7 Incredibly Creative Sublimation Craft Ideas You’ll Love

Sublimation printing is an excellent technique for crafters to express their design on different items and surfaces. Anyone (including beginners) can do sublimation crafts at home, and their popularity is growing.

Key Takeaways

If you, too, want to come up with your own sublimation crafting ideas, then we have a treat for you!

What Can You Make With Sublimation?

Sublimation projects are fantastic for creating amazing products for your home. All you need are design files on your computer and a sublimation printer. You will be able to come up with hundreds of ideas, but we will get you started in this article.

There are many customised sublimation craft ideas you can get started with! The sublimation process works with sturdy and soft materials. You will be able to transfer designs on the surface of several substrates, including but not limited to:

• Apparel
• Coffee mugs
• Tumblers
• Keychains
• Coasters
• Hats / baseball caps
• Luggage tags
• Mouse mats
• Christmas ornaments
• Puzzle blanks
• Stockings

7 Super Simple Sublimation Craft Project Ideas

Here are 7 sublimation craft ideas to help you get started. These sublimation ideas can be made at home easily with little knowledge required. These also make for excellent gifts for friends and loved ones.

1. Pillowcase crafting

Sublimation dyed pillowcases have gone viral. This is especially true among girls who like to have an ideal space for themselves. Why not pay time to your self-care routines and do so at a fraction of the cost?

Pillowcases of all materials can be sublimated; it just depends on the type of fabric, the pressure and temperature of your heat press, and how much effort you will need to put into it.

I would recommend sublimation on polyester pillow covers. The benefits of polyester polymers is they open up when subjected to heat. Sublimation ink easily enters the polymer and binds well. However, fabrics of other materials can be tested.

Overall, this is a great way to create a personalized cover for your place. Why not make yourself feel special with your own creations in life?

You can add your name, a subtle background image, or craft a beauty sleep logo that will make your bedroom space quintessentially yours.

2. Simple coffee mug creations

You can sublimate pretty much anything on mugs. Even the most detailed images and designs will work.

Any sort of sublimation design can be transferred to a material as hard as that of a ceramic mug. You can be sure it will work well, whatever it is that you want to personalize it with.

You will need a bit more skills because they are rounded and the print doesn’t transfer that quickly. Overall, the process is simple and with practice you will master it. Additional steps may include coating the transfer with a sealant in order to make it dishwater resistant.

3. Custom T-shirt designs

This is the reason most people learning sublimation for. You can craft projects of this sort with even the most simple of sublimation printers.

All you need to do is find the type of T-shirt you want, get the desired design, and start sublimating.

Before you start the project, make sure your T-shirt is in good condition and that the material can easily be sublimated on. Once you have found your print, all you need to do is put it into your sublimation printer and wait for the results.

4. Fun face masks

Face masks are something we still use on a daily basis. Since they will be here for a while longer, why not customize them? Make it feel like a unique addition to your outfit.

Sublimation is a great way to add simple things to your face masks. Express yourself with your initials, a flower, or a quote. Why not even use the opportunity for advertizing.

5. Advertise on your tote bags

Tote bags are something we tend to use daily. Whether going out for a coffee or grocery shopping, it is a sustainable option that can look cool too!

If you have some sublimation inks and an idea of a print or a logo you can add to your tote bag, then you can easily do it with just a few clicks.

All you need is a simple tote bag in one color and an idea of the thing you can add to it to make it look more exciting and match your daily style.

Depending on the material, you can add anything to it, from a cartoon print to a logo of a random company you have found online.

6. Unique cell phone protective case

Your phone case is probably something you spend a lot of time thinking about, as people are always looking for unique cases that can help them stand out.

If you have sublimation ink and know how to do sublimation crafting, then all you need to do is find the desired design and heat press it on a simple phone case.

It works like any regular sublimation projects, and you can add whatever you want to it, which isn’t something we can always do with phone cases.

While you won’t be able to personalize it entirely, you can add different quotes or your initials that will make it look way cooler than what a simple pink or white phone case would.

You will get professional quality results even if you don’t have the best printer out there because this is something that quickly sublimates and transfers prints onto itself.

7. Brightening up your mouse pad

Mouse pads are also something we use all the time, and they tend to be very bland and boring.

If you want to change that and add something a bit different, you can always do sublimation crafting and add a cool print or quote onto it.

Any sort of sublimation ink will work with it, and it is one of the fastest and easiest sublimation projects because the design will get transferred with just one touch of a heat press.

These are some of the most popular sublimation craft ideas you can easily create, even if you have never worked with sublimation or a sublimation printer before.

All of these things can be produced within a minute, but you will need a good heat press and sublimation paper and printer if you want to achieve the desired results.

Sublimation projects of all sorts are possible; you need to pay attention to materials and how you treat different things with heat.

Can You Put Sublimation On Anything?

Sublimation can be done on pretty much any material, just like screen printing, but since it includes a heat press and a sublimation printer, you need to be aware of what you are putting under the heat.

Materials like cotton, glass, ceramics, and similar will do well for sublimation crafts; you can create pretty much anything with them.

They are resistant to heat and won’t break down in the middle of the process, so you won’t have to worry about them.

However, sublimation crafts should never be performed with materials that have a lot of polymers, like spandex or nylon, and you should make sure you are not creating DIY projects with any of these.

Sublimation craft is very simple, but you need to pay attention to how the heat source and the object you are dealing with react to each other if you don’t want everything to blow up.

This is a new way of DIY projects, and although it requires extra cost like getting a particular printer for it, you will have your designs that can be transferred to anything from a mouse pad and coffee mug to your tote bag.

Also, ensure you have a good sublimation paper as a layer between the object and your sublimation printer because this is the best way to transfer designs quickly.

You can even use regular paper or butcher paper if you don’t want to splurge on it, and you can be sure the crafting projects will look just fine.

It is a great way to create something that will be an add on accessory or create a personalized gift for someone, and there are plenty of options to try out with it.

All you need is a good printer, a bit of skill, some sublimation paper, or even butcher paper, and you will be able to start creating your projects super easily.

Final Thoughts

If you are looking for sublimation craft ideas, it is likely you are just starting out. Or maybe it is the case you aren’t new to this arts and craft technique, but want to improve your skill set.

What I have discovered, it’s paramount to enjoy the process. It truly does not matter if you don’t get things right the first time around. Just make sure the journey along the way puts a smile on your face. We learn best when we enjoy and love what do!

Why not enjoy your time while improving your learning curve, rather than forcing perfection? Besides, it can be fun to make a mess through your mistakes!