Make a Valentine Shirt with Gold Iron-On Foil

A Valentine shirt that feels modern and simple is on the docket today! Try this new technique with gold iron-on foil and heat transfer adhesive for a fast and super-satisfying DIY project.

I love this project! I got this giant roll of gold screenprint foil a while back and it’s so fun to experiment with. You can put it on all kinds of stuff.

This little stripey heart shirt is the perfect use for the gold iron on foil, and I decided to make a video to show you that this stuff is totally simple to work with. Take a peek at the video and you’ll see how fast you can make it!

And in case you’d rather read instructions, check out the step by step later on in this post.

Psst — before you dive in, be sure to sign up below for my VIP group, where I’ll send more of my very best holiday ideas straight to ya!

More Valentine’s DAy Ideas

Not for nothing, but if you like this Valentine shirt I think you’re going to love this Valentine sweater. It’s kind of for the folks who don’t actually like Valentine’s Day all that much.

You’ll have to click through to see what I mean.

And in case you’re feeling crafty, Valentine’s Day just so happens to be the holiday that we’ve gone viral for multiple times! Check out these most popular Valentine posts from our archives:

• Dinosaur Valentine Craft Idea
• DIY Valentine Garland for Gifts or Decor
• Valentine Decor Idea // DIY Paint Chip Garland

Supplies You’ll NEed

For this project, I used a bulk roll of gold foil heat transfer material and screen printing adhesive. I’ve had it for years and it lasts forever.

Materials

• gold foil heat transfer
• heat transfer adhesive
• plain shirt
• pencil
• paintbrush
• iron
• scissors

Screenprinting Foil Vs. Iron-On Foil

I love working with screenprinting foil for projects like this one for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, to get the foil to adhere, you can brush on the adhesive. With iron-on foil you need to cut the piece of iron-on material to the shape that you desire.

The brushing on of the adhesive lends a much more organic and natural look to the final shape of the foil, as opposed to the sharp-cut edges of iron-on.

And secondly, I find that this particular gold foil has a brightness and sheen to it that I haven’t been able to recreate using regular iron-on material.

You could definitely recreate this project using standard iron-on vinyl material like this one, but the final look would be less hand-painted and more structured.

How to Make a Gold Foil Valentine Shirt

Make Time: 15 Minutes

1. Spread your clean shirt on a flat surface and smooth it out. Sketch out your design lightly with a pencil.
2. Use a paintbrush to brush on the adhesive in your desired design, tracing the pencil marks.
3. Place a piece of gold foil over the adhesive and smooth it down.
4. With a hot iron, press firmly on each area for about 7 seconds.
5. Gently peel away the excess foil.

FYI, the foil and adhesive come in large quantities, so you could get together with a bunch of besties and make shirts galore!

They’re just in time for Valentine’s Day, and perfect to wear all year too. xoxo

P.S. Another gold foil project!

Gold Foil Transfer Valentine Shirt

Yield: Valentine Shirt

Active Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Estimated Cost: $30

A Valentine shirt that feels modern and simple is on the docket today! Try this new technique with gold iron-on foil and heat transfer adhesive for a fast and super-satisfying DIY project.

Print

Materials

• plain shirt
• gold foil transfer material
• heat transfer adhesive

Tools

• small paintbrush
• pencil

Instructions

1. Spread your clean shirt on a flat surface and smooth it out. Sketch out your design lightly with a pencil.
2. Use a paintbrush to brush on the adhesive in your desired design, tracing the pencil marks.
3. Place a piece of gold foil over the adhesive and smooth it down.
4. With a hot iron, press firmly on each area for about 7 seconds.
5. Gently peel away the excess foil.

Notes

I love working with screenprinting foil for projects like this one for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, to get the foil to adhere, you can brush on the adhesive. With iron-on foil you need to cut the piece of iron-on material to the shape that you desire.

The brushing on of the adhesive lends a much more organic and natural look to the final shape of the foil, as opposed to the sharp-cut edges of iron-on.

And secondly, I find that this particular gold foil has a brightness and sheen to it that I haven't been able to recreate using regular iron-on material.

You could definitely recreate this project using standard iron-on vinyl material like this one, but the final look would be less hand-painted and more structured.

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