Make a Sublimation Beach Towel with JenniferMaker's tutorial! Two cute sublimated towels with kawaii-inspired beach and vacation designs sit on an illustrated beach.

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Learn how to create a sublimation beach towel with my free ocean designs!

Want to bring your favorite designs on vacation with you?  Follow my easy step-by-step directions to make a sublimation beach towel! This tutorial adapts the steps from my sublimation blanket project to sublimate a beach blanket. Your day on the water will be even brighter with my fun summertime designs!

Want to save this project? Enter your email below and we’ll send the project straight to your inbox.
 

Watch the full step-by-step all over sublimation beach towel ideas tutorial which you can adapt to decorate a sublimation beach towel!

Get the free SVG cut file for this project

Sublimation involves applying heat to a special ink, turning it into a gaseous state, and infusing into a sublimation blank.

What’s a sublimation blank? It’s a blank product (in the case of this tutorial, a towel) with a polymer surface or fiber content. To create a sublimation transfer, you need a high-resolution image file printed on sublimation transfer paper printed with sublimation ink … from a sublimation printer. Can you say “sublimation” three times fast?

Through sublimation, the image becomes part of the towel’s actual fibers. You can’t feel the design, nor can it crack or peel off over time like vinyl. It also allows you to use full-color images with a nearly infinite number of colors. Cool, right?

In this fun tutorial, I’ll show you how to add images to a polyester sublimation beach towel, including some Cricut Design Space tips to print your own images large enough to make a statement at the beach, but with a normal sublimation printer. You don’t need a wide-format printer to cover lots of area!

I’ll also show you how to prepare some of my free summer and beach designs to decorate with. I created the full color images with the help of AI software, then edited them in Photoshop to make them look their best. They look beautiful on the plain white beach towels in my material list!

You can even customize your towel design with a name or other words of your choice! I’ll show you how to choose the right text size to make it look its best on your towel, and guide you through designing the best layout for your images.

First, you’ll need a towel! Any size is fine, just make sure it is polyester — not cotton terry. Cotton won’t work for sublimation, but polyester will allow the sublimation ink to infuse into the fibers for bright, vibrant colors that stick around through the wash.

In addition to the sublimation-ready towel of your choice, you’ll need a sublimation printer with compatible ink and paper. I’m using 8.5” x 14” or legal size paper this time because the extra length makes it easier to fill the space with big images — but you can use 8.5″ x 11″ paper for smaller designs.

While we’re using Cricut software to prepare the designs, we’ll do all the cutting by hand. Cutting your tiled photos carefully is really important, so I’ll show you how to do it with a metal safety ruler, Cricut TrueControl craft knife, and self-healing mat. This knife is sharp, so please follow the safety instructions in the tutorial!  

This is a big project, so you’ll need a good amount of space to move around while working on your sublimation beach towel. A handheld press that can cover your design elements will be easier than a clamshell press, because you don’t want to reactivate the ink on earlier transfers each time you add a new one. Heat presses are not all the same, so I have information for different press types in my Sublimation Cookbook. And be sure to check my tools and materials list for the rest of the items you’ll need to get started!

Once you learn how to sublimate a beach towel with my tutorial, you’ll have the skills to create your own sublimated towel with your own design! Customize them with a team color or logo, an image from my free library, a clip art image, or your own uploaded image. Just make sure you use a picture with high image quality, and you measure the towel, adjust the image or logo size to fit, and plan out your design area before printing or sublimating your images. You’ll feel like a professional designer, and the final product will be a one-of-a-kind towel with the exact artwork you want on it! 

Let me show you how to sublimate a beach towel! This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience (which means if you make a purchase after clicking a link I will earn a small commission but it won’t cost you a penny more, there is no additional cost)! Read my full disclosure policy.

Materials to Make A Sublimation Beach Towel

View my Amazon shopping list for the exact items I used!

How to Make Your Own Sublimation Beach Towel

The completed sublimation blanket.

Sublimation Blanket Ideas

Yield: 1
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Active Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
Difficulty: Medium
Estimated Cost: $10-$25

Learn how to create a custom gift using my sublimation blanket ideas.

Instructions

STEP 1: GET MY FREE SUBLIMATION BLANKET IDEA DESIGNS

First, download my Sublimation Blanket Ideas designs from my free library -- look for Design #574. Alternatively, you can use the Save This Project form near the top of this post and the design link will be emailed to you.

There are many designs in the PNG folder: heart shapes in different colors that align with the border flowers, flowers in a heart shape, two single flowers, a flower bunch, several single hearts, and groups of hearts using different color patterns. You can customize and print them using Cricut Design Space.

I used an AI art generator to create the designs, then made them even more fantastic with image editing software. If you want to learn more about the process, check out my workshop on creating and using AI-generated art in your crafts.

TIP: If you’re not sure how to upload, go to jennifermaker.com/svgs to learn how to unzip and upload files to Cricut Design Space.

STEP 2: PREPARE AND PRINT YOUR DESIGNS

MEASURE YOUR GRID OPENINGS

1. Check if the blanket manufacturer has listed the opening sizes on the packaging so you can size your images to fit.

2. Some of my grids were uneven, so it’s a good idea to measure the height and width of each one just in case. The fabric is stretchy, so make sure each grid is flat but not stretched during measuring.

3. If you want an image to completely fill the white space, you’ll need to make the pieces large enough to overlap the grids where they’re farthest apart.

NOTE: It’s OK if the grid opening is larger than your printer can create. We’ll tile the photos in Cricut Design Space to make them print on 8.5” x 14” paper and then reassemble them before pressing. This is also a good time to plan your design by deciding how many boxes you want to fill with photos and which other design elements you want to put in the other spaces.

CRICUT DESIGN SPACE

1. Open Cricut Design Space and click “New Project.”

2. Click “Upload” and then “Upload Image.”

3. Click “Browse.”

4. Select the photo you want to use.

NOTE: Use a large, high-quality photo since you’ll need to print it very large to fill a grid opening.

5. On the Upload Image screen, click “Complex” and “Continue.”

Choose complex when uploading images to Design Space.

6. Click “Apply and Continue.”

7. Select “Print Then Cut Image” and click “Upload.”

Upload the Print Then Cut image.

8. On the next screen, select your image and click “Add to Canvas.”

NOTE: You may see a low resolution warning even after resizing your image, and that's OK. It will print just fine at the size needed for the Sublimation Blanket. However, I don't recommend enlarging these images for larger projects.

9. Click the “Shapes” icon.

10. Select a free Square to add it to the Canvas.

Add a square shape to the canvas from the free shapes list.

11. With the Lock icon closed, adjust the Square’s dimensions to match the open spaces in the blanket's grid.

NOTE: The grid openings in my tests varied, but were all smaller than 10.5” square, so I used 10.85” as my template dimensions so some of the image would overlap with every edge of the grid opening.

12. Use the Operation dropdown to change the square to “Guide” so you can see through it and it won’t be part of the final design.

Change the box to a guide.

13. Drag the Square over the image so the subject is within the shape.

14. With the Lock icon closed, drag a corner of the photo’s bounding box to resize the subject, if needed, so it fits in the square.

Resize the image to fit just the part of the photo to be kept inside the guideline.

15. Hold the Shift key to select both the Square and the image.

16. Click “Slice.”

Position the part of the photograph to be used under the guideline then click slice.

17. Delete the excess image Layer.

Delete the area of the photograph outside the square shape.

18. Select the Square guide.

19. Click the lock icon to open the proportions.

20. Change the “W” (width) field to be half that of the grid square plus .2” for a small overlap.

Change the size of the guide to half the size of the square plus a small amount to create an overlap then align the guide to the left of the image.

21. Select the image and Click “Duplicate,” then move the copy aside for now.

22. Hold the Shift key to select both the Guide and the original image.

23. Select “Align” and “Align Left” to begin moving the Guide into position.

Align the guide to the left of the image.

24. Then select “Align” and “Align Top” to get the final position to cover the left half of the original image.

25. Click “Slice.”

26. Delete the excess original image outside the Guide.

Delete the extra image area outside the guideline.

27. Use Steps 21-26 to Slice the Guide out of the duplicate image, but use “Align Right” (instead of "Align Left") so you create the right half of the image.

Delete the extra pieces from outside the guideline and delete the guide.

28. If there is a red warning icon on the first Layer in the Layers Panel, click it.

Select the Warning sign next to the layer to view any size warnings.

29. Make sure the paper size shown matches your 8.5” x 14” material. If not, click “Change Page Size” and adjust it.

Change the setting to use larger paper when printing the larger designs.

30. Now add any of the other design elements you'd like to print to the Canvas, changing sizes and quantities as needed.

31. Your designs are ready for printing.

Arrange the shapes on the canvas in the order they will be placed on the blanket to help keep the pattern straight when applying to the grids.

32. Make sure the correct machine is selected in the top right.

33. Click “Make.”

34. If prompted, click "On Mat," choose your mat size, and click “Confirm.”

35. On the Prepare Screen, make sure your Material Size is set to “8.5 in x 14 in (Legal).”

36. Click “Mirror” for each mat since we’ll apply the designs face down.

Be sure to mirror the image before printing for sublimation use.

37. Select the first mat and click “Continue.”

PRINTING

1. On the Make Screen, select the first mat with half of your picture and click “Send to Printer.”

Click Send To Printer.

2. Select your printer from the Printer dropdown.

3. Toggle “Add Bleed” off since we don’t want extra ink around the photo pieces.

4. Toggle “Use System Dialog” on.

Print with no bleed and using system dialog box.

5. Click “Print.”

TIP: You may need to minimize or move your Design Space window to see the print dialog window. It sometimes appears behind Design Space. Each printer is different, so consult your printer's user guide for additional support.

6. The print dialog box should have the correct printer selected, the Media set to “Photo Matte Paper,” and the Quality set to “Best.” “Flip Horizontally” should be unchecked.

Choose the print settings to match the paper using the best print quality.

NOTE: Your screen and settings may look different, but use mine as a guide to pick the closest options you have available.

7. Make sure the sublimation paper is loaded correctly in your printer.

8. Click “Print.”

9. Set the print aside to let it dry. Be careful not to smudge it.

10. Use Steps 1-9 to print the other half of the image.

The final image is larger than a standard printer can print so the image must be printed on two pieces of paper.

11. Use the same settings to print the other sheets for your design.

NOTE: If you’re adding heart or flower elements that won’t completely fill the grid opening, keep “Add Bleed” turned off because you don’t need the extra ink around their edges either.

12. We’ll cut the pieces by hand, so you can close Cricut Design Space.

CUTTING

1. Place the left half of one of your photos face up on a self-healing mat.

2. Put your safety ruler along the right side of the image so just a little ink is visible beyond the edge.

3. Align the photo’s top and bottom edges with marks on the ruler to make sure your vertical cut will be straight.

NOTE: Make sure the protective vertical piece on the ruler is between your fingers and the edge that you’ll cut. Once the ruler is in place, you can press down to keep it and the paper in place due to the non-slip material on the ruler’s bottom.

Trim the white from the inside edge of the image.

4. Hold the craft knife in your dominant hand and keep the ruler in place with your other hand. Make sure your fingers and nails remain on the other side of the vertical protective piece.

5. Use your craft knife to trim away the excess paper along the ruler’s edge.

Trim away all the white paper from the inside of the image on the left.

6. Then, place the right half of the image face up on the self-healing mat.

7. Place your ruler so the cutting edge is between the image’s left side and the vertical sections of the black registration marks.

Place the ruler on the very edge of the image to trim off all the white from the edge of the photo.

NOTE: We want to leave some white paper to the left of the image for the overlap, but we need to remove the registration marks so they don’t bleed through.

8. Make sure your fingers are protected by the vertical piece on the ruler and safely cut away the excess paper.

Trim the white from the inside edge of the right side of the image.

9. Align the image halves with the white edge underneath.

TIP: You can use the black horizontal lines or top and bottom edges of the paper to help with alignment, but they aren’t always consistent, so using the image itself is most reliable.

Use the outside guide marks to help align the edges of the photo where the image overlaps in the center.

10. Once the image looks perfect, use heat-resistant tape to secure the seam section below the image on the front of the paper.

11. Smooth along the seam to make sure there are no bubbles and the image remains aligned.

12. Then tape the top section above the photo.

Tape the two sides of the image together outside of the image area.

13. Carefully flip the paper and tape the image seam with heat-resistant tape on the back side.

14. Press the seam with your scraper tool or fingernail to smooth any gaps and really secure the halves together.

Smooth the tape over the seam.

15. Flip the paper and use your ruler and craft knife to trim all the white and registration marks away on all four edges, even if you need to remove a bit of ink

Trim white paper away from all the edges of the image.

16. Use the same process to prepare any other large images.

17. Cut the rest of the designs apart with scissors and feather their edges.

Trim all the images as close as possible to the design to minimize lines when pressing the image onto the material.

STEP 3: PREPARE AND PRESS THE GRID SUBLIMATION BLANKET

CAUTION: Good ventilation is important any time you use sublimation. Have your windows open and a fan going to help the fumes dissipate quickly. And don’t breathe in very close to the project while it’s still warm.

NOTE: Your design’s colors will be influenced by the printer profile you use and will not exactly match what is on the printed paper. It’s a good idea to sublimate a test design on some scrap white polyester fabric using these steps before moving to your final project.

1. Set your heat press to the correct temperature and time. According to my Sublimation Cookbook, the EasyPress 2 needs to be set at 385°F (196° C) for 60 seconds with light pressure for polyester fabric.

2. Lay out the blanket face up, making sure it’s not stretched or wrinkly.

3. Place your pressing mat on the pressing area.

4. Put the first design area face up on the covered mat.

Prepare the first grid spot to be sublimated.

5. Lint roll the first design area to remove dust or debris.

6. Put fresh white butcher paper on top of the design area to protect the fibers from the heat press.

NOTE: The black grids on my blanket were sublimation ink, so make sure they are completely covered to avoid transferring ink to your press if it reactivates.

Protect the heat press and blanket using a layer of butcher paper over top of the blanket and design.

7. Lightly press the design area for 5 seconds to remove excess moisture from the material, and smooth out any extra wrinkles.

8. Put white cardstock under the blanket to protect the pressing pad from excess ink.

NOTE: While I didn’t experience ink going through the blanket, some fabrics might behave differently.

9. Use your hand to brush the blanket’s fibers all in one direction so the ink sublimates a smoother, more consistent surface.

Smooth the fibers all in one direction prior to pressing the design.

10. Gently adjust the blanket so the open grid area is on the covered pressing mat and the fabric isn’t stretched at all.

NOTE: The grid boxes in my tests did not have straight lines and are very easy to skew. Focus on getting the fabric to lay flat.

Straighten the edges of the gridline.

11. Place the design face down so the image is correctly oriented for the blanket design.

Place the design face down on the grid making sure the design covers the entire white area of the grid box.

NOTE: Since the grid lines are wavy, do your best to completely cover the white blanket area without stretching or moving the fabric.

12. Tape the design in place with heat-resistant tape so just a little bit touches the grid lines on the blanket.

Tape the image facedown on the blanket taking care to not have any white areas showing and using as little tape as possible to not damage the black already on the blanket.

NOTE: The tape lifted some of the black in my tests, so the less the tape touches the grids, the less it will be impacted.

Tape can lift the black area of the grid so apply just enough of the tape to hold the paper in place.

13. Place a fresh piece of butcher paper on top of the blanket and taped design so the entire grid is covered.

14. Press the design with light pressure for 60 seconds at the correct temperature.

Press the design for the recommended time and temperature for the material being used.

15. After pressing, allow the design to sit for approximately 10 seconds to help prevent ghosting. Remove the butcher paper, tape, and transfer sheet to reveal the first photo on your blanket.

Remove the paper from the blanket taking care to carefully peel away the tape to not damage the black edge of the grid.

16. Add more design repeats all over the blanket’s front.

NOTE: Remember to move the pressing pad as needed, lint roll and pre-heat the design area, always secure the design with heat-resistant tape, cover it and the grid lines with fresh butcher paper, and don’t let your heat press get too near existing designs or the ink could reactivate. The ink may not fade but will transfer to the butcher paper, and it’s likely to transfer if you use the same butcher paper again.

Press the design to avoid any of images that are already pressed to keep the other images from fading on a second pressing.

NOTE: When you get to a design that is larger than your heat press, press it in sections with the least amount of overlap.

Press large images in sections when they are bigger than your press.

STEP 4: SHOW IT OFF!

Here is what my finished grid sublimation blanket looks like!

The completed blanket with all grid squares filled in.

Notes

Care: Wait at least 24 hours before washing. Machine wash with cold or warm water and a mild detergent. Hang dry or dry with low heat.

Finished Size: Depends on the blanket used. (The blankets I used on this project were 50” x 60”.)

Answers to Your Questions About How To Sublimate A Beach Towel

Q: What kind of towel is best for sublimation?

A: When making a sublimation beach towel, blank beach towels (or with white areas) that are at least 65% polyester will work, but the closer you are to 100% polyester the better!

Q: Can you sublimate on any towel?

A: Fiber content and color matters. The beach towel should have at least 65% polyester content and be white so the translucent sublimation ink will show correctly.

Q: How do I care for a sublimation beach towel?

A: You’ll want to wait about twenty-four hours before cleaning your custom towel. Then wash it on gentle with mild detergent. Hang it to dry for the best results. Unlike screen printing, the design becomes part of the fibers, so the image should last as long as the item!

Q: Why is my sublimation print color so dull?

A: Sublimation prints look much duller on the paper than they do after they’re sublimated, so don’t worry if your printed image looks faded or different colors than you expect. Good news, the vibrant colors will show when transferred to the sublimation blanks! 

Unlike vinyl, the total number of unique colors you can include in your designs is virtually limitless! One thing to consider, though, is that images with white pixels or a transparent background will not be printed in white sublimation ink (which doesn’t exist). Instead, those areas won’t have ink at all, and the blank will show in those spots. This is one reason why white blanks are the go-to for sublimation crafting!

Q: Why is my sublimation not transferring evenly?

A: You may need to tweak your settings if you’re using materials other than the ones in my materials list. The sublimation printing process and transferring has a lot of variables, so follow my notes first on a test cloth, then try adjusting your temperature, time, or pressure if you need to.

Q: What does ghosting mean in sublimation?

A: Ghosting can occur when a freshly sublimated object is moved around too much while it’s still hot. If the object and the sublimation transfer is still hot, the image is still sublimating. To avoid this, simply wait until your sublimated item has cooled off before handling or removing the paper, and don’t move it around more than you need to while it’s sublimating. It’s a natural effect of the sublimation process because the ink is in a gaseous state until it’s cooled.

Q: What if I don’t have a sublimation printer?

A: You can have someone else print the designs for you! There are many Etsy sellers (and others in the global marketplace) who will print your designs and send them to you. Just check their customer reviews, see if they have a minimum order quantity, and make sure their typical production time fits your goals.

Q: Can I sell the towels I make with this tutorial? 

A: Yes, you can sell completed projects using these designs (with limitations). While I am the legal owner of this design, along with other designs in my free library, please read the following terms about licenses here so you know what you can and cannot do, and how you can qualify for a commercial rights license for use of this artwork. If you do sell projects using designs from JenniferMaker, please share photos with us! We love to see them. 

When using images you find on the internet for crafts you intend to sell, make sure you have full rights to do so commercially by getting permission from the copyright owner, and always avoid the illegal use of third-party copyright content. 

Get my free PNG files to sublimate a beach towel of your own!

I love seeing what you make with my designs and how you use them! Please share a photo of your sublimation beach towel in our Facebook group or tag me on social media with #jennifermaker.

Love,

JenniferMaker.com

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