Making an Emoji Shirt: A Complete DIY Guide

Customizing your apparels such as shirts is one of the many DIY projects that adds fashion statements to your closet. You can create an emoji shirt or t-shirt for personal use or as a gift to a friend or even for your business. This is a comprehensive guide that will walk you through the process of creating an emoji shirt in very simple steps. Keep reading to learn more. Enjoy!

There are a number of methods that can be used to make an emoji shirt. This guide will provide three options for you so that you’re not limited in any way. Now let’s get right into it starting with the materials you’ll require for your project.

Before beginning your project, there are a number of materials and supplies you’re required to have with you. These include:

After gathering your materials and supplies, now it’s time to turn your designs into reality by making that emoji shirt you’ve always eyed or admired in life. You can do so using any of the three methods covered in this guide.

This is actually the quickest method available for you when you want your emoji designs to look more professional because of minimal stenciling or painting required. Now follow these simple steps to get you there:

This is where you choose the type of emoji or emojis you’ll want on your shirt or t-shirt. Choosing can be based on individual preferences or depending on what’s trending and is popular at the time. When choosing your emoji designs based on popularity, you can consider Emojipedia analysis(see the below chart) to find out what’s hot and trending. This is very important especially if you’re designing your shirts for sale. According to an analysis by Emojipedia, these were the top 10 emojis used in the world in 2023.

Once you’ve settled on the emojis you want to work with, you can opt to download them from any online sources available to you, or design your own on applications that allows you to do so.

Once you’ve selected the type of emoji or emojis you’ll want to work with in your project, you need to print them onto iron-on transfer papers. You can use software applications such as Google Docs, Microsoft Word or Adobe Photoshop among other design programs to edit your emojis so that they fit well on your shirt. This will make the printing and cutting processes even more simpler for you. When working with emojis and texts, make sure you mirror the image as per the instructions of your transfer papers. Also, cut out the emojis if you’re going to place them individually on the shirt. When printing on transfer paper, load your paper correctly as per the manufacturer’s guide so that you print on the right side. Cutting machines such as Cricut and Silhouette can help you cut your emoji designs into shapes that blend well on your plain shirts/t-shirts.

Make sure your plain shirts/t-shirts are very clean and dry before you begin designing them. Once clean and dry, place a cardboard inside the shirt and lay it on a flat surface. The cardboard creates a smooth and heat-resistant area for you. Now position the cut out emoji designs on your plain shirt depending on how you’ll want them to appear on your shirt. Your shirt is not ready for ironing.

This is a tricky part and you need to be careful enough if you want your designs to be perfect. First of all, set your temperature to medium-high levels because too much heat can damage both your designs and your shirt. Now place the transfer paper facing down on the shirt and cover it with a parchment paper.

Now using an iron or heat press machine, press down firmly on the shirt with the designs for about 30 seconds to 1 minute or as per the instructions on your transfer paper. You should apply even pressure when doing this so that the designs adhere perfectly.

Once your designs have evenly adhered to your shirt, let the transfer paper cool off a bit and then slowly and carefully peel it off. You’ll notice your emojis transferring onto your shirt. It is recommended that you turn the shirt inside-out and run the iron over the designs once more to make the adhesion stronger.

And that’s it, you’ll be done with your project and ready to admire your work.

We recommend that you watch this YouTube video on How to heat press an emoji T-shirt with HTVRONT MANUAL HEAT PRESS！ so that you can have a better understanding of what you’re supposed to do.

Alternatively, you can use HTV to come up with your designs. Here’s how you do it:

The first thing to do when dealing with HTV is creating your designs.You can use programs such as Cricut Design Space , Silhouette Studio or Canva, to edit your emoji designs so that they fit perfectly to scale on your shirt. Load the HTV into a cutting machine to cut out your emoji designs.

Once you’ve cut your vinyl, you’ll notice some ends have excesses, you need a weeding tool to remove the excess parts so that your designs are perfect. Consider getting a complete Weeding Tool Kit to make this and future DIY projects much easier for you.

The final step is to Heat Press your emojis on your plain shirt using an iron of a heat press. Preheat the iron or the heat press to medium-high temperatures. Position the vinyl cut out on the shirt and cover it with teflon sheet or parchment paper.

Now firmly press on the shirt with the iron or the heat press machine for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Be careful when doing this to avoid damaging your designs and the shirt with the heat.

If you’re unsure of yourself, especially for first-timers, you can still achieve professional results in your shirt project through digital printing. This is also recommended for those who want to make multiple shirts with detailed designs faster. This method is dependent on custom shirt websites to be a success.

Again here you’re advised to use programs such as Cricut Design Space, Silhouette Studio or Canva, to create and edit your emoji designs so that they fit perfectly to scale on your shirt.

As mentioned earlier, this method is dependent on shirt printing websites such as Teespring, Zazzle, Redbubble & Staples  among others.

Finally, pick your shirt’s color, size and style before placing your order. Most online shirt printing platforms allow you to not only pick color, size and style options, but also the kind of fabric you want. Once you’ve done this, your shirt will be printed and sent to your location. This method has very little hands-on work engagement but it’s an excellent method when you want multiple shirts with intricate emoji designs.

This method majorly depends on your experience in painting with different colors. You have to do some thorough practice for you to hand-paint like a pro. Here’s how to go about:

Choose an emoji template that you like online or you can print the one that you have and make a stencil. Beware of copyright issues if your project is for commercial purposes.

Use a freezer paper to create a stencil and trace your emoji design on the matte side of your freezer paper. Now cut out the shapes of your emoji designs with a craft knife or a scissor.

Put cardboard inside the shirt to prevent the paint from bleeding through and lay it on a flat surface. Place the freezer paper on the shirt with the shiny side facing down and iron it.

Choose fabric paints that match the color of your emoji designs when hand-painting. Fine brushes are best when painting small details and broad brushes are best for painting large areas. Let the paint dry for about a day (24 hours) before peeling off the stencil. Once you’ve successfully peeled off the stencil, turn the shirt inside-out and iron it for a minute or half to ensure the paint lasts longer on the fabric.

Here are some of the frequently asked questions by those who’ve been involved in such projects or want to start. You can learn a thing or two from them to make your project even simpler.

Making an emoji shirt is a fun project that you can do within a day and the next day you stand out among your peers. This article has provided you with four different options you can use to express your style and fashion with emojis on shirts. All you need are the right materials, supplies and one of the methods discussed above to start customizing not only your shirts but also other apparels in your closet. There is nothing stopping you now, gather what you need and start customizing your garments with ease. I hope you enjoyed this guide, kindly share with others so that they can also express their creativity when working with fabrics.