How to Create Cool Multimedia Designs at Home

If adding a statement word or graphic to your shirt in embroidery or print turns heads, what happens when you use more than one decorating technique? You get a retail-inspired multimedia design that showcases your individuality or your client’s brand in a unique, eye-catching way. Looking for ideas to get started? We'll explore some tips and tricks for decorating clothing with four types of multimedia designs at home.

Good question! Check out our list of four compelling reasons why you’d want to combine decorating techniques on a garment:

1. You’re taking inspiration from retail looks and upleveling the perceived value of your garment, hat or bag. We’re not saying an embroidered or screen-printed tee doesn’t catch your eye. However, for example, when you screen print a cat’s face onto your t-shirt and then use metallic embroidery to highlight the eyes, you’ve taken that design to the next level. Whether your customer is buying a decorated garment for their personal wardrobe, for staff uniforms, for their band, their team, an event or something else, a multimedia design is more attractive and exciting.

2. It’s often faster and more affordable to use multimedia techniques to create your design. We’ve watched embroiderers create 100,000-stitch designs to stitch on a jean jacket back. White the work is amazing, the time and labor investment is huge. On the flip side, you could print or heat transfer the bulk of the design onto the jacket and then use puff or metallic embroidery to highlight certain elements. You’d still get a wow-worthy design, but in a fraction of the time.

3. You can charge more for a multimedia design. Since a shirt or hat decoration combining decoration techniques has a higher perceived value for buyers, you can charge more for the look and make a healthier profit margin overall.

4. Multimedia also works like a charm when you have multiple design locations. Let’s say a customer wants you to put their logo on a polo’s left chest, an employee’s name on the right chest, a logo on the left sleeve and a website address on the back yoke. You may opt to embroider everything except the left-sleeve logo, which is a heat transfer. There are lots of different configurations to choose from, which make the most sense from aesthetic, cost, time and labor perspectives.

Let’s run down the four decorating combos you’ll love to use and your customers will love to wear. We recommend reviewing online tutorials to learn more about each technique, and the best ways to combine them in a multimedia design.

Combo #1: Embroidery and Screen Printing 

A tried-and-true combo, stitching and screen printing will give any garment, hat or bag a clean, professional finish – adding to the higher perceived value and higher price point. Consider these tips before you begin:

• Keep your design simple. Yes, screen printing allows you to offer vibrant colors and capture fine details, while the embroidery adds dimension to text or certain elements. However, it's a good idea to keep the design simple, with a one- or two-color screen-printed base.
• Choose high-quality supplies: Both embroidery and screen printing are durable imprints, withstanding washes and wears for the garment’s life. Even so, choose threads and inks that will last the test of time.
• Choose a heavier fabric. Whenever you use embroidery it’s a good idea to use a heavier fabric for your shirt, hoodie, hat or bag. A lightweight fabric might pucker near the stitched elements. 
• Make the print part as large as possible. That way, the embroidery fits comfortably on your chosen elements and doesn’t distort the print. 
  Select contrasting colors. If your screen-printed design is a darker color, use lighter or metallic embroidery thread colors and vice versa, so that your design really pops.
  Plan to apply screen printing first. Then, sew the embroidered sections on top of the cured ink. 

Combo #2: Rhinestones and Screen Printing 

Combining rhinestones and screen printing results in a fantastic design! Women and girls love a little or a lot of sparkle on their t-shirts, hoodies and hats, so you can use rhinestones as accents or go heavy on the bling. Here are some tips for creating a standout look:

• Plan out your look. Are you creating an entire logo or word in rhinestones to overlay a one-color screen-printed design? Are you using rhinestones as accents on a print or as elements of a print, like flower petals and leaves? It’s important to know how your design will look, so you can choose the right color and size for your rhinestones or other bling element.
• Pretreat your shirt. Generally, this means washing your shirt with a mild detergent and letting it air dry, so your ink and rhinestones adhere properly.
  Apply your screen print first. Allow the ink to dry or cure completely before you apply the rhinestones.
• Apply the rhinestones with care. If you’re attaching the stones by hand with a hot-fix applicator, mark the spots where you’ll affix them first. If you’re using a rhinestone heat transfer, cut out the elements and place them on the shirt in the correct spots first to review placement.
• Heat-set your design. Follow the instructions on your inks and rhinestone adhesive for the right amount of time, temperature and pressure to ensure the print and stones adhere to the fabric.

Combo #3: Embroidery and Heat Transfer Vinyl

You might be surprised to hear that you can combine embroidery and heat transfer vinyl to create an applique effect. An embroidered garment gives you a nice profit margin, but simply adding a touch of glittery or fuzzy vinyl applique elements lets you charge even more for your work. 

In case you’re not familiar with heat transfer vinyl, or HTV, is a special type of vinyl material you can use to customize or personalize your t-shirt or other garments, like hoodies. HTV vinyl has two different sides: The first side is the vinyl itself and the second is a heat-activated adhesive backing. The adhesive allows you to permanently transfer the vinyl to a t-shirt using a heat source like a heat press or an iron. The key to permanently adhering the vinyl to a garment is using the right time, temperature and pressure. 

One of the things we love about heat transfer vinyl – especially for multimedia designs – is that there are so many types of colors, patterns and finishes to choose from, even glitter or glow-in-the-dark HTV. The result? Head-turning, high-quality custom t-shirts that last through many washes and wears.

Here are some tips to seal the decorating deal for this multimedia combo:

• Choose the right t-shirt material. HTV works best on 100% cotton, or cotton/poly blends. Some synthetic fabrics, like acrylic, won’t work since they can actually melt under your heat source. Similarly, more lightweight fabrics aren’t ideal for embroidery. Cotton and cotton blend fabrics work well for both embroidery and heat transfer vinyl.
• Stitch the embroidered portions of the design first. Use the correct stabilizer to prevent puckering or stretching. When you’re planning your design, be sure you leave enough room to apply the HTV later. 
• Weed, cut and apply the vinyl, after you’ve added the stitched elements. Follow the manufacturer’s time and temperature instructions for applying the HTV to the garment so that it adheres correctly. A good tip is to place a protective non-stick sheet or Teflon between your embroidery and vinyl to prevent any melting or damage.
• Remove the vinyl backing paper correctly. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on whether you need to do a hot- or cold-peel. Trim any excess vinyl. Then wash your shirt inside out, and either air dry the shirt or dry it on a very low heat.

Combo #4: Heat Transfer Vinyl and Sequins 

Yes, you can combine heat transfer vinyl with a sequin heat transfer. It’s another fun and creative way to add extra sparkle and customization to apparel or accessories. A good example of this type of design is using the HTV for a name, logo or mascot, and accenting the HTV with nearby sequin accent embellishments. Your sequin accents can be on a heat transfer or you can attach them individually with glue, depending on how many you’re using. Here are a few tips to get you started:

• Apply the vinyl first. Cut out your vinyl design with your cutting machine or by hand. Again, follow the manufacturer’s instructions to apply the vinyl to your shirt with a heat press or iron. Always use the recommended temperature, timing and pressure setting for the vinyl product and fabric type.
• Then, attach the sequins. If you’re using a sequin transfer, cut out the element first and place them in the correct spot on your t-shirt before following the manufacturing instructions to apply the sequins with heat. If you’re using glue, carefully attach the sequins around the HTV design. 
• Care for the shirt correctly. Whether you’re wearing this multimedia design shirt or it’s for your clients, pay attention to the care instructions – and share them on your website. Don’t ever wash or dry the shirt on high heat or use fabric softeners. Wash the garment inside out. Air dry or tumble dry on low to protect your sequins and vinyl.

It’s time to start decorating clothing and accessories with eye-catching multimedia designs! Threadsy is a great online destination for buying t-shirts, other garments and hats at wholesale prices. If you’ve been shopping for blank garments from a big box retailer, it’s time to stop. 

Threadsy offers generous discounts for customers who purchase t-shirts, joggers, pullovers and other apparel in larger quantities. Our bulk discount program starts at $110, and the savings up to 15% automatically appear in your cart when you bundle your items. You’ll also enjoy free shipping on orders $50 or higher, with always-fast delivery. 

Plus, unlike other retailers that tack on fees for everything from orders that don’t meet a certain purchase threshold, to packing your order to processing returns, Threadsy doesn’t do that. There’s no minimum order, returns are free for 30 days, and we’ll never charge you extra money to pack your order. So what are you waiting for? Start shopping and saving today on t-shirts and other garments just waiting for your multimedia design.