See how easy it is to create a yearly back-to-school shirt that your kiddo can add his/her handprint to for each grade! Just add their handprint before the school year & watch them grow!
It makes the BEST keepsake and is an annual tradition that your family is sure to love and cherish!
Keep reading to see the full tutorial including a video time-lapse showing all the details!
{Original post & tutorial published in 2015.}
Make sure you check out this quick time-lapse video showing how I made my younger son’s back-to-school shirt!
A Little Note Before We Begin
Before we begin with the tutorial and all the updates, let me first clarify a few things about this back-to-school shirt that have come up since I first shared this tutorial:
- It is just a photo prop, like the back-to-school chalkboard signs I make for him too (and you can grab some FREE printable signs here). Each year, we add Rowan’s handprint, let the paint dry, slip the shirt on him, snap some pics, remove the shirt, then pack it away in the closet until the following school year.
- No, Rowan is not wearing this to school on the first day each year. Yes, I agree that would (eventually) embarrass him. It would also probably damage the shirt, which would defeat the whole purpose of this keepsake and break my heart.
- Yes, I know his hands will get bigger as he ages. Yes, I’m okay with the handprints getting a little crowded or covering up some of the grades. No, a little messy is fine with me since, ya know, this is all about and for a kid.
- If he skips a grade or gets held back a year, as unlikely as either probably are, big deal. It’s HTV so I can just zap off a piece with my iron and add a new number or grade. Or just go with the flow!
- If the shirt gets too small, so what! It’ll make an awesome Chris Farley impersonation. ;)
- For Rowan’s shirt, I used Pre-K for all of the preschool years. Chalk it up as a rookie mom mistake. Now I know better, so Brayden’s shirt has that corrected.
- We will deal with anything that comes along the way, and let’s not forget, THIS IS JUST A SHIRT FOR A PHOTO PROP. Don’t sweat it, folks.
Moving on… :)
My son, Rowan, is starting pre-school next week, and I CANNOT BELIEVE IT. Ok, it’s not really pre-school since he’s only two-years-old….it’s actually a Mother’s Morning Out program at a church that is only two days a week for half a day.
But still! He needs a backpack and lunch box and other school supplies, so for all intents and purposes, Mommy here is considering it to be his very first day of school….waaaaa! :*(
Y’all know me and how I love my keepsakes, especially for my little man (my Project Gallery is filled with them), so I of course just had to create a keepsake for Rowan’s back-to-school days!
DIY Back-to-School Shirt with Handprints for Every Grade!
2018 UPDATE!!: Rowan and his back-to-school shirt were featured on Good Morning America! I KNOW!!!
I’ve seen pins floating around Pinterest showing kiddos in an over-sized shirt that has their high school graduation year on the front that they wear for a picture at the beginning of each school year, and I thought that would be a fun and easy tradition for our family to start.
Well, I wanted to take that idea one step further though and put my own spin on it.
Instead of just taking Rowan’s picture while wearing the shirt, I thought it would also be fun to get his handprint on the back each year as well. That way we’ll not only be able to document his growth each year based on how he starts to fill out the shirt, but we’ll also have his growing handprints on the back. I know….so sweet and sentimental! For me, at least. ;)
Supplies
- Large Men’s white t-shirt
- Black heat transfer vinyl (HTV)
- Silhouette Cameo & 12″ x 24″ cutting mat
- Multi use paper (to apply the HTV)
- Iron
- Flattened cardboard boxes
- Craft paint & foam brush
**NOTE: If you don’t have a Silhouette or a fancy cutting machine, no worries! You can buy iron-on letters from just about any craft store!
I bought a plain white men’s t-shirt from Target in size large to accommodate future high school teenage Rowan. I also decided to add all the wording using black HTV instead of stenciling it on with fabric paint.
This was not only because I’m obsessed with my Silhouette Cameo, but also because I can easily remove/reapply the HTV in the highly unlikely event of Rowan skipping a grade or (lawd help me) him getting held back. I can just sizzle the HTV away with the tip of my hot iron and make any adjustments as necessary.
My Design
I first did the math and figured out when Rowan should be graduating from high school in order to add his class year to the front. I also had my husband double-check me, so if it’s wrong, blame him!
I then created all my elements in Silhouette Studio and flipped them horizontally since I’d be cutting them out in HTV, which gets cut on the back.
Next, I finalized my Silhouette‘s cut settings. I used the default Heat Transfer Material: Smooth settings, except I bumped the speed down a bit since I had a lot of small, intricate cuts:
- Blade: 2
- Speed: 5
- Thickness: 4
Cutting The HTV
Next up, I pulled out my handy dandy vinyl storage organizer and found a sheet of black HTV. I then placed it shiny side down onto my 12″ x 24″ cutting mat and loaded it into my Silhouette Cameo, then hit ‘Cut’ in Silhouette Studio….a few minutes later I had all my pieces!
I trimmed up all the pieces then weeded (or removed) all the excess vinyl….and placed the tiny pieces on my laptop for easy maneuverability.
Applying the HTV
I don’t have a fancy shmancy heat press or Cricut Easy Press yet, so I’d be applying the HTV with my regular household iron. I’m also lazy and hate dragging out our ironing board, so this project would be completed on our dining room/craft room table….this is why you’ll notice the cardboard under the shirt.
I first pre-heated my iron to the Cotton setting, then ran it over the shirt to remove all wrinkles and any moisture. Then I eye-balled the HTV’s placement….ain’t nobody got time for measuring!
For previous HTV projects, I’ve used a spare cloth (usually a pillow case or old t-shirt of my husband’s), and it’s worked just fine, but it does seem to take several minutes and passes with my iron to get good adhesion.
However, this time I decided to test out some multi use paper from Siser that is specifically designed for applying HTV…I think it’s really for doing multiple layers of HTV, but I was going to give it a go with just a single layer here because why not.
So, I laid the freezer paper-esque sheet shiny side down over top the HTV then started pressing it with my hot iron. Just a couple seconds at a time was all it took for the HTV to become applied to the shirt…..now I swear by this multi use paper! Super fast and easy to apply HTV….right up my alley.
I then repeated the process for all the pieces on the back. Same thing here too….no measuring was done. All the placements were eye-balled because good enough is good enough for me. I also placed a small flattened cardboard box inside the top of the shirt to protect the HTV I had just applied to the front from the iron’s heat.
The multi use paper worked like a charm on this side too!
Getting Rowan’s Handprint
The next morning after breakfast, I kept the small cardboard box inside the shirt (to make sure no paint bled through to the front) then got to applying the blue craft paint onto Rowan’s cute little hand. I just smeared on a small amount with a foam brush then (with Daddy’s assistance) pushed the blue print underneath the Pre-K (2 Year) spot (Rowan’s in the two-year-old class this year….fifteen two-year-olds together….bless his teachers!).
I was a little nervous that Rowan would be temperamental and toddlery during this step since he HATES getting his hands dirty (which made our recent second-birthday art canvas a little….interesting), but he was actually totally cool with it. Maybe he enjoyed looking a little like his buddy Cookie Monster for a bit.
Dad did a good job talking him through it by saying things like “This isn’t for you, son. This is for your neurotic mother, so just do what she wants and everyone will be happy.” Happy Wife (and Mom), Happy Life. :)
And sorry for no good pics of this step! Like I mentioned, wrangling a tot for a keepsake art project is a two-person job.
Rowan’s Finished Yearly Back-to-School Shirt with Handprints!
And here’s Rowan’s back-to-school keepsake shirt! Seeing that 2031 sure makes me feel old, but it will be fun to pull this shirt out of Rowan’s closet each year and add his handprint to the back before taking his annual pic.
I love documenting his growth (just like I did with his monthly baby photos), so this is just one more special keepsake to cherish….and maybe also shed a few tears over at how fast he’s growing. *sniffle*
And oh, that little handprint! I plan on doing each year in a different color (which is why I stuck with a white shirt and black wording), and I’m sure it’ll be a tight fit getting all his teenage handprints on there. But, we’ll just have to squeeze them in.
How adorable is he in this super baggy man’s shirt showcasing his graduation year?!? I mean, seriously. He was a good sport for our photoshoot too, although he was a little confused….“Ummm Mom, this doesn’t fit.”
I’m sure he won’t be very enthusiastic come middle and especially high school….“God Mom, this is so stupid! I’m not a little kid anymore! *Grumble Grumble Grumble*” I’ll just respond with something like “You’re still my baby….so put on the damn shirt! And SMILE!!” ;)
This little keepsake shirt will be so fun to display at Rowan’s graduation party….and I’m sure his future wife will appreciate it too. :)
Year 2 Update!
Well, it’s now almost time for Rowan to start his next school year (this time in the big 3-year-old class), so we of course had to update his shirt with his older handprint….and snap lots of adorable pictures. You can check out our Year 2 Update here!
Kindergarten Update!
And here’s Rowan’s updated back-to-school shirt for Kindergarten!
Just look at how much he’s grown!
First Grade Update and a New Shirt for Little Bro!
Rowan is now already in First Grade (I know!) so we updated his shirt recently with his handprint for this year:
Just look at how much he’s grown! His shirt is well above his knees now!
And since my youngest son, Brayden, just started in the two-year-old class at preschool, he got a shirt this year too!
This has really turned into the best keepsake and annual tradition for our family. :)
2nd Grade Update!
And here’s how Rowan looks in his back-to-school shirt with his big 2nd grader handprint! Look how much he’s grown…the shirt is not so huge anymore!
And here’s Brayden’s second annual pic for his Year 3 photo…so cute. :)
First Day of School Sign FREE Printable!
Make sure you head over and grab a FREE sign for your kiddo’s first day of school!
Other School Goodies!
Here’s a collection of all of my projects that are great for the school year! Some are perfect for parties, make great gifts, or have useful tips…and many include FREE cut files and/or printables, too!
Fun School Projects & Ideas!
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Stephanie says
Can you share the height and width of the lettering? Also how much space did you leave in between rows?
Ashley G. says
This is absolutely adorable! I’ve been following this since the second year update. I’m a teacher so I check at the beginning of every year and now as a mama I cannot wait to do this for my daughter!
Kathryn says
This is adorable! I’m having a hard time finding the right font sizes. Can you please share? TIA!
Lexi says
Hello!
I read your Mother Load of Tips for flying with a toddler. And holy cow I think it’s going to save me so much stress! It’s my first time traveling with my daughter and its just her and I so I really appreciate your tips!!
Thank you!!
Lexi(:
Christine says
Hi Lexi! I’m so glad you found all this helpful! Happy travels! :)
Jay says
Hi! I saw you say you might start selling the shirts customized- Have you hopefully decided to do so yet? :) please lmk if u ever do I would so buy it from you! I’m not creative or talented enough to do this!
Lourdes says
LOVE IT!
I am heading tomorrow to the crafty stores to buy the supply’s.
My son starting school in August and can’t wait to see if my Teacher come out as neat as yours… Great job!!
Thanks for sharing!
Tracy Torchon says
Hi Christine:
I absolutely LOVE this idea. What were the measurements for the class of… , the grade levels and rowan’s name?
sally says
OMG Christine! This looks AMAZING!! My daughter is 2 years old also but I’m not putting her in school yet but I want to make this for her! Thank you so much for your detailed tutorial!!!!!!
Helen Gullett says
This is so super duper cute! Amazing idea ever!
Chelc | Inside the Fox Den says
I love this! What a great tradition to do year after year!
Christine says
Thanks so much, Chelc! I’m really looking forward to doing this every year with Rowan and seeing him grow! :)
Jen says
Do you remember the size of the font for the grade level texts for the back?
Christine says
Sorry Jen, I don’t. I just eyeballed a general measurement on the shirt then resized the text boxes without looking at the specific size.
Rachel says
I really wish I could buy this from you. I don’t have a printer so I wouldn’t be able to do it. You could actually sell a bunch of these. Do a little side business. If you do start selling them let me know please
Christine says
Thanks Rachel! You could always buy some pre-cut letters/numbers from a craft store and iron them on.
I’ve had a great response to this post, especially on Facebook, and TONS of people have asked me if I can make them a shirt. I know there’s a huge demand, I just don’t have the time to make any right now. Maybe next year. :) Thanks for stopping by!
Mackenzie says
I always enjoy reading your projects. You have such good ideas!
Christine says
Why thank ya, Mackenzie! You share some pretty cute stuff yourself! ;)
Erin says
This is an awesome idea. My sons name is also Rowan and you are only the third person I’ve met who has used the name. I love it!!
Christine says
Thanks Erin! Rowan is a nice name….and you know what they say about great minds! ;)
Dory @Doyledispatch.com says
Another adorable tutorial! I hope you’ll link more up to our #EBTKS link up!
Christine says
Thanks so much Dory! I’ll be back for sure!
Erlene says
What a cute idea for a keepsake. I wish I did something like this when my kids were younger. They’re all in middle school and older now :-( Time went by too fast.
Christine says
Thanks Erlene! I’m glad I had my son after the age of Pinterest so I could be Pinspired and come up with ideas like this! :) I love keepsakes and am trying to capture all the special moments while he’s young.
Brittany @ DIY Just Cuz says
Oh my word this is so stinkin’ adorable!! Seeing 2031 definitely made me feel old…my niece will be class of ’32 (whyyy). You must have a super power because I can never get my HTV to go on straight no matter what I do. Mine will probably end up crooked. Thanks for sharing this great idea!
Christine says
I know Brittany! When I first calculated out 2031 I was like “Say whaaaaaat?!?!” It just didn’t seem possible!
Amanda Crespo says
Love this idea!! Can you share the font please?
Christine says
Thanks Amanda! The font for the class year and my son’s name is called All Star, and the other font is American Typewriter.
CherylG says
Love this idea! Oldest grandson will start kindergarten next week and I would love to make this for him and his mom. Are you able to share what font you used? I am pretty new to using my Cameo and have looked through the fonts in the online store and have not found anything similar for the numbers. I think they are baseball/athletic style? Thanks!
Christine says
Hey Cheryl! The font for the class year and my son’s name is called All Star, and the other font is American Typewriter. I downloaded both of them for free online. Have fun making a shirt for your grandson! :)
Alayna @AlaynasCreations says
I love this idea! I’d like to rewind time, just so I could go back and get my kids’ pre-k handprints ;)
I am co-hosting the #HomeMattersParty link party this month and would love to have you stop by for a visit and share. The door is open through Monday.
Christine says
Thanks so much, Alayna! I’ll definitely be checking out your link party! :)
Rachael says
Is this cut file available for download? LOVE the shirt!
Christine says
Hey Rachael! Nope, sorry. It would be really easy to recreate though since it’s just a bunch of text boxes.
Vickie - HorseMark Cards says
This is such a cute idea! It would also be fun to do this with footprints, My sons now wear size 12 and 13 shoes! Thanks for sharing this!
Christine says
Holy big feet, Vickie! Footprints would be a cute idea too! I used my son’s on his newborn stats canvas and again for some Christmas ornaments…they’re so cute when they’re little. :)
kristen says
Can you Oder these
Christine says
Hi Kristen! No, sorry. I’m not selling these at this time. I just have too much stuff going on….like back-to-school! ;)
Kelly of Simply Kelly Designs says
This is going to be such an awesome keepsake Christine! I am going to have to check out that multi use paper. My kids went to a similar “parent’s day out” program. My daughter only went one day a week but my son went two days a week. They loved it and it was a nice break for me. You will be taking the blogging world by storm because you will have nap time and school time too! :)
Christine says
Oh, you are feeling my vibe, Kelly! I am SO excited to get a little “me” time while he’s at school….more crafting and blogging for sure! And I guess I should probably add some cleaning time in there too….at least that’s what my husband says. ;)
Emily @ Two Purple Couches says
Christine, this is such a sweet idea! I bet even when he’s a high-schooler, he’ll secretly love this annual back-to-school tradition ;)
Christine says
Thanks so much, Emily! Yeah, I hope he ends up enjoying this. I’m most worried about Freshman/Sophomore year….I think that’s when the major teenage angst will show up. Hopefully he’ll see that this means a lot to Mommy here, so he won’t grumble….too much. ;)
Heidi says
My 17 year old gonna be a senior still loves his mama cuddles, and he is all grown and all boy! Wish I had his handprints but they are forever in my heart! Cute idea.
Christine says
Thanks Heidi! That’s great you have such a warm and loving son. I hope mine stays that way as he grows….I sure love cuddling him! :)
Maryann says
Would you make one of these for my daughter?? I would pay you.
Christine says
So sorry Maryann but I’m not selling any at this time.