Since I already owned a heat press, and had made tea towels in the past, it seemed like a good starting point. Sublimation requires polyester rather than cotton, so normal tea towels need to be replaced with microfiber for the ink to "stick".

These waffle weave microfiber towels are my favorite. I've bought this pack multiple times as I made towels for craft fairs and gifts.

Sublimated puzzles make awesome gifts for kids, and are super easy to make since it could be something as easy as printing out a photo. I made a few puzzles during my first holiday season as gifts for some of my friends' kids. They loved having a fun, personalized gift.

I remember years ago when it seemed like I had mouse pads everywhere. Then laser mice took over and they would seemingly run on any surface. Mouse pads are still needed (this especially became apparent over the past year as we transitioned to working from the kitchen, closet, or bedroom).

Shaped blanks start to get a bit more advanced because they require aligning the design. If you're ready to move into shaped designs, then circles are a good place to start because they are easy to template.

Sublimation requires light polyester fibers. It works best on white, but I have also sublimated onto some light greys. When searching for sublimation apparel, terms like "dry fit" and "performance fabric" generally point to a high polyester content. There can be some cotton in the fabric content, but higher polyester fibers will create longer lasting and brighter designs.

Moving into mugs will require purchasing a mug press with multiple shape and size attachments. Straight edged mug are a good place to start when it comes to mugs because it doesn't require adjusting for taper, or trying to perfectly align a fully wrap around design.

Why not have extra fun with mugs and get some that reveal the design once a hot liquid is poured inside? Again, these will require a mug press, but are easier on the beginning phase because of the straight edges.