A glow-in-the-dark sublimation shirt is perfect for the upcoming Halloween season. Glow in the dark HTV is easy to use, and you can even sublimate on top of it! Yes, this shirt glows in the dark and is super cute as well. It is perfect for Halloween night or any party that you are attending. This is an amazing project for all sublimation crafters and a great way to sublimate on dark colors. Let’s take a look at how to make these spooky DIY glow-in-the-dark shirts.
Glow in the Dark Sublimation
Making your own glow-in-the-dark shirts is really easy. Grab your sublimation printer and start creating these shirts this season. You can watch the full tutorial in the video below—just click play!
Can’t watch the video or missed some of the steps? You can also follow along with the directions below.
Supplies Needed
- Siser Glow in the Dark HTV
- Shirt (any color or fabric that you like)
- Sublimation Ink
- Sublimation Paper
- Epson EcoTank Printer (or other sublimation printer)
- Protective Paper (Use code CCC10 for 10% off.)
- Heat-resistant Tape (Use code CCC10 for 10% off.)
- Heat Press (You can find my heat press buying guide here.)
- Weeding Tools
- Cricut Machine
- Witch Image
What kind of shirt do I need?
You can use any shirt you’d like because you are adding your sublimation on top of the HTV. You can have any color you want, and it can be 100% cotton. The main thing is that it needs to work with the HTV product that you purchase so be sure to read those instructions.
What kind of images work best with this?
You want your image to glow in the dark, so the ones that have areas without design work best. That way, there’s no color sublimating on top of the HTV in a few areas at least. In our design, the pink area will glow, but not as much as the clear areas. For the best glow-in-the-dark sublimation, try to find images with lots of clear space. You can pick any design you like, but the maximum print then cut size in Cricut Design Space using a standard printer is 7.44 x 12.94 inches. I will be using Design Space for printing in this case as you do need to cut your HTV.
Making your DIY Glow in the Dark Shirts
Now that you have your image and shirt picked, it is time to add some glow-in-the-dark fun to your Halloween wardrobe.
Adding the Design to Cricut Design Space
Upload your image and add it to your canvas. Then make a circle the same size. You can use this circle to slice your image if it has some extra area around the outside that you do not want to print. Then I like to make the circle slightly larger than the image to cover up any alignment mistakes when sublimating. Then click make it!
Printing and Cutting
Next, you will print your sublimation image using sublimation ink, printer, and sublimation paper (don’t forget to mirror your project!) Then cut the HTV using your Cricut machine. Weed away any excess HTV, so you are left with just what you will press to your shirt.
Pressing the Glow in the Dark Sublimation
Now that all of your pieces are ready, it is time to finish this project! First, add the HTV to your shirt in the correct location.
Press at 356 degrees F for about 5 seconds. You just want it to stick enough so you can remove the carrier sheet. Peel back your carrier sheet and discard.
Add the sublimation print on top of the HTV aligning it so that the print fits on top.
Then tape the sublimation print down well using heat-resistant tape.
Add a sheet of protective paper over the top and press at 356 degrees F for 25 seconds.
Once you are done pressing, carefully remove the sublimation print from your HTV. It will be hot, so please use caution.
Now, you are ready to watch your design glow on Halloween night! This shirt is done and ready to wear to any party that you may be attending. Please note that the discoloration from my heat press went away after a few minutes. Some shirt colors will look different when heated but will return to their original color once cooled.
FAQ
Here are a few of the most common questions about this project. Feel free to ask any other questions in the comment section below.
Can you wash this shirt?
This is probably the number one question I get about this project, and yes, you can! I have worn and washed this shirt several times without issues. The sublimation print reacts with the polyester in the glow-in-the-dark HTV, creating a permanent bond.
How long will this shirt last?
It will last as long as the HTV holds up. The sublimation is bonded permanently to the HTV.
Can I use other brands of glow-in-the-dark HTV?
I tried two different brands when experimenting with this, and I was only happy with the results from the Siser. So, I would say that you can experiment with other brands, but they may not work the same way.
Can I sublimation on any HTV product?
I have other experiments that I will be doing soon so stay tuned!
Does it really glow?
I can confidently say this product glows in the dark! It is actually pretty impressive in person. You can also see it in action in the video at the beginning of this post. Remember that the clear or white areas of your design will glow the most.
Whether you’re making a shirt, something for the kids’ costumes, or something else entirely, it is so easy to sublimate right on top of your glow-in-the-dark HTV, and it opens your range of materials you can sublimate onto!
So, what are you waiting for? Start making your DIY glow-in-the-dark shirts today! I really think you will love the results—I know that I am in love with them!
Give glow-in-the-dark sublimation a try this season. I know you will love how great they look for all of your Halloween crafts!
More Cricut Projects
Looking for more Halloween projects to make? Check out of the spooky DIY ideas below:
