Custom Sublimation Puzzles

Are you looking for the perfect customized gift? You're in luck! Today I'm going to teach you how to make custom sublimation puzzles.

Custom sublimation puzzles make a perfect gift but are also great for invitations, save-the-date cards, thank you notes, and more.

Course craft

Keyword sublimation

Prep Time 15

Active Time 15

To begin, upload the baseball frame and the photo you want to use into Canva.
I am using an 8.5" x 11" sized canvas because my puzzle is smaller than that size which means my whole puzzle will fit on the design. I do recommend making sure your design is a little oversized so the whole puzzle is covered.
Add the baseball design to the canvas and then add a frame. You can choose any type of frame you want. I chose a frame that has a torn look at the top and the bottom.
Once you add the frame over the baseball design you can resize it to whatever size you want and then just drag and drop your photo into the frame.
If you need to edit the photo you can double-click on it and then drag it where you want it.

You actually can't print an image from Canva. To download the image click on Share and then Download. Download as a PNG file and up the quality to get the best print quality you can.
From here you can download it right onto your computer and then open it in the program you're going to use for printing.

When you open your sublimation puzzle package you'll find the puzzle all put together and a piece of cardboard in the package.
Don't throw away that cardboard piece, we're going to use it during the sublimation process.
The first thing you need to do is to clean your puzzle. Since we don't want to take the puzzle apart before sublimating I like to take a sheet off my lint roller and stick it to my shirt a couple of times to take away a little of the stickiness before using it to remove any debris from the puzzle. This should ensure the puzzle stays together.
Because these cardboard puzzles can have moisture in them I recommend pre-heating them to remove any moisture that may be in them.
You can either hover your heat press over the puzzle for a little bit or you can close the heat press on the puzzle for 5-10 seconds. Doing this should remove any moisture from the blank in the safest way. If you're having trouble sublimating puzzles moisture may be the issue.

It's important to allow your sublimation puzzle to cool completely before adding your sublimation print to avoid any ghosting.
Place your sublimation puzzle, white side down, onto the sublimation print making sure it's located how you want it.
If you're not sure which side to sublimate on, the sublimation side should feel smooth and look shiny. The back has a rough texture and is off-white in color.
This is where we need that cardboard piece. Adding tape directly to the back of the sublimation puzzle will damage the puzzle itself.
With your puzzle located on the print add the cardboard over the back of the puzzle and then tape the cardboard to the print. You want your sublimation puzzle sandwiched between the cardboard and the sublimation print. This way the tape will ruin the cardboard and not the puzzle.
You can see that I have taped my image into place on all four sides of the puzzle with the tape on the cardboard.

To press these puzzles you'll need to use medium pressure. If you're using a Cricut Auto Press or an EasyPress you'll want to use a pressing mat that is solid and firm. I don't recommend the mat that comes with the Auto Press or the EasyPress Mat.
Add a piece of protective paper on top of the mat, add the puzzle sublimation image side up, and another sheet of protective paper to the top.
My sublimation puzzle calls for a temperature of 374 degrees for 70 seconds with medium pressure. If you're having trouble with sublimation puzzles pressure may be the issue.
If you're using an EasyPress you want to make sure you're adding pressure the entire time you're pressing.

Once the time is up remove the heat and then while wearing heat-resistant gloves move the sublimation puzzle to a heat-resistant mat and allow it to cool a little bit.
When it's cooled remove the protective paper and peel away the sublimation print and reveal your custom sublimation puzzle!
Tip - because these puzzles are chipboard or cardboard you want to allow the puzzle to cool while it's flat. I have found placing it under the heat-resistant mat with something heavy on top while it cools helps it stay completely flat. This should prevent any bowing of the puzzle while it's cooling.
Once your puzzle is completely cool it's ready to go! You can gift the puzzle put together or take it apart and put it in a cute bag to gift.