by Tammy Frost

Created on: August 12, 2009   Last Updated: August 14, 2009

The best way to make a Christmas sweatshirt is to make a long-lasting and memorable sweatshirt! Christmas is a special time, and you want to make a loving and appealing sweatshirt. Dressing for the occasion is a remarkable statement that is applied to several events.

If you decide to make a Christmas sweatshirt for somebody else to wear, then this is the perfect Christmas gift idea. Imagine your Mother or Grandmother opening the gift that will bring everlasting memories and smiles to her. How does this sound? A sweatshirt that has a Christmas photo of you and your grandma when you were very young.

As a previous business owner of custom t-shirts and sweatshirts, I have made several Christmas sweatshirts for customers. Using a heat-press or hot iron to apply a Christmas image is the best way to make a long lasting Christmas sweatshirt.

How to do this? Choose a Christmas photograph that you would like transferred to your sweatshirt. Other images to use are pictures of Christmas things, such as Santa Claus, reindeer, warm cozy cabins that have snow and Christmas lights surrounding them. There are several free images available online.

Scan or upload your Christmas photograph to your computer. A all-in one printer, scanner and copier is recommended, but not mandatory. Go to your local office supply store and buy t-shirt transfer paper. After uploading, designing, cropping and perfecting your picture on your computer, print your image out on the transfer paper. Depending on the color of sweatshirt you choose, and the type of transfer paper that you purchase, you may need to adjust your printer settings before you print. You may need to "mirror image" your print setup. Read the instructions on the back of your transfer paper box. It should tell you if you need to adjust any settings before you print out the Sweatshirt transfer paper.

After your successful print, make sure your heat press or hand held iron is heated to 325 degrees. If you are using a hot iron and it has no temperature gauge, make sure it is set on it's hottest setting. Now you are ready to cut out the jolly Christmas image from the transfer paper. Cut all of the blank pieces off so that only the Christmas image is visible.

Place the printed transfer onto the sweatshirt and press the iron or heat press down onto the transfer. Press and heat the image for at least 30 seconds if you're using a heat press. If you are using an Iron-on transfer, then read the instructions on the transfer box to see the iron time needed (different transfers vary with press times.) Peel off the transfer paper and your Christmas image should be on your Christmas sweatshirt! To avoid the transfer coming off when you wash your sweatshirt, wash custom sweatshirt inside out and with like colors!

That's how you make a long lasting and memorable Christmas sweatshirt. Custom sweatshirts can be wore on any occasion and the smiles and remarks that you will receive on Christmas morning, will be well worth the steps taken to make your sweatshirt.

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