A Gift for the Bride-to-Be
*This post contains affiliate links, which are noted by asterisks. My favorable opinion of {and borderline obsession with} my Silhouette Cameo is 100% my own. 🙂 For more information, see my disclosures here.*
Friends! I feel like we’ve been apart for a while now! I spent this past weekend at the amazing, incredible Haven Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, and I can’t wait to tell you aallllllllll about it later this week! Today, though, I’m excited to share a fun Silhouette* project!
If you’re not familiar with the Silhouette, it is a cutting machine that has totally rocked my crafting world. It makes fun shapes and words out of all sorts of different media, but today I’m talking about a favorite I recently discovered… heat transfer vinyl! You may remember me talking about HTV when I made my Ralph Lauren-Inspired pillows— I have been completely smitten with it ever since!
So when my younger sister got engaged recently, I jumped at the chance to use some HTV to make a sweet shirt as a gift for the bride-to-be.
Here’s what I used to make her cute little tank top:
- Iron
- Tank Top
- Heat Transfer Vinyl in Gold
- Pillowcase
- Silhouette Cameo* {not pictured}
I started out by creating my design using the Silhouette software. It was oh-so-easy since I just wanted some simple words– I just had to adjust the font, size, and spacing.
When I use the HTV with my Silhouette, I actually have to cut out a mirror image of what I want to show on the shirt. To do that, I click the “Replicate” button at the top of the screen and choose either “Mirror Left” or “Mirror Right.”
I delete the “forward facing” version of the design, leaving only the mirrored image.
Next I choose “Load Media” on my Silhouette and insert the HTV with the plastic backing side down. The machine cuts my design, and when I weed away the excess vinyl, I get this:
I flip it over and center and level it on the shirt…
Time to iron! I took my pillowcase, folded in half, and placed it over my design. I pressed the iron on the pillowcase, holding it over each part of the design for 45-60 seconds. Once each part of my HTV had adhered, I peeled off the plastic, and I had…
…a super-cute shirt for the bride-to-be! Since she wasn’t around and I felt totally weird putting on a shirt that said, “The Future Mrs” anything since I’m already a Mrs., my little mirrored gallery wall helped with the modeling. 🙂
So adorable and so, so easy! I bet I completed this whole project in less than an hour. LOVE! Have a wonderful day!
Have you made a cute gift for the bride-to-be lately?
*This post contains affiliate links, which are noted by asterisks. My favorable opinion of {and borderline obsession with} my Silhouette Cameo is 100% my own. 🙂 For more information, see my disclosures here.*
Love this project and I’m sure your siser will too! 🙂 I just bought my first few sheets of HTV and I’m excited to make something!
So cute! Thanks for the inspiration, too. We are headed down to see my newly-engaged BFF in a couple of weeks. I may have to bust one of these out before I go 🙂
Haha! I probably wouldn’t have posed in it either. Still really cute though! I bet she will love it!
This is so cool! I haven’t worked with HTV yet….I am too nervous lol But this came out great!
Love it!
I love photo of you in your new craft studio. You’re both gorgeous. I’ve seen the improvements on your blog, the way you write is better all the time. Not that you’re writing was ever bad, it’s just a subtle sophisticated change in writing from all the experiences you’ve had being a blogger in time you’ve been one. We all grow if we let ourselves and you sure have. That’s what being human is about, learning, growing, (part of it anyway). I’m always so happy I found your blog.
( I do miss seeing photo of you and your little guys but things have to move on.) Congratulations on growing.
Thank you so much, JaneEllen! You are always such an encouragement to me, and that really means a lot! Hope you’re having a wonderful weekend!
~Abby =)
Shame on me, forgot to mention awesome tank top. Love style of it and lettering is great. Imagine your sister really appreciated it. Great job showing how you did the lettering on your Silhouette, maybe some day I’ll be able to get one, sure would love it. Your sister will wear that tank with much pride.
Looking forward to hearing about Haven. Sounds like you enjoyed your time there. Happy summer days
I love this, and I think gold was the perfect color to do it in too!! 🙂
Great job! I love the gold-on-black look – different from the typical bridal white (which gets old fast!), but still classy and fun!
Very cute!!!!
So, did you use the super shiny gold HTV? I ordered some of the silver, but I can’t get my cut settings right. What settings did you use? Mine seems to cut all the way, and then when I go to weed it, it doesn’t clean up nicely. Any help would be great!
Hi, Carrie! I used “Vegas Gold” HTV from Expressions Vinyl (https://www.expressionsvinyl.com/). I just used the settings it recommended on my machine, so blade 2, speed 8, thickness 4. If it’s cutting all the way through, maybe try turning your blade down one notch? I had to do that when my blade was brand new. Hope this helps!
~Abby =)
This is so cute! And I love how you styled it with your gallery wall of mirrors – so very chic!
Abby,
Your Sister {the future Mrs.} is going to love the tank top. I am glad you had great time at Haven. Using your mirror wall for the back drop was perfect for this post.
AWESOME!
XOXO,
Karen Marie
Dragonfly & lily Pads
What a cute idea! I’m sure your sister will love it. Looking forward to hearing about your trip to Haven!
What a cute project! I have GOT to get more familiar with my Silhouette machine.
Very cute!! Love the gold HTV. You make it seem very easy, maybe I will finally try it.
What a fun project for a bride to be! It turned out perfect! I think she will love it!
Love it!! I’ll have to remember this when my sister gets married, she’d love a future shirt! And I never thought about using a pillowcase when working with htv…good idea!!!
Love the tank top! The gold on black looks lovely.
I’m sure your sister will love it, Abby! I so need a silhouette! 🙂 I’m thinking it’ll go on my Christmas list!
What a fun and personal gift for your sister. I’m not crafty but that didn’t look too difficult and who doesn’t love personalized wedding items before their big day? Just out of curiosity, is that machine washable after you’ve applied the letters? I do so much laundry, I try my hardest not to make anything more difficult than it has to be. I remember I was given a “bride in training” t shirt by a friend and loved it so much, I still wear it to bed.