Cricut is a brand name for a line of cutting machines designed for crafting projects such as cards, scrapbooks, and other paper crafts. The company was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Lake Mary, Florida.
Cricut offers several types of cartridges, each containing a variety of designs and materials. In addition to its original cartridges, Cricut sells a wide range of compatible cartridges for various craft materials, including vinyl, fabric, leather, wood, metal, clay, and more.
What Is Infusible Ink?
Infusible Ink is a very useful tool for creating your own designs. It comes in a wide range of colors, and you can make them last forever by applying them over a durable surface.
It doesn’t matter what kind of paper you use, because it will always stick to it. This means that you will be able to create beautiful cardstock or scrapbook pages with ease.
It also works well on fabrics like velvet, linen, satin or sheer silk, but not the cotton ones (because they are too delicate). As an added bonus, you get both sides of your design, so you don’t need two different papers!
Ready to get started with Cricut Infusible Ink? In this detailed guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know to make beautiful crafts using Cricut Infusible Ink.
You’ll learn what Infusible Ink really is and how to use this amazing ink to create beautiful projects.
Materials
Infusible Ink comes in 2 different formats: transfer sheets and markers. You can cut designs using your cricut machine like you would with vinyl.
You can also draw using pens and markers or with the Cricut machine to make your own transfer designs. The Cricut Infusible Ink system also has a line of blanks such as t-shirts, bags, and mugs.
Which Supplies Do I Need To Use Infusible Ink?
To create with Cricut Cutter, you’ll need a couple of things. First, you’ll need a Cricut machine. You can get a starter kit for $99.95. Second, you’ll need an ink cartridge. There are many different cartridges available. Each cartridge costs anywhere from $10-$20 depending on the brand.
Third, you’ll need a sheet of butcher paper. Butcher paper comes in different sizes. It’s recommended to use two pieces of 8 1/2 x 11″ butcher paper. Fourth, you’ll need some tape.
Tape is cheap, but there are several types. Duct tape is a good choice because it sticks well and doesn’t leave residue behind.
Finally, you’ll need scissors. Scissors are also inexpensive, but make sure you buy high-quality ones. You’ll also need compatible blank items, like shirt or mug (the Cricut brand blank is specifically designed to be compatible with Infusible ink).
You can also look at third party “sublimation blanks” to use with Infusible ink.
Cricut easypress 2, or heat press: You’ll need a source heat to transfer the infusible ink to your project material.
Regular irons are not a good idea because they don’t usually get warm enough, and they aren’t big enough to cover a whole project in one pass. Also, steam holes in the bottom plate interfere with a clean transfer.
Cricut Mug Press: You can use this press with compatible mug blanks.
Cricut EasyPress mat: A flat smooth pressing mat for infusible ink projects.
StandardGrip cutting mats: A green mat.
White cardstock: Use this underneath or inside the project for even heat distribution and protection against accidental ink transfer.
Paper trimmers, tweezers, scissors, and lint rollers are also very useful tools. Use them when you’re making transfers.
How To Apply Cricut Infusible Inks
1. Cut out your design from your paper source. We recommend using a rotary cutter, since the blades won’t affect the ink. If you have a laser cutter then you may want to skip steps 6 to 7.
2. Peel off the label by pulling gently up until you see the adhesive start to peel away. Place the sticker face down onto the infusible ink layer. Make sure that the edges of the sticker align with each other so the ink will be evenly transferred.
3. If it’s the first time working with the product, place some butcher paper into the printer tray in order to catch any excess ink. This will prevent having to wash your hands after handling the ink. Once you’ve finished printing, just discard the butcher paper.
4. Wait about 30 minutes before pressing or heating your item. After it cools completely, it is ready to be used!
5. Clean your iron regularly with water. Always clean the steaming head before cleaning the entire iron.
6. Heat print your project carefully over the desired area until it starts bubbling. Be careful not to touch the heated area while still hot as it could burn you.
7. Wait another 30 seconds and then remove the piece from the iron. Allow it to cool completely.
8. Carefully peel off the backing paper.
9. When dry, turn it over and apply the backside using double-sided tape.
How To Create Transfers With Cricut
You can do both sides or just one side of an item.
1. Using a sharp knife, score the top right corner of the infusible transfer, starting 3/4 inch towards the center. Score through all three layers. Do not cut through the backing.
2. Holding the item with an open hand, carefully flip it over and peel the backing from the underside. The Cricut ink should stay put.
3. Apply heat from the backside by placing the printed side directly onto the heated surface of the Iron.
4. While the ink is still hot, immediately pick up the transfer and wrap it around your material. Remove quickly once you hear the popping sound.
5. To add another color to your transfer, repeat steps 1-4. Be careful not to overheat the heat transfer.
Your ink should only become slightly pink at most — if necessary, reheat for a few seconds (make sure that the heat from the iron isn’t causing too much damage to the transfer).
Final Thoughts
The more practice you get with transferring images onto items, the faster and better you’ll become! And don’t worry if you mess up once — chances are there were no permanent consequences!
You can easily wipe off the ink and try again. So give these techniques a shot and have fun crafting!
Hi, my name is Michael Moore, and I have been 3D printing for a number of years now. I have created many cool gadgets over the years, but my current passion is creating one of a kind jewelry pieces. They can be so intricate and beautiful that many people wouldn't believe they are 3D printed.
Through Love and Robots, I hope to share my knowledge with others, and provide advice about everything 3D printer related.
