Hi Everyone! In this final installment we wrap up the Summer Sportswear topic with a creative project that can be used on a variety of sewing and crafting projects! Follow along as I show you how to make your own custom DIY screen printing design at home. The following tutorial uses a Cricut cutting machine to cut out the permanent vinyl product, but in reality you could use any cutting machine or even carefully cut out a design by hand!
Are you ready? Let's get started...
How to Make a Screen Print Template with Cricut Vinyl and a Speedball Screen
Ever wanted to create custom t-shirts, tote bags, or fabric panels with your own design? If you’ve got a Cricut machine and a Speedball screen printing kit, you’ve got all the tools you need to turn your creativity into wearable (or sellable) art!
Let’s walk through the step-by-step process to create a screen print template using Cricut vinyl. Think of it like building a stencil for ink to pass through—your design is the gateway, and the Speedball screen is your paintbrush.
🎨 What You’ll Need
🖥️ Step 1: Design Your Image in Cricut Design Space
Open Cricut Design Space and:
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Upload or create your design (keep it bold and simple—fine lines can be tricky for beginners).
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Resize it to fit your screen printing frame.
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Make sure it’s set to "Cut", not "Print then Cut".
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Mirror your design if it includes text.
💡 Tip: Avoid designs with floating islands (like the center of an “O”) unless you want to painstakingly stick them in place.
✂️ Step 2: Cut the Design on Adhesive Vinyl
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Place your permanent vinyl on the Cricut mat, backing side down.
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Load the mat into the Cricut and let it cut the design.
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Once done, weed out the parts where you want the ink to go. You're creating a reverse stencil, so remove the letter interiors or design area, not the background.
🪞 Step 3: Transfer Your Design to the Speedball Screen
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Use transfer tape to lift the weeded vinyl from its backing.
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Flip your Speedball screen over so the flat side faces up (this is the bottom that will touch your fabric).
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Carefully lay the vinyl sticky side down on this underside of the screen.
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Press firmly and peel off the transfer tape.
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Make sure everything is stuck well with no air bubbles.
🧠 Think of it like putting a decal on a window—you want it clean and smooth!
🖌️ Step 4: Prep for Printing
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Place a piece of cardboard or a firm board inside your shirt or under your paper/tote.
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Lay the Speedball screen down so the vinyl side is touching your item.
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Tape off the edges of the screen if your design doesn’t fill the whole mesh (to prevent ink from going where you don’t want it).
🎯 Step 5: Time to Print!
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Scoop a line of Speedball ink along the top of the screen.
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Holding the squeegee at a 45-degree angle, pull the ink across the design with firm, even pressure.
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Do 1–2 passes max.
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Carefully lift the screen straight up to reveal your masterpiece.
👏 Boom! You just screen printed like a pro.
🧼 Step 6: Clean Everything
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Immediately wash your screen, squeegee, and tools with warm water so the ink doesn’t dry.
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You can reuse the screen multiple times with that vinyl in place, or peel it off when you're ready for your next design.
🧵 Final Thoughts
This method is perfect for short runs—say, 10 to 20 prints—and great for people who don’t want to mess with photo emulsion just yet. It's a modern-day version of old-school screen printing—like using a cookie cutter instead of hand-carving every shape!
1 Comment
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Bev
June 25, 2025
I am so intrigued with this screen-printing video. I will save for the supplies and screen print for my doll clothes. Looks like so much fun.