My first blog entry

What a nice start for my blog: At the weekend I played around with my plotter a little bit. There it was: T-shirt making with plotter and HTV. I've had it for about four weeks now and I'm quite taken with what it can do. Admittedly, I'm currently using it mainly to make t-shirts with HTV (Heat Transfer Vinyl) - but hey, that has to be done too! So: Milan, Paris - here comes the man from the moon.

A plotter combined with Heat Transfer Vinyl is a great way to create custom designs on garments and other textiles. It can be used to cut out precise outlines and patterns, while Heat Transfer Vinyl offers a wide range of colors and textures. In keeping with the Man in the Moon, of course, I'm using white HTV on a dark blue cotton T-shirt

What's a plotter?

A plotter is a device that can cut out contours and patterns from a variety of materials using computer-controlled cutting heads. The plotter is most popular for creating advertising signage and custom designs on clothing and other textiles. Most plotters use software that allows the user to accurately place the design and select the material for cutting. And the best part: These things also come in household-grade. Just like the one I have.

What does a plotter do?

A plotter offers numerous advantages for creating custom designs:

• Precise contours: A plotter cuts out the material with high precision, resulting in sharp contours and a professional appearance. This really benefits me in particular as an old scissors dyslexic.
• Versatility: Plotters can cut a variety of materials, including vinyl, paper, cardstock, fabric and more. I'm still trying all of that out. Because I haven't had the plotter that long.
• Repeatability: Once a design is created, it can be reproduced at any time. And again. And again. And again ....

Heat Transfer Vinyl

Sounds complicated, but it's actually something quite simple: Heat Transfer Vinyl is a material that is cut out with a plotter and then ironed onto textiles. Basically, it's a thin plastic film coated on one side with hot glue. It comes in many colors and textures, including glossy, matte, metallic, and glitter. But let's not talk out loud about the last option.

• Flexibility: The material is very flexible and can be applied to a wide range of textiles.
• Durability: Once applied, Heat Transfer Vinyl stays on the textile for a long time and is machine washable. According to the manufacturer, mine can withstand about 50 washes. I haven't washed my T-shirts that many times, but I have the impression that this might be true.
• Creativity: The material can be used in many different designs and colors to achieve an individual look.

So, voilà ... here's a short video to show you how I do it.

Accessories: plotter, white HTV, heat press and mini press. And a great vector file from the moon.