Home Family LifeFunCrafts A Custom Baby Gift for Teacher Going on Maternity Leave

A Custom Baby Gift for Teacher Going on Maternity Leave

by Ivy B

I needed a baby gift for teacher going on maternity leave.  Instead of running to the store, I created something custom with my Cricut and heat press.  How cute is this craft?

At the beginning of S’s First Grade year, we found out we were assigned to one of the best First Grade teachers in her school.  I couldn’t have been more pleased as I learned that her teacher expected good behavior and placed high value on reading.  She was the perfect teacher for S.

And then, we found out she was expecting her first baby and would be out on Maternity Leave toward the end of the school year.  That was a bummer!

The teacher was going to be missing out on Teacher Appreciation week, so the room mom put together a special week in March to shower the teacher with our appreciation.  But, it was a baby-themed week.

The second and third day of the week were going to be baby onesie and baby bib days, respectively.

Now, I’m not a big spender AND I’d just recently been practicing with my new Cricut and heat press.  So, I decided I was going to make something for her.  I needed the practice and I thought it would be nice to give her something custom.

I’m going to show you how I made this apple-themed baby onesie which used to be my top seller when I sold on Etsy!!

Baby gift for teacher going on maternity leave or teacher's baby shower. How to create a custom baby gift for a teacher | www.sahmplus.com
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Our Custom Baby Gift for Teacher Going on Maternity Leave

Now, I kind of threw this together because I hadn’t been keeping up with my emails and only saw this on a Friday … just three days before the special week began.  I had to run to my local Hobby Lobby to get supplies AND everything was a first run test.  So, I’m really grateful this gift turned out well on the first try.

Supplies for the Apple Themed baby gift for teacher going on maternity leave:

This newborn baby bodysuit says "teacher's pet" inside a glitter monogram apple. Makes a perfect teacher's maternity leave or baby shower gift. | www.sahmplus.com

Apple Monogram SVG

Adorable Apple SVG for monogramming (try one of these)

White Baby Bodysuit

Sale
Gerber Baby 5-Pack Solid Onesies Bodysuits, White, 0-3 Months
  • Includes five solid, short sleeve Onesies Brand bodysuits
  • Easier changes with expandable necklines and high-positioned bottom snaps. Sizes PM – 0-3M feature two snaps, all larger sizes feature three.
  • Perfect for layering. Pair our baby girl and baby boy bodysuits with our coordinating baby pants, baby caps, and baby socks
  • Our solid bodysuits are perfect for personalized baby gifts, baby shower gifts, or DIY projects

White Baby Bib

Gerber unisex baby 6-pack Dribbler Bundle bibs, White, One Size US
  • Gerber 6 pack of solid white bibs
  • Perfect for crafting, add your own embroidery details and customize for your little one
  • Great for a goup decorating activity at a baby shower

Siser EasyWeed Heat Transfer Vinyl in Black

Sale
Siser EasyWeed Heat Transfer Vinyl 11.8″ x 10ft Roll (Black) Compatible with Siser Romeo/Juliet & Other Professional or Craft Cutters – Layerable – CPSIA Certified
  • DIY APPAREL – Personalize t-shirts, hoodies, pants, hats, bags, and so much more! EasyWeed allows you to customize a wide variety of fabrics including cotton, polyester, blends, leather, and more!
  • EASYWEED ADVANTAGE – EasyWeed is the leading HTV for a reason! Thanks to a sticky carrier backing, weeding even the smallest details is a breeze. EasyWeed also applies with a 1-second tack for layering and can be peeled hot— no cooldown required!
  • CRAFT SIZED – This roll of EasyWeed measures in at 11.8″ wide x 10ft long— perfectly sized for compatibility with virtually any professional or craft cutter on the market, including the Siser Romeo and Juliet High-Definition cutters!
  • PREMIUM FEEL & QUALITY – EasyWeed is just 90 microns thin which allows designs to feel incredibly lightweight when compared to other, thicker vinyls! Despite it’s thinness, EasyWeed is also extremely durable, lasting wash after wash without fading, cracking, or peeling for long-lasting designs.
  • EASY APPLICATION – EasyWeed was designed to make the heat application process as painless as possible. Apply with a heat press set to 305°F with medium pressure for 15 seconds. You can also apply EasyWeed with a home iron set to “Cotton” or “High”!

Siser Red Glitter Heat Transfer Vinyl

Siser Glitter Heat Transfer Craft Vinyl Roll 3ft x 10″ Roll Including Stainless Steel Weeding Tool (Red)
  • Ready-to-Use and Easy-to-Cut metallic glitter material designed for custom garment decorations and graphics and a bold and unique look!
  • Pressure sensitive adhesive backing allows you to weed small letters and fine designs with ease!
  • Much thinner than other film materials and works perfectly with any kind of vinyl cutter, plotter or cricut machine.
  • Simply irons onto any cotton, polyester or poly-cotton blend fabrics. EasyWeed offers excellent durability, even after repeated washings!
  • Includes a free VViViD-brand Stainless Steel Vinyl Weeding Tool!!

Green Glitter HTV

Siser Glitter Heat Transfer Vinyl HTV for T-Shirts 10 by 12 Inches (1 Foot) Sheets 3 Pack (Grass Green)
  • READY TO USE – Each pack contains 3 pre-cut sheets of Glitter HTV, measuring in at 10″x12″ inches per sheet. Siser Glitter is 325 microns thin and also CPSIA certified for children’s clothing.
  • DIY PERSONALIZATION – Decorate T-shirts, pants, hoodies, bags, shoes, pillows and so much more with a heat press or home iron! Applies at a temperature of 320°F for 15 seconds with medium pressure. Adheres to 100% Cotton, 100% Polyester, Cotton/poly blends, and Leather.
  • EASY TO USE – Pressure sensitive (sticky) backing makes lining up intricate designs a breeze. Peels hot with zero cooldown time needed.
  • SPARKLING FINISH – Create eye-catching designs with textured glitter flakes that don’t fall off! Siser Glitter retains the same vibrant shimmer throughout dozens of washes.
  • PERFECT FOR CRAFT CUTTERS – Works with virtually any craft cutter, including: Silhouette Cameo 3, Cricut Explore Air 2, Cricut Maker, Brother ScanNCut, Roland, Graphtec, and more.

Gold Glitter HTV

Siser Glitter Heat Transfer Vinyl HTV for T-Shirts 10 by 12 Inches (1 Foot) Sheets 3 Pack (Gold)
  • READY TO USE – Each pack contains 3 pre-cut sheets of Glitter HTV, measuring in at 10″x12″ inches per sheet. Siser Glitter is 325 microns thin and also CPSIA certified for children’s clothing.
  • DIY PERSONALIZATION – Decorate T-shirts, pants, hoodies, bags, shoes, pillows and so much more with a heat press or home iron! Applies at a temperature of 320°F for 15 seconds with medium pressure. Adheres to 100% Cotton, 100% Polyester, Cotton/poly blends, and Leather.
  • EASY TO USE – Pressure sensitive (sticky) backing makes lining up intricate designs a breeze. Peels hot with zero cooldown time needed.
  • SPARKLING FINISH – Create eye-catching designs with textured glitter flakes that don’t fall off! Siser Glitter retains the same vibrant shimmer throughout dozens of washes.
  • PERFECT FOR CRAFT CUTTERS – Works with virtually any craft cutter, including: Silhouette Cameo 3, Cricut Explore Air 2, Cricut Maker, Brother ScanNCut, Roland, Graphtec, and more.

Cutting Machine

This is the machine I work with!

Sale
Cricut Maker – Smart Cutting Machine – With 10X Cutting Force, Cuts 300+ Materials, Create 3D Art, Home Decor, Bluetooth Connectivity, works with iOS, Android, Windows & Mac, Champagne,26.38 x 11 x 11
  • A POWERFUL, VERSATILE SMART CUTTING MACHINE – Take your decorative art & craft to the next level with the original Cricut Maker that virtually creates any project on your wish list. Delivers a pro-level cutting experience with its advanced suite of tools
  • CUTS 300+ MATERIALS IN A WHIZ – Cuts everything from delicate paper & fabric to matboard & leather. The included Rotary Blade practically cuts any fabric for a sewing project & the Knife Blade makes precise cuts to thicker stuff for more depth & dimension
  • APP BASED CRAFTING TOOL WITH WIRELESS-BLUETOOTH CONNECTIVITY – With just a few clicks, create personalized and custom designs with this cutter using the cloud-based Design Space app that works on mobile phones and laptops (iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac)
  • KEEP YOUR SPACE NEAT & ORGANIZED – The device comes with a built-in storage on the top for storing tools. The reusable FabricGrip & LightGrip Machine Mat let you stick the material (fabric, paper & more) on it so you can easily remove the finished design
  • ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES – It is compatible with 13 tools for cutting, writing, embellishing, foiling & more. Add special accessories like Deep-Point Blade, Knife Blade, Foil-Transfer Tool & Scoring Wheels for vast options (blades & tools sold separately)

Heat Press

This was the machine I bought to get started with my crafting and worked well for my start up Etsy business.

How I Created It Our Teacher’s Baby Gift

Teachers pet words in glitter apple monogram - heat transfer vinyl | www.sahmplus.com

I downloaded an adorable apple monogram SVG and placed it into the Cricut Design Space, using the baby bodysuit template (found under fashion).  I had to choose the size of the bodysuit I bought, then got to work.

I first placed the chosen apple SVG on the template and made it fit the size of the bodysuit to my liking.

Then, I decided on a font and placed my text.  I chose a font I’d downloaded with a commercial license, so that I could use it on projects to sell, too.  My text said “teacher’s pet”.  Finally, I sized the font to fit within the apple and attached the text together so that it would cut out as typed.

When sending your project through your cutter, make sure to select “mirror” so that the words will be facing correctly to heat press onto the bodysuit.  This is standard for any materials you plan to transfer to an article of clothing.

For my particular apple, the stem was included in the red layer as well as having a separate layer for the brown (or the gold I used).  Because glitter HTV shouldn’t be pressed on top of one another I, very cautiously, snipped the red stem off the apple.  Then I butted the gold stem up to the red apple.  Afterward, I laid the green leaf adjacent to the gold stem.

I also didn’t feel like pressing multiple layers, so I cut the heat transfer tape really close to the edges where other parts met so that I could press everything at one time.

For my machine, I find it best to use the heat setting at 320 and pressed for roughly 20 seconds.

My current vinyl calls for a cold peel, so I had to wait for it to cool.  Be sure to check the instructions for your particular vinyl.

Afterward, I placed parchment paper directly onto the exposed HTV and pressed again at the same heat setting for another 20 seconds.  This allowed me to begin seeing the fibers of the garment in the vinyl.

Teacher's pet custom baby bib | www.sahmplus.com

Step-by-Step Instructions: Creating a Custom Baby Gift with Cricut & Heat Press

1. Design and Cut:

  • Download an SVG file of your choice (e.g., apple monogram).
  • Open Cricut Design Space and upload the SVG.
  • Select “Fashion” category and choose a template that matches your bodysuit size.
  • Resize the SVG to fit the bodysuit template as desired.
  • Choose a font (ensure commercial license for resale) and add your text.
  • Size the font to fit within your design and attach the text for cohesive cutting.
  • Important: Select “mirror image” before cutting the heat transfer vinyl for proper heat press application.

2. Prepare the Heat Transfer Vinyl:

  • Consult your specific vinyl’s instructions for recommended settings.
  • Depending on your design, separate layers of glitter HTV that shouldn’t overlap.
  • Weed any excess vinyl around your design, removing unwanted material.

3. Heat Press Application:

  • Preheat your heat press to the recommended temperature for your vinyl (typically around 320°F).
  • Place the weeded design onto your bodysuit, ensuring proper positioning.
  • Follow your heat press instructions for pressing time and pressure.
  • Allow the vinyl to cool completely before peeling the carrier sheet (cold peel vinyl) as instructed.

4. Final Touches (Optional):

  • For enhanced durability, consider placing parchment paper over the design and heat pressing again with the recommended settings.

Tips:

  • Double-check your vinyl instructions for specific temperature and pressing time.
  • Consider practicing on scrap fabric before applying to your bodysuit.

By following these steps, you can create a unique and personalized baby bodysuit and bib using your Cricut and heat press!

I’d love for you to comment and tell me what you thought of this custom baby gift for teacher going on maternity leave.

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3 comments

Leslie March 27, 2018 - 7:39 pm

What a cute gift! I bet she loved it!

Janice Snow May 1, 2018 - 3:08 pm

Great article. Keep Posting.
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Ana May 9, 2018 - 1:15 pm

This gift is way too cute! Teacher’s Pet is right. Gorg!

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