D.I.Y. Juneteenth T-Shirt

Time to make another t-shirt. I hope you’re excited, this time we’re making a shirt in celebration of Juneteenth. Unsure what Juneteenth is? Read below.

“Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, and Cel-Liberation Day, is an American holiday celebrated annually on June 19. It commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union general Gordon Granger read federal orders in Galveston, Texas, that all previously enslaved people in Texas were free” – Wikipedia

So now you have a brief description on the holiday, its time to make a shirt to wear.

Supplies Needed:

• Cutting machine & mat (Im using my Cricut Maker)
• t-shirt (Im using Gilden/size: L) purchased from a local shop named BK Design Cafe
• htv (Black and Ankara Print)
• Weeding tool
• Easy Press or a Heat Press
• Mat
• HTV Transfer tape
• Free “Juneteenth” svg file ** Down Here **

Once you’ve downloaded the file, Open a new project in design space. On the left side of your screen choose “Upload”. Then upload the file you just downloaded.

You don’t have to do anything to the file, just save it under any name of your choice.

Once you have the file on the Canvas “Ungroup” the file. You’ll find the ungroup button on the top right of the screen.

Now highlight just the fist (like the picture on the right) and “Attach” them.

The attach button is on the bottom with of the screen

Now you’re going to repeat that process with the word “Juneteenth”

You want these pieced attached so they cut together when you send them to the mat.

Now change the crown and the rectangle to another color (any color) just make sure they’re the same color. This will make them cut on a separate mat from the black pieces.

The color doesn’t matter, it’ll cut with whatever color or pattern htv you put on the mat. In my case, I used an Ankara pattern.

Then group together the word Juneteenth and the line. Now change the width to 8.5 inches.

You’re going to repeat the process for the fist and the crown. Group them together but this time, change the height to 5 inches. SAVE your project then click “Make It”

Now its time to select the material you’re using for your shirt. If you’re using regular htv, then choose the “Everyday Iron-On” option.

Im a solid black and a patterned htv, so my setting will be “Everyday Iron-On”.

I used the black for the fist and wording. And the Ankara patterned iron-on for the crown and line.

When using any type of htv, its important to know what temperature to use and how long you should press.

There’s a Guide for that. Cricut has a Heat Guide for that.

You select the Machine you’re using, then the htv material, then base material, choose if you’re using an Easy Press Mat or a towel and click Apply.

The guide will tell you:

• what temperature to set it
• how much pressure you need
• if you should flip and press the back
• and if you can peel it hot or cool

Now it time to cut.

The solid color iron on will be placed on the mat, shiny side down and the patterned iron-on will be pattern side up.

Once the pieces are cut, use your weeding tool to weed the extra vinyl and leave the design needed for your shirt.

Use the htv transfer paper to take the patterned vinyl off and place it on the t-shirt. Line up all of the pieces in the way you would like it. Im putting the line above the wording instead of under the wording.

Now place the Easy press on top of the design.

Press the start button (the Cricut logo). The Easy Press will count down for you, so just hold it on the htv until the countdown stops and it make a beeping noise.

Take it off then let the design cool down a little.

Once its cool, peel of the clear top layer and we are all set.

And there you go, another t-shirt done. We’re all going to be t-shirt experts soon.

I hope this tutorial was helpful and you give it a try as well. Don’t forget to tag me at TheCraftprint on Instagram if you do.

I also teamed up with Tam and Alicia so you have 3 free SVG files. Check out their files and tutorials as well.

Tams Sweet Life

You can also find Tam on IG

Crafts of a Different Shade

You can also find Alicia on IG

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and are no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link.