Go Back Email Link
Sublimation pens on a yellow background
Print Recipe
No ratings yet

HOW TO SUBLIMATE PENS IN A CONVECTION OVEN

Use sublimation to make cute pens for your desk or as gifts! Here's how to sublimate pens in a sublimation or convection oven, plus add a name to customize them!
Author: Cori George

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • How to Sublimate Pens
    You can use the free file above as is to create non-personalized pens, but let's hop into Cricut Design Space to add a name. Skip this first part if you don't want to add text to your pen.
    Gingham Pen Wrap Bundle security template
  • Adding a Name to Sublimation Pens
    Upload your PNG file to Cricut Design Space. Despite designing these in the correct size, Cricut Design Space will bring it into the Canvas too large. You'll have to re-size it before making the project.
    Design Space: pink gingham pen wrap
  • Type your name or other text, and then resize the text and place it about 2/3 of the way up on the background image.
    Design Space: pink gingham pen wrap with name added
  • If you'd like, change the color and add an offset.
    Design Space: pink gingham pen wrap with name added
  • Select the text, offset, and background and click Flatten in the lower right.
    Design Space: pink gingham pen wrap flattened with name
  • Re-size the project to be 4" wide.
    Design Space: pink gingham pen wrap re-sized
  • Click Make It. On the Prepare Screen, mirror your image.
    Design Space: pink gingham pen wrap mirrored in Prepare Screen
  • And then print with your sublimation printer with the Bleed turned off.
    Design Space: Print Setup with bleed turned off
  • Sublimating Pens in a Convection Oven
    Start by cutting out your transfer. For this project Cricut was not used for the cutting. Just cut your transfer down using a paper trimmer.
    Hands using a paper trimmer to trim down transfers
  • Loosen the screw part of the bottom of the pen and remove the inner workings. Make sure to not lose any of the small pieces.
    Hands removing pen parts from barrel
  • Clean your barrel with alcohol and a microfiber cloth.
    Hands cleaning barrel
  • Add a piece of heat-resistant tape along the long edge on the back of the transfer. The transfer is slightly bigger than the circumference of the barrel, and this will keep the sublimation ink from bleeding through both layers.
    Hands placing tape on the back side of one long edge of the transfer
  • Now wrap your transfer around the barrel with the image facing the barrel. Not taping yet—just trying to get the paper to "remember" that it needs to curl like this.
    Hands placing three pieces of tape on the opposite side of the transfer
  • Add three pieces of tape on the back side of the transfer, with half of each piece off the transfer. Do this on the side that does not have that first piece of tape that was used.
    Hands rolling the paper so it "remembers" the shape of the barrel
  • Now use your hands to roll the transfer around the barrel, tucking the side with the long piece of tape under as you roll.
    Hands rolling the transfer around the barrel and into the three pieces of tape
  • Keep rolling and the three pieces of tape will nicely secure your whole barrel at once!
    Hands rolling the transfer around the barrel and into the three pieces of tape
  • Add your pen to a shrink wrap sleeve.
    Hands adding the taped barrel to a shrink wrap sleeve
  • Bake your pens in your sublimation oven for 5 minutes at 375°, rotating halfway through.
    Oven with sublimation pens inside.
  • Remove the shrink wrap and transfer (this is where the weeding hook or scissors come in handy) and add the inner workings of your pen back into the barrel.
    Hands adding pen parts from barrel
  • That's it! You're done with your sublimated pens!
    Sublimation pens on a yellow background