Tired of spending $25 or more on one pair of letters? Here is a fun and affordable step by step guide to making your own sorority and fraternity t-shirts!
Step 1. Gather supplies
First things first, before you begin making your first pair of letters you're going to need a couple of things to get started. You will need:
T-shirt My advice is to find a really cheap one, try not to spend more than $3 if you can.
Fabric Jo-Ann's Fabric has a variety of patterns and styles to choose from. You will need two different patterns for your shirt, I recommend getting some designs and some solid colors so you can mix and match it up and have a ton of options. An eighth yard of fabric is more than enough and it usually only comes to a little over $1.
Stencils Print out letters from online to the size of your choice (I'd say 4 inches is a pretty good size). Then cut out the letters and trace them onto card stock paper. You will need two stencil of each letter, one slightly smaller/larger than the other in order to make an outside border for your letters.
Wonder Under Wonder Under is a fabric adhesive that will bond your fabric together and will be sealed with heat.
Other Supplies: Fabric cutting scissors, pen or pencil, iron, ironing board, sewing machine and thread (optional).
Step 2. Prep your fabric
Once you've chosen the two fabric's you will be using it is time to break out the iron. Iron out your pieces of fabric so that there are no creases or wrinkles. Then, cut a piece of Wonder Under to match the size of your fabric (it should be enough to make the amount of letters you need). Iron the rough side of the Wonder Under onto the back side of your fabric. You should now have a non-flimsy sheet of fabric ironed to the Wonder Under. Do this twice with both sheets of fabric that you are using.
Step 3. Trace your stencils
It is now time to trace your letters. Using the stencils that you made, trace them face down onto the Wonder Under that you have ironed to your fabric. Make sure that your outer letters (the larger ones) are all traced on the same fabric and your inner letters (the smaller ones) are also all traced on the same fabric.
Step 4. Cut out your letters
Using a pair of fabric cutting scissors, cut out the letters that you have traced. If your letter contains an inner piece that needs to be cut, I recommend using a small pair of really sharp scissors. You should now have individual letters cut out of the fabric that is bonded to the Wonder Under.
Step 5. Iron your letters together
Peel off the wax paper from the back of the inner set of letters (the smaller ones). Once peeled, the fabric should look glossy meaning that the Wonder Under has successfully adhered to the fabric. Position these letters onto the front side of the outer letters (the larger ones) so that they are centered and even. Then, place the iron on the letters to bond them together.
Step 6. Putting it all together
Now that your letters are made, you can finally put together your t-shirt. Peel off the wax paper from the back of the letters and again make sure it is glossy. Position the letters onto your shirt so that they're centered and about three inches from the collar. When the letters are placed in your desired position, it's time to iron them on.
Step 7. Sewing your letters (optional)
After an extended period of washing and drying your letters, the Wonder Under may begin to peel. To avoid this, you can sew your letters onto your shirt. All that you will need is matching thread and a sewing machine with a zig-zag pattern.
