Customizing your own shirts is one of the easiest and boldest ways you can show the world your own unique style. There are many techniques you can use. If you want colorful patterns, then tie-dye shirts are the thing for you. If not, then an old shirt can be restyled using a variety of materials, such as lace. Depending on what you want to happen, embossing or debossing shirts is the technique you are looking for.
Embossing Versus Debossing
Traditional embossing works by using heat and metal dies to imprint a logo on a shirt. The end result is a permanent raised design with clean, bold lines. Embossing on textiles is commonly used in shirts, scarves and even quilts. Additionally, it worth noting that embossing can also be done on other materials such as paper and leather. Universal use of shirts, though, make them the perfect choice for embossing.
Debossing, on the other hand, works in the reverse way. Instead of imprinting the logo itself, this technique raises an image by applying heat and pressure on the area surrounding the logo. Dies are also needed in debossing much like embossing.
How to Emboss
The elegant feel that embossing provides makes it a favorite choice in the arts and crafts world. Embossing may make use of large machinery but there are simpler ways to emboss fabrics especially since not everyone has access to expensive metal dies. Below are the basic steps to embossing or debossing shirts at home.
First, you need to have all needed materials on hand:
- steam iron
- resist
- fabric (nap or velvet is best)
- water
Step one: Select your fabric. Nap and velvet are the best fabrics to make your design stick out.
Step two: Select a resist. A resist is a raised design that, when pressed into a fabric, will transfer the design to the fabric. Rubber stamps work.
Step three: Place resist side up on flat, heat-resistant surface.
Step four: Place fabric side down on resist. Lightly mist the fabric with water. Make sure it is not soaking wet!
Step five: Heat with iron for about 20 seconds. Different materials react differently to heat. Test samples to see the optimum heat for your chosen resist.
Fabric Debossing
Debossing creates depressions instead of raised impressions to transfer a design to fabric. Debossing takes a bit more work than embossing and access to specialized machinery and some software is necessary. As a general rule, debossing works much like foil stamping.
Final Notes
Embossing or debossing shirts requires the fabric to be dry-cleaned. Although embossed designs are permanent and will last you years, regular wash cycles will eventually destroy the fabric. Once you get the feel of making embossed shirts, you can try making your own designs using rubber stamps. Of course there are many ready designs for you, but nothing will beat your original ideas permanently transferred on chosen fabrics. Do you have your own tips and tricks in embossing fabrics? Please share them in the comments section!