above should work for slate in your autopress! But sublimation can be affected by more than the blank. Your heat press, your sublimation paper, the humidity in your room, and many other factors can affect the outcome. If you aren't happy with your first press, try again! Increase the time to see if you can get a better image.

The post How to Sublimate on Slate with an Auto Press appeared first on Hey, Let's Make Stuff.

In my 2024 Sublimation Trends post, I talked about how I thought sublimation acrylic would be really popular this year. So far, I’m right! I’m seeing more and more very cool sublimation blanks for sale from all sorts of retailers and manufacturers.

Sublimating acrylic isn’t difficult, but there are some things you need to know to get started so that you don’t end up wasting a ton of blanks. I’ve done all of the testing for you, and I’m confident that I’ve found some great blanks that will have you sublimating on acrylic in no time.

I have links to all of the blanks I used below, but if you’re looking for specific sublimation acrylic shapes, check out Craft Chameleon!

I used TexPrint sublimation paper for all of these projects. I didn’t have any sticking or issues and found this printed very nicely!

If you’re new to sublimation, check out The Ultimate Guide to Sublimation Printing & Crafting or my newest print book Sublimation Crafting!

Watch the Video

Want a video walkthrough of all of the projects in this post? Just hit play below!

Get the Free Files

Want access to this free file? Join my FREE craft library! All you need is the password to get in, which you can get by filling out the form below. The file number is: S27.

Supplies for Sublimation Acrylic Blanks

Get everything you need to make this project in my Amazon Store!

• Sublimation printer
• Sublimation paper
• Sublimation tumbler toppers
• Sublimation crystal photo blanks
• Sublimation night light
• Acrylic night light
• Weeding hook
• Heat-resistant spray adhesive
• Butcher paper
• Heat press
• Stack of books (my book, Sublimation Crafting, works great!)

Printing Your Images

You can print your images using whatever sublimation software you prefer. I printed my designs to be slightly larger than my blanks so I would make sure the design would bleed off the edges.

Here’s the thing you must know about sublimation on acrylic blanks: DO NOT MIRROR YOUR IMAGE. Most sublimation requires mirroring, but because we’re pressing our blanks from the back, you do not want to mirror your images before printing.

Preparing Acrylic Blanks

All of the acrylic blanks I used are prepared in the same way.

Start by removing any plastic film covering the surface of your blank (see specific blanks below). If you leave that plastic film on, it will melt and ruin your project. You can use a weeding hook, but be careful not to scratch your blank. A plastic razor blade or popsicle stick also work.

Next you’ll need to adhere your blank to your printed sublimation image. For most blanks I use tape. But tape can leave ugly imprints in the acrylic, as you can see here.

So you may want to use a spray adhesive instead. I am using ProSpray II but it’s been out of stock. Heat Transfer Warehouse has budget-friendly option as well. Add a light spray or two to the white sublimatable side of the acrylic.

Then place your blank down onto your image. The spray should hold it in place.

Pressing Your Sublimation Images

All of the blanks are pressed in the same way. Specific time and temperature settings are below for each blank. Start by adjusting your press to the right thickness before it heats up. You want light to medium pressure for all of the blanks.

Place a piece of butcher paper on the bottom of your heat press. Then place your blank facing UP with the image facing DOWN.

Then place another piece of butcher paper on top and close your press. Press for the recommended time and temperature below.

Acrylic Sublimation Tumbler Toppers

Sublimation Tumbler Topper Settings:

• Time: 60 seconds
• Temperature: 360° F
• Pressure: light to medium

First up is a great project to start with if you want to learn how to sublimate acrylic and you have one of those 40oz Stanley tumblers. (Yes, I have one and I’m so sorry to report that it does, in fact, help me drink more water during the day!).

These Sublimation Tumbler Toppers from PYD life come in a huge number of shapes and even have glittery options!

Remove the plastic film from the front of the topper (the white sublimatable back side does not have a film). Note that if you are using the glitter version, there is a film on both sides!

Prepare your blank and press as shown above.

Once you’re done, remove the topper and place under a stack of books until cool. This will help keep the acrylic topper from warping and bending.

Sublimation Photo Night Lights

Sublimation Photo Night Light Settings:

• Time: 120 seconds
• Temperature: 375° F
• Pressure: light to medium

These Sublimation Photo Night Lights make a great decoration for kid or teen bedrooms! They emit a warm yellow light, which lights up your photo nicely. Because the base is made of wood, you could paint the base to match your decor (just don’t get paint into the groove where the lights are). I think these would make an excellent craft fair item.

Remove the plastic wrapper AND the film from the front and back of the night light.

Prepare your blank and press as shown above.

When you are done pressing, remove your sublimation paper and place the nightlight under a stack of books to keep the acrylic from bending or warping. Remove once cool and add to the base.

Sublimation Crystal Photo Blanks

Crystal Photo Blank Settings:

• Time: 210 seconds
• Temperature: 390° F
• Pressure: light to medium

If you’re looking for a unique photo gift or a high-end looking photo for your home office, these sublimation crystal photo blanks are a great way to do just that!

These are much thicker than most blanks, so you’ll want to make sure you really reduce the pressure on your heat press.

There is no film to remove on this particular blank.

Prepare your blank and press as shown above.

After 210 seconds, remove your photo block from the press. It will be HOT for a while since it’s so thick. I placed mine under some books to ensure the material stayed flat. However, I think this was an unneeded step because this blank probably won’t warp the same way the others will without the pressure.

Acrylic Night Lights

Acrylic Night Light Settings:

• Time: 60 seconds
• Temperature: 360° F
• Pressure: light to medium

These acrylic night lights are not true sublimation blanks, but you CAN still sublimate on them! They turn out looking a bit see-through similar to these sublimation glass cutting boards. I learned how to make these from Angie Holden and Jennifer Maker, but they struggled with the paper sticking to their projects. I didn’t have this problem, however, and I don’t know why! Maybe it was the blanks I used, maybe it was the paper. Either way, mine was pretty straightforward. Check out their videos if you’re struggling with your paper sticking!

Prepare your blank and press as shown above.

Remove the blank from the press and place under a stack of books to cool. This will help the acrylic maintain its flat shape!

As I mentioned previously, this night light blank doesn’t give you as bright of an image as the sublimation-specific night light. Personally, I prefer the results of the sublimation night light, but there are more fun colors to play with if you use this non-sublimation/clear version. Both blanks worked, so it’s up to your personal preference!

Failed Sublimation Project

Oh, gosh. Where do I even start with this one? I was so excited to try out these sublimation lighted keychain blanks, but I just could not get them to work!

Yes, even I have craft fails!

No matter which type of sublimation paper I used, the transfer stuck to the blank every time. I tried to increase the time and temperature while decreasing my pressure. I tried more pressure, less time. Nothing seemed to work for these. It was a mess and didn’t peel off well and once I got it off the paper it had a sticky residue. The sublimation itself was not nearly as bright and vibrant as the other blanks I tried.

If you do want to give these a shot, I would advise you to proceed with caution. And, if you have success with them, please let me know in the comments. Maybe there’s a magical combination I just haven’t figured out yet!

While this blank was definitely a craft fail, I am very happy with how the other projects turned out! I think these are such a fun, unique way to try out sublimation on acrylic. They make great gifts, too!

I hope you found this tutorial for sublimation on acrylic helpful! If you have any questions, I’d be happy to answer those for you!

Print

FUN SUBLIMATION ACRYLIC PROJECTS

If you want to try sublimation on acrylic, there are so many fun options for sublimation blanks!

Author Cori George

Equipment

• Sublimation printer
• Heat press

Ingredients

• Sublimation paper
• Sublimation tumbler toppers
• Sublimation crystal photo blanks
• Sublimation night light
• Acrylic night light
• Weeding hook
• Heat-resistant spray adhesive
• Butcher paper
• Stack of books (Sublimation Crafting Book, works great!)
• Galaxy Sublimation Bundle File #S27

Instructions

• There are links to all of the blanks used in this project in the Supply List, but if you're looking for specific sublimation acrylic shapes, check out Craft Chameleon!

  TexPrint sublimation paper was also used for all of these projects and there were no sticking or other issues and this printed very nicely!

  If you're new to sublimation, check out The Ultimate Guide to Sublimation Printing & Crafting or this new print book Sublimation Crafting!
• Printing Your Images

  You can print your images using whatever sublimation software you prefer. The designs for this project were printed to be slightly larger than the blanks so as to be sure the design would bleed off the edges.

  Here's the thing you must know about sublimation on acrylic blanks: DO NOT MIRROR YOUR IMAGE. Most sublimation requires mirroring, but because you pressing the blanks from the back, you do not want to mirror your images before printing.
• Preparing Acrylic Blanks

  All of the acrylic blanks used for these projects are prepared in the same way.

  Start by removing any plastic film covering the surface of your blank (see specific blanks below). If you leave that plastic film on, it will melt and ruin your project. You can use a weeding hook, but be careful not to scratch your blank. A plastic razor blade or popsicle stick also work.
  
• Next you'll need to adhere your blank to your printed sublimation image. For most blanks tape was used, but tape can leave ugly imprints in the acrylic, as you can see here.
  
• So you may want to use a spray adhesive instead. For this project ProSpray II was used but it's been out of stock. Heat Transfer Warehouse has a budget-friendly option as well. Add a light spray or two to the white sublimatable side of the acrylic.
  
• Then place your blank down onto your image. The spray should hold it in place.
  
• Pressing Your Sublimation Images

  All of the blanks are pressed in the same way. Specific time and temperature settings are below for each blank. Start by adjusting your press to the right thickness before it heats up. You want light to medium pressure for all of the blanks.

  Place a piece of butcher paper on the bottom of your heat press. Then place your blank facing UP with the image facing DOWN.
  
• Then place another piece of butcher paper on top and close your press. Press for the recommended time and temperature below.
  
• Acrylic Sublimation Tumbler Toppers

  Sublimation Tumbler Topper Settings:

  Time: 60 seconds

  Temperature: 360° F

  Pressure: light to medium

  First up is a great project to start with if you want to learn how to sublimate acrylic and you have one of those 40oz Stanley tumblers.

  These Sublimation Tumbler Toppers from PYD life come in a huge number of shapes and even have glittery options!

  Remove the plastic film from the front of the topper (the white sublimatable back side does not have a film). Note that if you are using the glitter version, there is a film on both sides!

  Prepare your blank and press as shown above.

  Once you're done, remove the topper and place under a stack of books until cool. This will help keep the acrylic topper from warping and bending.
  
• Sublimation Photo Night Lights

  Sublimation Photo Night Light Settings:

  Time: 120 seconds

  Temperature: 375° F

  Pressure: light to medium

  These Sublimation Photo Night Lights make a great decoration for kid or teen bedrooms! They emit a warm yellow light, which lights up your photo nicely. Because the base is made of wood, you could paint the base to match your decor (just don't get paint into the groove where the lights are). These would make an excellent craft fair item.

  Remove the plastic wrapper AND the film from the front and back of the night light.

  Prepare your blank and press as shown above.

  When you are done pressing, remove your sublimation paper and place the nightlight under a stack of books to keep the acrylic from bending or warping. Remove once cool and add to the base.
  
• Sublimation Crystal Photo Blanks

  Crystal Photo Blank Settings:

  Time: 210 seconds

  Temperature: 390° F

  Pressure: light to medium

  If you're looking for a unique photo gift or a high-end looking photo for your home office, these sublimation crystal photo blanks are a great way to do just that!

  These are much thicker than most blanks, so you'll want to make sure you really reduce the pressure on your heat press.

  There is no film to remove on this particular blank.

  Prepare your blank and press as shown above.

  After 210 seconds, remove your photo block from the press. It will be HOT for a while since it's so thick. Place under some books to ensure the material stays flat. This may be an unneeded step because this blank probably won't warp the same way the others will without the pressure.
  
• Acrylic Night Lights

  Acrylic Night Light Settings:

  Time: 60 seconds

  Temperature: 360° F

  Pressure: light to medium

  These acrylic night lights are not true sublimation blanks, but you CAN still sublimate on them! The night lights turned out looking a bit see-through similar to these sublimation glass cutting boards.

  Prepare your blank and press as shown above.

  Remove the blank from the press and place under a stack of books to cool. This will help the acrylic maintain its flat shape!

  This night light blank doesn't give you as bright of an image as the sublimation-specific night light. but there are more fun colors to play with if you use this non-sublimation/clear version. Both blanks worked, so it's up to your personal preference!
  

The post Sublimation on Acrylic: Yes You Can! appeared first on Hey, Let's Make Stuff.