DIY Custom Swim Shirts with Cricut SportFlex Iron-On

Ready for summer fun? We are! So, we’re thrilled to help you get ready for summer fun with this adorable DIY custom swim shirt idea (along with links to the design file so you can make your own) as part of a sponsored partnership with Cricut.  Living in Phoenix, swimming and pool time is a normal part of life for a good 4-5 months of the year ! The boys did swim team for the 1st time last summer and we plan to continue that again this year. Plus, it’s no secret that we LOVE family travel – which often involves trips to various beaches around the world. So, we’re definitely a swimming family! But with all that fair skin, we almost always swim shirts/rash guards for added sun protection! And I LOVE that you can now add some flair to your rash guard shirt or swim suit with the NEW Cricut SportFlex Iron-On! It is the COOLEST product – perfect for customizing stretchy fabrics like swimwear! Honestly, I was a little nervous about ironing on to a swim shirt (made with a good percentage of spandex), but the SportFlex Iron-on worked SO well! And now the boys have some cute, matching “Sea Life” shirts! LOVE it! Aren’t they cute (the shirts and the boys)?! 😉 You know I have a thing for matching and that is getting harder as they get older. So making custom DIY options is the PERFECT solution! And these were SO easy to make!

Custom Swim Shirt Supplies:

Note: Affiliate links are included below (if you make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thanks for helping to support Mom Endeavors!!).

• Plain swim shirts or rash guards
• Cricut Maker
• Cricut EasyPress and NEW Cricut EasyPress Mat (*Note – if you don’t have an Easy Press, an regular iron will work!)
• Cricut SportFlex Iron-On (I used Midnight Blue for this. The colors come in 11.8” x 24” sheets)

After gathering the supplies, the first step for me in making these shirts was opening up Cricut Design Space and designing the shirts! But you don’t have to do that, because I have the cut file to share with you!!! The sea creature images and the fonts are right there in Cricut Design Space, so it was easy to create! Click here to access the design –> Sea Life Cricut Cut File Design 

Making Custom Swim Shirts

Simple & cute! You can resize the design as needed for the size of your shirts and how many you’re making. For my kids, each design is about 1 inch smaller per shirt. Once you have the design sized as you need it (and as many copies added as you need), next up is cutting! Now, you could definitely use your Cricut Explore Air Machine for this project if that’s what you have. But I have the new Cricut Maker (which I LOVE and recommend). I love that the Maker has settings for A LOT of different materials. Each setting has its own unique calibration for the machine, so once you specify the material-type for your cuts, the machine will adjust the blade depth and pressure to those materials! No dials, no second-guessing on your part – SUPER easy to use and to get good cuts! Once everything was cut and weeded, I placed it where I wanted on the shirts (and used it to cover up the little fading logo that was already on the shirts). The Cricut EasyPress and NEW Cricut EasyPress Mat were then perfect for getting the design on the shirts. And I’m so impressed with the quality! The SportFlex Iron-On is thin, lightweight, flexible, and stretchable. It really adhered to the fabric well and allows you to customize more “stretchy” fabrics like active wear, swimsuits/shirts, sports jerseys, etc!

*Important notes for best results – When using the SportFlex Iron-on with your EasyPress, the temperature should be set to 305 degrees. Press for 30 seconds on the front of the garment and 15 seconds on the back of the garment. If you’d like to layer colors (something NOT needed with this simple design), it’s recommended that no more than 2 layers should be done SportFlex Iron-on.
This photo actually was taken while the shirts were still damp and had been in the chlorinated water…and they look great! The feel is JUST like something you’d buy in the store! So, I see A LOT of creations with the Cricut SportFlex Iron-On in my future! For now, the boys are thrilled with their upgraded swim shirts and are anxiously waiting to be able to go swimming every day! Do you like making custom shirts? Are you excited to try the Cricut SportFlex Iron-On? 

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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cricut. The opinions and text are all mine.