Just got a sublimation printer? The best first projects are flat, cheap and forgiving, so you can learn your settings without wasting expensive blanks.
Once you’ve pressed a few towels and mouse pads, mugs and clocks will feel easy.
I rounded up 11 easy sublimation ideas for beginners, starting with the simplest flat blanks and working up to mugs and wall clocks. Each one comes with the file.
My Top Beginner Sublimation Ideas
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What You Need to Start Sublimation
You don’t need much to get going:
- A sublimation printer: a converted Epson EcoTank or a Sawgrass printer.
- Sublimation ink and paper: print on the bright white side, mirrored.
- A heat press: a 15 x 15 inch press handles towels, bags, mouse pads and slates. A mug press is a nice second tool.
- Polyester or coated blanks: look for blanks sold as sublimation blanks.
- Heat tape and butcher paper: to hold the print in place and protect your press.
Start with white blanks. Sublimation ink is see-through, so colors look best on white.
Beginner Settings and Tips
Every blank comes with its own time and temperature, so always check the instructions from the seller first. Write your settings down for each blank so you can repeat what works.
Pre-press fabric for a few seconds to remove moisture and wrinkles, and use a lint roller first. Lift the paper straight up when you’re done so the print doesn’t ghost.
11 Easy Sublimation Ideas for Beginners
Here are my favorite beginner sublimation projects, starting with flat towels and bags, then small hard blanks, and finishing with mugs and wall clocks.
1. Funny Kitchen Towels
Most Popular Beginner File
A bundle of funny kitchen sayings like “In this kitchen we bake with love” and “I only have a kitchen because it came with the house.”
Kitchen towels are flat, cheap and very forgiving, so they’re the perfect first project. With over 1,200 favorites, this is the most popular file in this list by far.
2. Bee Kind Sunflower Towels
Prettiest First Project
“Bee kind” with a big sunflower and a honey dipper, plus a whole set of sunny kitchen sayings.
Make a few at once and practice getting your settings right. They make sweet hostess gifts too.
3. Floral Peony Tote Bag
Best Bag for Beginners
A soft bouquet of pink and white peonies with golden leaves.
Use a polyester tote and slip a piece of cardboard inside so the ink doesn’t go through to the back.
4. Daisy Mouse Pad
Easiest Hard-to-Mess-Up Project
A cheerful all-over pattern of pink, orange and blue daisies.
All-over patterns hide small mistakes at the edges, which makes them great for your first few presses.
5. Puppy in a Teacup Magnet
Best Tiny Project
A little gray puppy with a pink bow, sitting in a teacup.
Magnets are tiny, so you can fit lots of them on one sheet of sublimation paper and use up your scraps.
6. Watercolor Flowers Slate
Best Photo-Style Project
Purple and blue watercolor flowers sized for a square slate.
Slates have a rough, rustic edge, so the print doesn’t need to be perfect to look good.
7. Boho Butterfly Tee
Best First Shirt
A soft line drawing of a butterfly and a daisy in a curved floral circle.
Simple line art is easy to place and still looks great if the shirt isn’t 100% polyester.
8. Floral Monogram Mug
Best First Mug
A full alphabet of letters and numbers decorated with pink and purple flowers.
A single letter is easy to center on a mug, and it’s an instant personalized gift.
9. Watercolor Mountains Mug
Easiest Full Wrap
Soft watercolor mountains in red, pink and peach, in three color designs.
It’s a full wrap with no words, so you don’t have to worry about lining up text around the handle.
10. Sunflower Gnome Wall Clock
Most Fun Home Decor
A cute gnome in a straw hat, surrounded by sunflowers and honeycomb, made for a round clock blank.
Clock blanks are flat, so you press them like a tile. Add the hands and the clock kit after it cools.
11. Lake Life Wall Clock
Best Cabin Decor
A calm watercolor lake with a little dock, trees and “Lake life” in script.
It’s a lovely gift for anyone with a cabin or a lake house.
Sublimation for Beginners FAQs
What is the easiest thing to sublimate first?
A white polyester kitchen towel or a mouse pad. They’re flat, cheap and very forgiving.
Why do my sublimation prints look dull?
Usually the time or temperature is too low, or the blank isn’t polyester. Check the blank’s settings and try a test piece.
Do I need to mirror my design?
Yes. Print it mirrored so it reads the right way after pressing, especially if it has words.
Can I sublimate on cotton?
Not directly. Sublimation ink bonds with polyester, so use 100% polyester or a high-polyester blend. For cotton, use sublimation HTV first.
