Infusible Ink Mug

September 15, 2022 by Paula W

Check out this adorable Infusible Ink mug that we made. Want to learn how to make one too? Keep reading.

Infusible Ink Mug

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links provided for your convenience. This means, at no additional cost to you, we will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Cut File Used:

I Heart Coffee: https://makersgonnalearn.com/cut_files/i-heart-coffee-3/

Supply Links:

Step-by-step Instructions:

Import cut file, size to fit your mug.
Press “Make it”.
Mirror your image!
Select infusible ink sheet material setting.
Place infusible ink on the top left of the standard grip mat. Using a brayer, smooth infusible ink to mat.
Load the mat in the machine and allow your Cricut to cut it out.
Once cut is complete, unload the mat, cut off the excess, and weed the infusible ink.
Clean the mug and apply the infusible ink where you want it to go and use heat-resistant tape all around the image tightly.
Place the mug in the preheated mug press and allow to heat.
Carefully remove the mug and allow it to cool completely on an EasyPress Mat.
Then carefully remove the heat-resistant tape and infusible ink sheet.

Infusible Ink Marker Mug

September 14, 2022 by Paula W

You all are sure to love this fun Cricut project. We’re breaking out the Mug Press and creating a personalized mug with Infusible Ink Pens that you have to see to believe.

This is a great project if you’re looking to learn how to use the Cricut Mug press or if you’re just a Cricut beginner. This is also a great Cricut kids craft because they can draw and create their own designs to be transferred on a mug, permanently!

Infusible Ink Marker Mug

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links provided for your convenience. This means, at no additional cost to you, we will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Cut Files/Fonts Used:

Spring Flower Drawings

Supply Links:

Infusible Ink Marker Mug Design 300x200 1

Step-by-step Instructions:

Add a basic shape in Design Space that reflects the wrap size for your mug.
Manipulate the fonts and files until your desired design is achieved.
Set all of your designs besides the square to “pen” and select the black Infusible Ink Pen.
Place your designs where you want them on the square and attach them all together. Mirror the design.
Allow the Cricut to draw and cut on laser printer paper.
Use colored Infusible Ink Markers to decorate your design
Clean your mug. Align and tape your design onto the mug.
Heat in the mug press, allow to cool and remove the paper.

Infusible Ink on Aluminum

December 13, 2021 by Paula W

Have you ever tried using Cricut Infusible Ink on Aluminum? You might not even have thought this was possible but we’re going to show you just what a great Cricut craft technique this can be.

There are all sorts of craft projects you can make where you can incorporate Infusible Ink on aluminum. We’re making a beautiful family recipe box and adding an aluminum plate on the front for the family name. This is a lovely project for your own kitchen and makes a fantastic gift.

Infusible Ink on Aluminum

You’re going to love how versatile this technique is. We’re using it on a recipe box but we can think of so many other uses for it too. What about on a plate on the front of a special family scrapbook? What would you use it for?

Supplies needed:

Recipe Box With Infusible Ink On Aluminum Label

Step-by-step tutorial:

1 – Stain the wooden recipe box and paint the finial dowel rod caps. Let these dry while you work on the rest of the project.

2 – When dry, use the E6000 to glue the finial dowel rod caps onto the recipe box as “feet” and on top.

Working in Design Space

3- We’re using someone’s handwriting as the design on the metal plate. Upload a JPEG of the handwriting into Design Space. Do this by uploading and choosing Complex.

4 – Crop the image down to the area of your desired text. Choose the Magic Wand so you can clean up your image. Remember, it’s not going to be a Print then Cut so you don’t need to worry about the distortion. Click the white so it erases the background of the image.

5 – Next, choose the eraser. Use the eraser to delete and clean up any parts of the design you don’t want to cut. Save as a Print then Cut. Then, you can then change it from Fill to No Fill in Design Space.

Add A Rectangle To Represent The Aluminum Tag

6 – Add a square to your canvas in Design Space. Unlock it and make it the exact size of the aluminum tag you’re going to add to your recipe box. This will help you size your project.

7 – Open a text box and type in “family recipes”. Change to whatever font you want and size to fit your rectangle along with the family name.

8 – When your design is ready, click Make It. Don’t forget to mirror your design. Be sure to select Infusible Ink as your material.

Cutting your design

9 – Load Infusible Ink onto the cutting mat. If you have clammy hands, it’s important to wear cotton gloves when handing the ink sheets. You might want to use a brayer to ensure that it is well-adhered to the mat.

10 – Load the cutting mat into the machine. Cut out your Infusible Ink. Preheat your EasyPress.

11 – Once your design has been cut out, weed it.

12 – Flip the mat upside down and pull the mat gently away from the design.

13 – Cut your aluminum piece to the desired size using duck-bill metal snips. Don’t forget to remove the protective plastic cover from the aluminum.

14 – Place a piece of cardboard on your EasyPress mat and then put the aluminum on top of that. Cover with a piece of butchers’ paper and use your EasyPress to preheat for 15 seconds at 385 degrees.

15 – Put your design on the aluminum. Cover with butchers’ paper and heat for 40 seconds. Allow it to cool.

16 – Glue the metal plate to the front of your recipe box and you’re done!

Sublimation or Infusible Ink?

September 27, 2021 by Paula W

As sublimation continues to grow in popularity, we hear from a lot of people the same question again and again – Should I use sublimation or Infusible Ink? What’s the difference? Which is better?

We are going to break it down for you here so you can make an informed decision about which one you would like to use. Will you try Cricut Infusible Ink or sublimation? Keep reading and then you can choose!

Sublimation or Infusible Ink? – What’s the Difference?

Cricut Infusible Ink is essentially a type of sublimation. It works much the same way by infusing the ink right into the fabric, unlike vinyl which sits on top of the fabric. The difference comes mainly with the equipment you will use for each one.

Cricut Infusible Ink sheets are sublimation sheets that you can print with a regular printer and then cut out with your Cricut machine. We love using Infusible Ink, but we do find it a bit limiting. You can only use the colors and patterns available from Cricut.

With sublimation, you can create your own patterns, color palettes, and designs, expanding far beyond what Cricut has to offer. We have tested some off brand infusible ink sheets that worked really well. This can give you even more selection!

Infusible Ink Bear In Frame Design On T Shirt 1

Which should I choose? Infusible Ink or Sublimation?

Infusible Ink can be pricey, but startup costs for sublimation can be an investment of $300-400 or more. A sublimation printer cannot be used for other purposes so you need a dedicated machine for it. Technically, you don’t need a die cutting machine for sublimation, but we do like to use Cricut Design Space and our cut files and fonts for creating our designs whether with Infusible Ink or sublimation.

If you’re only going to do occasional sublimation projects and you can deal with the limited selection from Cricut (and other suppliers), we think that Infusible Ink makes more sense. But, if you’re planning to make a lot of sublimation projects, there will likely come a time when you will want to invest in actual sublimation supplies. You could always try Infusible Ink first and see what you think before making the investment in sublimation.

Something to keep in mind for both sublimation and Infusible Ink –

You will need to heat the entire design all at once. Trying to move your heat press around doesn’t provide the best results. If you’re planning to use a Cricut EasyPress, you won’t be able to use the EasyPress Mini and you will be limited by the size of the plate on your EasyPress.
In general, you will need to work with only light-colored backgrounds. The ink doesn’t show up well on dark surfaces. We do have a few Cricut hacks for applying sublimation or Infusible Ink designs to darker surfaces, but it’s doesn’t work well without one of these hacks.
- DIY bleached sublimation technique
- Using Infusible Ink on glitter HTV
You cannot sublimate or apply Cricut Infusible Ink to just any surface. When working with fabric items, they need to be as close to 100% polyester as possible. When it comes to making mugs, license plates, coasters, and other such items, you have to choose the right materials for sublimation to get long-lasting results. There are a few sublimation hacks that can be used when it comes to applying ink to 100% cotton but it won’t work without using those specific techniques.

So which will you choose? Either way be sure to check out our other blog posts and Youtube videos showing you the beautiful craft projects you can create with sublimation or Infusible Ink!

Using Off Brand Infusible Ink

September 10, 2021 by Paula W

Cricut Infusible Ink is a super fun unique material you can use with your Cricut machine to get a sublimation-like look to your craft projects. It can open lots of crafty possibilities for Cricut beginners. The big downside of Infusible Ink is the price. So in this post, we are using Off Brand Infusible Ink and comparing it to the original Cricut Brand Infusible Ink.

Like many Cricut products, the price makes it hard to justify using it in everyday crafting. Luckily, we found this off-brand Infusible Ink, We’ll share our results from our side-by-side comparison and then you can decide if this is a product you want to try too.

Using Off Brand Infusible Ink

Materials we used:

Cricut Maker 3: https://amzn.to/357R2c9
Our Favorite Cutting Mats: https://amzn.to/3pdN1KN
Our Favorite Weeding Tool: https://amzn.to/3pwnJc2
Cricut TruControl Knife: https://amzn.to/3cMCmAG
Brayer: https://amzn.to/2WH8UcA
Cricut Infusible Ink Transfers: https://amzn.to/32v1ycd
Cotton Gloves: https://amzn.to/3gcdbww
Cricut Shirt: https://amzn.to/3zxwVBv (You could use any shirt that is 100% polyester or has a high polyester count)
Off-Brand Ink Transfers: https://amzn.to/3jwp5CD (Specut or also known as Xinpocut)
Cricut EasyPress 2, 10”x12”: https://amzn.to/2xMNbEp
Cricut EasyPress Mat: https://amzn.to/3eMd0r6

Cut File Used: Bear Cut File from Makers Gonna Learn

Cricut Infusible Ink Vs Specut Transfer Ink Sheets

Each of these packages contains 12 by 12 inch sheets of transfer ink. In the Cricut brand Infusible Ink package, you get 2 sheets and the price (at the time of this writing at Hobby Lobby) is $17.99. The Specut Transfer Ink package contains 12 sheets and the current price on Amazon is $19.99. (prices are subject to change).

Clearly, if this off-brand transfer ink performs as well as the Cricut Infusible Ink, it is a much better deal!

Working in Cricut Design Space

Open your chosen cut file in Design Space. To create the frame around our bear, we grabbed a circle from Basic Shapes. Resize it to create an oval. Then, add lots of little circles and contour them onto the frame. Once happy with your frame and scalloped edge, choose Weld. Size your design to fit well on the shirt and on the sheet of transfer ink.

Choosing On Mat Option In Cricut Design Space

Press Make It. Choose the “on mat” option for cutting with or without a mat. Connect to your Cricut machine and select your material: Infusible Ink.

Pro tip: Don’t forget to mirror your design!

Cutting A Sheet Of Knock Off Infusible Ink

Cutting your design

Cut a piece of ink transfer sheet large enough for your design. If your hands tend to be a bit damp, you will want to wear cotton gloves when handling any Infusible Ink type products. Otherwise, you could actually remove some of the ink onto your fingers.

Note: we’re using the off-brand ink transfer sheets for the bear.

Use A Brayer To Adhere The Transfer Ink Sheet On The Cutting Mat

Use a brayer to smooth out and adhere the ink sheet to your cutting mat.

Cut out your design.

Weed by removing the outer parts of negative space first. We use a weeding tool to lift up one corner and then continue with our fingers. You may feel like you are “breaking” the ink because you can feel it cracking. This is perfectly normal.

We repeated this same process for the frame using the Cricut brand Infusible Ink. One of the differences we noted between the two products was that the Cricut Brand ink didn’t actually weed as well as the off brand. It didn’t seem to cut through as well and this caused us some difficulties when we went to weed it.

Placing Infusible Ink Frame Design On Tshirt

Placing design on shirt

We began with the frame shape cut from Cricut Infusible Ink. Place it on the shirt, lining it up as you wish. You can use butchers paper (some comes with the ink sheets) as a barrier if you want, but we don’t. We find that we get great results even without it.

Use a Cricut EasyPress to heat your design. We set ours to 400 degrees and heated it for 45-50 seconds.

Remove Transfer Sheet After Heating Design

Remove the transfer sheet from the design.

Add the bear design inside the frame. If needed, you can use some heat resistant tape to help adhere it and ensure that it stays in place. We didn’t find that necessary for our design.

Cover the entire design with butcher paper (or you can use the transfer paper that you just removed) to ensure that you don’t remove any of the ink you already put down for the frame as you transfer the ink for the bear.

Heat for another 50 seconds at 400 degrees.

Infusible Ink Bear In Frame Design On T Shirt

Overall Results:

We found that the off brand cut and weeded more easily than the Cricut brand ink transfer sheets. When it came to transferring, we got beautiful results from both of them. They both resulted in vibrant colors that transferred well.

One thing about the Specut Transfer Ink Sheets that we aren’t a fan of – in the package, there are 12 different ink colors/designs, but there’s really no way to see what they will look like after transferring until you do it. Cricut Infusible Ink does provide you with an image of what each sheet will look like once used.

Pro tip: The ink is always much more vibrant after being heated and applied.

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE LAYERED INFUSIBLE INK MUGS WE MADE IN THE CRICUT MUG PRESS USING CRICUT BRAND INFUSIBLE INK AND SPECUT BRAND TRANSFER INK SHEETS TOO!

Using Infusible Ink on Cotton

August 23, 2021 by Paula W

If you have been working with Cricut Infusible Ink at all, you know that the guidelines for it are that if applying to fabric (like t-shirts), you need to use shirts with as much polyester in them as possible. Otherwise, the first time you wash that shirt, the design will simply wash away. This has made Infusible Ink projects a bit limiting.

We prefer cotton t-shirts, so we wanted to see if there was a way to make it work on cotton. Why else would we want to use this craft hack? This is one way you can use Infusible Ink on a dark shirt. It is also a great way to have the colors and patterns of Infusible Ink available to you for your project and to use them with the glitter texture.

Using Infusible Ink on Cotton

We’ll show you just how easy it is to use Infusible Ink on cotton and give it that fun glittery look.

Materials we’re using for this project:

Cotton t-shirt, onesie, or other fabric craft blank
White glitter HTV
Infusible Ink sheets
Cricut machine
Cricut EasyPress
EasyPress mat
Cotton gloves for handling the Infusible Ink (optional but helpful especially if you have clammy hands)
Lint roller
Butcher paper
Brayer

Get Unlimited Access to Makers Gonna Learn Cut Files and Fonts

Technique for applying Infusible Ink on cotton:

It’s important to note that for this technique you really do need to use the white glitter HTV. White obviously gives you that plain background to allow the colors of the Infusible Ink to show through. In addition, because it’s glitter HTV, it has a more porous texture to it that allows it to “grip” the Infusible Ink.

Cut Files Ready For Cutting And Using Infusible Ink

Working in Design Space

Beginning in Cricut Design Space, we imported our Super Sister cut file.

You can see in the Layers Panel that this design has two layers – one for each color. We also duplicated the file and changed the copy to all one color. The design with two colors will be used for the Infusible Ink and the single color design will be used for cutting out the glitter HTV.

The outline area of this design with the cut out portions for the letters is what makes this particular cut file work really well with layering Infusible Ink. Technically, you can’t layer Infusible Ink but you can use this technique to create a faux layered look. You can place two different colors of ink right next to each other and make it appear layered.

Be sure to size the image to fit the available space on your crafting blank, whether that be a t-shirt, onesie, or other item. If you’re a member of Makers Gonna Learn, we have a fantastic sizing chart to make it easier for you. It’s available on your dashboard.

Click Make It.

Optional: If you want to cut the Infusible Ink on the same mat, you can. change the colors of the design so that they are the same. This will place them on the same mat. Then you can position them so that you can easily place the two different colors of ink on your cutting mat where they need to be and do both at once.

IMPORTANT: Remember to mirror your designs!

Cutting and applying your design

Cut out the glitter HTV and then your Infusible Ink. Remember that the HTV needs to be placed on the mat shiny side down – in this case, that means glitter side down.

Remember that you will need to change your material settings in between the HTV and the ink. You will also need to change your EasyPress settings. We used 330 degrees for 30 seconds for the HTV and 385 degrees for 40 seconds for the Infusible Ink.

After cutting, weed your HTV design. Use the lint roller to remove any bits of debris from the fabric. Then, preheat the fabric for a few seconds and apply the HTV. Use your EasyPress to heat it for 30 seconds. Let it cool a bit before removing the transfer tape.

Apply the Infusible Ink to the cutting mat, using the brayer to secure it without having to touch it too much. Cut out the ink designs. Weeding Infusible Ink can be a bit tricky.

Take your time and weed carefully. Since you don’t want to touch the ink too much, try to only handle it around the design or on the inside where there is no design – you don’t want to touch the parts that you want infused into your fabric.

Pro tip: You can wear cotton gloves while working with Infusible Ink to help protect it from your hands.

Place part of your Infusible Ink design over the glitter HTV, lining it up to match. Cover with butcher paper. Heat with the EasyPress giving light pressure. Allow to cool completely before peeling up the transfer tape. Repeat with the second part of the design. Don’t forget the butcher paper!

Pro tip: Make sure the transfer tape completely covers the first part of the design!

This is such a great hack for using Infusible Ink on cotton. We’d love to see your projects if you try this technique. Be sure to tag us on social media using hashtag #MakersGonnaLearn.

Cricut Infusible Ink on Wood

August 6, 2021 by Paula W

Have you ever tried using Cricut Infusible Ink on wood? When we first heard about it, we were intrigued by the idea. Would it work? Would the results be what we were hoping for?

So, in this tutorial, we are trying out using Infusible Ink on wood surfaces and sharing all of our Cricut hacks for how to have the most successful craft projects possible! Check it out.

Cricut Infusible Ink on Wood

We love sharing our best Cricut tips and tricks with you so that you can make flawless projects with your die cutting machine.

Materials Needed For Infusible Ink On Wood

Supplies Used:

Font Used: Scalloped Monogram

STEP BY STEP TUTORIAL

Working in Design Space

Use A Shape To Mimic The Shape Of Your Sign In Design Space

We’re going to begin in Cricut Design Space. We like to start by creating a shape to mimic the shape and size of the surface we’re working with. In this case, that’s a wooden sign.

Monogram Fonts Available On Makers Gonna Learn

When you download the monogram you want to use, remember that it comes in 3 files. There is one for the center letter, one for the left, and one for the right. You can find more detailed information on working with monograms here.

Place and size the monogram to fit the sign. This is where creating a shape to represent your finished sign can be so helpful.

Working on the letters and sign

We have cut out the letters with chipboard and our knife blade. If you’re working with a Cricut Explore machine, you can always use a thinner material like cardstock or Cricut Kraftboard.

Next, we’re painting the letters so we can apply the glitter to them. Shake off the excess and save for another use.

Pro Tip: You might normally reach for something like Mod Podge to cover the letters and then sprinkle the glitter on top of that. We advise you to use paint as your glue. Choose a paint color that is as close to the color of the glitter as possible. This gives much better coverage and your finished project will look so much more professional.

Place Infusible Ink Facedown On Wooden Sign

Preheat your EasyPress to 400 degrees. Cut a piece of Infusible Ink to fit your wooden sign. Place a piece of paper down on your EasyPress mat to protect it from the ink. Lay the Infusible Ink facedown on the wooden sign.

Use heat resistant tape to hold the Infusible Ink in place so it doesn’t move or curl up while you’re trying to heat it with your EasyPress. Place the EasyPress down and heat for 50 seconds. Give it some good pressure but don’t move the EasyPress.

Wood Sign With Infusible Ink Applied To It

Allow it to cool down. Remove the tape and lift off the Infusible Ink. Note: we didn’t treat the wood with anything prior to applying the Infusible Ink. This was just plain wood and it turned out beautifully.

Pro Tip: You want to work with an unpainted, unstained, unfinished, porous wood so that it will accept the ink well.

Infusible Ink Sheet Next To Wooden Sign With Infusible Ink Applied To It

Important reminder: Remember that the sheet of Infusible Ink will look quite a bit duller than the finished project once the heat has been applied to it.

Glue the letters onto the wooden sign. Add your ribbon and bow and you’re all set!

Sublimation 101 – What You Need to Know

June 11, 2021 by Paula W

Sublimation is such a hot topic right now in the crafting world, but we’re not sure everyone is getting the full picture. We’ve told you all about how to use Cricut Infusible Ink. Now, it’s time to break down sublimation for you in this Sublimation 101 post.

We want to provide you with some sublimation tips and helpful information that you’ll need to make an informed decision. There seem to be a lot of misconceptions out there about what sublimation is, what it can do, and what it takes to really jump into it as a hobby or business. Keep reading and we’ll bust a few myths and give you the full story on sublimation.

Sublimation 101

Sublimation vs. Cricut Infusible Ink

Cricut Infusible Ink sheets are sublimation sheets that you can print with a regular printer and then cut out with your Cricut machine. It’s a great product but you are limited to the designs available from Cricut. With sublimation, once you have converted a printer to a sublimation printer, you can create your own designs!

Infusible Ink can be pricey, but startup costs for sublimation can be an investment of $300-400.

Consider Your Heat Source.

Both Infusible Ink and sublimation are both applied with heat. It’s really important to have a heat plate that covers your entire design. You need to be able to heat the whole thing at once. Whether you choose a Cricut EasyPress or another brand, you want to be sure it’s large enough for any projects you plan to make.

This Is a Great Alternative to HTV

Don’t get us wrong. We love heat transfer vinyl. But if you want something that is truly permanent, sublimation is the way to go. No more worries about vinyl peeling up!

If you’re selling designs, this could be the answer for you. Even if you include care instructions with your shirts, many customers don’t follow those well. Once sublimation has been applied to a shirt, it’s there forever. There won’t be any fading or peeling.

Epson printer, bottles of sublimation ink, sublimation paper

Be Mindful of the Printer You Choose

You need to research your sublimation printer well. We chose this Epson WorkForce WF-7710 printer because we didn’t want a lot of size restrictions. This printer will allow us to print designs up to 11 x 17 inches.

Remember though, you would still need some sort of heat press that will cover your design completely. So, if you’re making designs that are 11 x 17, the heat plate of your press needs to be at least that size.

Important note: Not all printers can be converted to a sublimation printer. In fact, there are very few that can be converted. If you’re concerned about converting one, stay tuned! We will be doing a video tutorial showing you exactly how we converted ours!

Choose Your Ink Conversion Kit

Once you have picked out your printer, you’ll need to look into which ink conversion kit you want to buy. Keep in mind your expenses to this point. You’ll need a printer, a heat press with a large enough heat plate, sublimation paper, and an ink conversion kit.

Select Your Heat Press

You can certainly use a Cricut EasyPress for sublimation projects, as long as you can get one in a size that works for you. The largest size they make is 10 x 12. If you need something larger, you will need to look at a heat press.

The one we have featured in our video is a good middle-of-the-line one. It’s called a 5-in-1. It even includes the mug clamp which many people have been comparing to the Cricut Mug Press.

Sublimation Ink Has a Shelf Life

You want to map out how many projects you’ll be completing in a six-month period before purchasing ink. Sublimation ink has a shelf life of about 6 months. You want to get your money’s worth out of the ink! Once you’ve been making sublimation projects for a while, you probably won’t even need to keep track of this. But, as a beginner, this is something to bear in mind.

You Can’t Just Use Any Shirts

You have to choose shirts that are at least 65% polyester. The higher the polyester count, the more saturated the ink will be.

One point you may not have thought of: if you’re trying to live a more eco-friendly life, it’s important to remember that these shirts don’t degrade the way that cotton shirts do and they will be in our landfills for a long time.

Blanks Must be Light in Color

Your blanks need to be white or very light in color. If you want to see the deep colors of your design, this is essential. You can certainly try putting it on darker colors and there may be some that will work. However, you won’t see the intense saturation that you will with white or light colors and may be disappointed.

Sublimation Blanks Are Limited

We have tested out a ton of different sublimation blanks. Our findings? You are somewhat limited in your options if you want good quality. Not only that, but the ones we found gave us good results, were the ones on the pricier end.

This is something to keep in mind when you’re wanting to make a lot of sublimation projects. The initial investment is a bit steep. However, the blanks you will be using on an ongoing basis may be more expensive than you were expecting too. Of course, sublimation lasts forever, so that’s an important factor to weigh in here as well.

The selection is a bit limited too. Although you may not find 50 different t-shirts or mugs to choose from, there is still a good variety of different types of blanks. For example, besides the mugs and shirts, there are license plates, koozies, puzzles, hats, coasters, and many other items.

We aren’t trying to discourage you from getting started in sublimation. In fact, we love it and think it’s so much fun! We just want to point out the factors to take into consideration so you can make an informed decision.

Our Favorite Craft Products

May 14, 2021 by Paula W

We have been crafting, and in particular crafting with Cricut, for many years now. Over the years, we have used many, many different kinds of tools and supplies for making our craft projects. We try them out and put them to the test! Now, we are presenting you with this list of Our Favorite Craft Products.

These are the tools and supplies we reach for – in most cases, every single day – as we create our instructional craft videos and make die-cutting craft projects to share with all of you. You can be sure that if we are recommending these, it is because they perform beautifully for us, time and time again.

Our Favorite Craft Products

When it comes to craft products to use with your die-cutting machine, there are many to choose from on the market. These are the ones that we prefer because they a) give us great results b) are good quality c) are good value. We stand behind each and every item on this list.

Wondering which Cricut machine we recommend? Check out our Cricut comparison here.

Arrow Tac-Mate Staple Gun

We love this staple gun! It is inexpensive and so easy to use. With the many assembly projects we have around the studio – making frames for our vinyl signs, assembling shadow boxes, and so on – this is a tool we reach for often.

Pin Pen Tool from 143Vinyl

Oh gosh, we can’t say enough good things about the pin pen tool. We use this daily! It’s a weeding tool, but it’s different than the standard ones in that it has a point that is like a sewing needle. So, it’s perfect for weeding any of those tiny areas and intricate vinyl designs with ease. Clicks open and shut just like a pen that you would write with, keeping that sharp point safely hidden away until you’re ready to use it.

pin pen weeding tool with measuring tape

Burnishing Tool from 143VInyl

We have tried many other tools for burnishing vinyl but this squeegee tool is our favorite. It burnishes without scraping and tearing your vinyl. This is a must in the die-cutting craft room! Another tool we use every single day in our studio.

squeegee tool with cricut true control knife, measuring tape, and weeding tool

Cricut EasyPress Mini

You’ve likely heard us sing the praises of the Cricut Mini EasyPress before. Funny story – when it first came out, we thought it was a really dumb idea. Who would want to use a tiny little heat press like that? Raising our hands over here!

Once we gave it a try, we were hooked. It might be little, but this EasyPress is mighty! We do have other EasyPress models, but this is the one that we reach for every single day. It’s also the one we would most recommend to you. If you can only buy one EasyPress, which only a few exceptions, you should get the Mini.

Cricut TrueControl Knife

You’ve seen craft knives similar to the Cricut True Control Knife before, but if you haven’t used this one, you are missing out. It works so smoothly every time and we love how easy it is to use.

The safety features of this craft knife are an added bonus too! If like us, you’ve ever cut yourself while trying to change the blades in your craft knife, you’re going to love the True Control Knife.

Cricut True Control Knife with measuring tape

Canon TS8320 Printer

If you want to make Print then Cut projects, you have to have a good printer. This Canon printer is our favorite because we are able to get fantastic results every single time!

It prints beautifully and because it has a rear-loading tray, the materials feed through the machine really well without any jams (as we have seen with some other models of printers).

Nufun Printable Heat Transfer Paper

This is another must-have item for those Print then Cut projects you want to make. We have tried out many different heat transfer papers, but this is the one that gives us flawless results time after time.

It’s so easy to work with, the printed design looks beautiful, and it’s incredibly easy to weed. You’re going to want to keep a supply of this heat transfer paper in your craft room at all times!

Minwax and Varathane Wood Stains

cans of Minwax Wood Finish and Varathane Wood Stain

Lynn Lilly Hot Glue Gun

We adore this hot glue gun. Just look at it – it’s so pretty! No, that’s not the only reason we love it though. First, let’s talk about the precision tip.

Have you ever worked with one of those glue guns where the tip is so wide that the glue just glops out of it everywhere? Us too! The precision tip on this glue gun allows us to be – well – precise. We can place the glue in tiny little dabs exactly where we want it.

In addition, this glue gun can be used as cordlessly (as well as corded) for up to 1-2 minutes before you need to plug it in or place it back on the charging stand. It is a high temp hot glue gun, and yet, because of the way it’s designed we don’t burn ourselves on it as we have with glue guns in the past.

Our Favorite Weeding Tool

This weeding tool is similar to the Cricut brand weeder, but we prefer this one. The tip on the Cricut tool has a tendency to bend, and this one holds up so much better. You can often find this one for a price that is a little bit less than the Cricut tool as well.

Masking Paper Transfer Tape

You are going to LOVE this transfer tape! It is incredibly economical, but even better than that, it works really well. Some transfer tapes that we have tried in the past are just too sticky. They adhere so well that then we have difficulty removing the tape without ruining our project.

Not so with this tape. It has just the right amount of adhesive for nearly any project or material.

Cricut Printable Vinyl

Another favorite for those Print then Cut projects, we love Cricut Printable Vinyl.

Pump Bottle

You might think it’s funny to include something as simple as this little pump bottle. We highly recommend when applying vinyl to non-porous surfaces, that you clean the surface well with rubbing alcohol on a paper towel.

These little pump bottles are perfect for holding the alcohol. When you need to use it, you can easily apply some to your paper towel without making a mess. Trust us. You need one of these.

Clips

If you’re working with fabric, you might be used to holding it together with straight pins. Well, have we got news for you. These clips work even better and we think they’re even easier to use.

Measuring Tape

Measure. Measure again. Maybe measure one more time.

Yes – we always stress the importance of measuring twice (or more!) and cutting once. This will save you some much material, money, and frustration.

That’s why we always keep a measuring tape on hand. It’s ideal for pulling out of your pocket whenever you need it and double-checking to ensure that your design is going to fit your surface perfectly.

Scotch Advanced Tape Glider (ATG)

When we aren’t using our Lynn Lilly hot glue gun, this is probably the next most-used form of adhesive in our studio. It’s so easy to apply a small spot or entire strip of adhesive to your craft project.

We love how well the adhesive sticks, and yet, if you make a mistake, it’s quite forgiving. You can easily peel up your cardstock or other similar materials, adjust them, and lay them back down correctly. No tell-tale traces of adhesive left behind to mar your project!

We hope that sharing our favorite craft products with you has inspired you to stock your craft room and start creating the craft projects of your dreams. We can’t wait to see them. Be sure to use hashtag #MakersGonnaLearn to show us what you made!

All About the Cricut Mug Press

April 30, 2021 by Paula W

With it recently hitting the shelves and causing quite a stir, we thought it was about time to tell you All About the Cricut Mug Press. In this post, we are going to answer your Mug Press questions and give tons of Cricut hacks, Cricut tips, and helpful advice to aid you in making an informed decision about the Cricut Mug Press.

If you are thinking about getting one, you need to check this out. We’ll tell you what you need to know (and maybe what hasn’t been talked about yet)!

Everything You Need To Know About The Cricut Mug Press 1

All About the Cricut Mug Press

If you are looking for an in-depth step-by-step tutorial on how to use the Cricut Mug Press, be sure to check out our helpful post and video on it.

Supplies You May Need:

Cut Files We Used on the Mugs in The Video Below:

About the Mug Press Itself:

It’s important to note that you can’t change the temperature or set a timer on it. This is because it’s supposed to have “smart technology” that does all of that for us.

You plug it in and turn it on. The Cricut Mug Press will sense the air around it and will adjust to it, preheating itself to the correct temperature. Once you slide your mug in and close the paddle, it then automatically detects how much time it’s going to take to heat up your mug properly.

Heat times will vary according to the blank you use, the size of it, the air temperature, and so on. You will see a sequence of lights coming on – these will tell you how much time is left in the heating process.

The machine itself is fairly compact and doesn’t take up much space. It can hold an 11-16 oz. mug. The diameter of the mug can be between 3.2 and 3.4 inches. The maximum height of the mug you can use is 4.72 inches.

About Infusible Ink:

Cricut has a variety of different Infusible Ink products that we want to go over for you:

Regular Infusible Ink comes in many colors and patterns. In one pack, you will get 2 sheets, each one being 12 x 12 inches. It’s quite affordable for the amount you get and it can go a long way. This works with any of the Cricut machines including the Cricut Mug Press.

You’ll also find packages of Infusible Ink that are packaged specifically for the Cricut Joy or the Cricut Mug Press. For example, the ones for the mug press have a symbol of a mug on them. They say “Ideal for the Cricut Mug Press” on the package.

In these packages, you get 2 sheets, each one being 4 1/2 x 12 inches. The one marketed for the Joy is slightly more expensive than the one for the mug press. The only real difference, though, is that it includes some butcher paper and a little cloth.

What you might not know is that all of these Infusible Ink products are the same! They can all be used in all of the machines. The only difference is the size of them and the fact that the ones marked for the Cricut Joy include some butcher paper and a little cloth while the Mug Press ones do not.

So, we recommend just buying the packages of the larger sheets. This gives you more value for your money and since it works in all of the machines why pay more?

Pro tip: If you are prone to having clammy hands, you can damage the Infusible Ink when you touch it. For that reason, you may want to work with the smaller sheets. It can be a little easier to limit the handling of it that way.

You can, of course, buy the larger sheets and cut them down before using them on your mat. A brayer comes in really handy for smoothing them out on the mat without touching it. We try to only touch the edges as we handle it as well.

Another solution: wear cotton gloves. It may sound crazy but it can really help!

About the mugs:

We already mentioned the sizes of the mugs you can use, but another common question is about brands. Can you use something other than Cricut brand mugs in your Cricut Mug Press? The short answer is yes.

We do have a comparison post/video coming up soon where we tested out various mugs in the Cricut Mug Press. This will give you all the ins and outs of which ones performed best and what to look for.

We will tell you, though, that we found for quality and price, we just couldn’t beat the Cricut brand mugs. We did find some mugs on Amazon that worked just as well, but they were a higher price than the Cricut ones.

Pro tip: when looking for mugs, think about the shape of them. We bought some that flared out at the top where the lip of the mug is. To do an overall design where the Infusible Ink goes from top to bottom of the mug simply didn’t work with this style. Instead, we were able to use them with a design that would only add ink where the cut file itself was and the rest of the mug was left blank with its original color showing through.

So, if you have a craft fail with a mug, you can always try approaching the project in a different way. Change your design like we did, put the mug into the press upside down, move the placement of the design, and so on.

How does the Cricut Mug Press compare to other mug heat presses?

Many of you have asked this question, specifically when it comes to the 5-in-1 heat presses that can do mugs, plates, hats and shirts and so on. The answer? It depends.

If you already have several of the Cricut EasyPresses (which we LOVE!) and you are only looking for something for mugs, the Cricut Mug Press is the way to go. The other heat presses are bigger and bulkier and you simply don’t need one like that if you already are set up with some Cricut products.

If you are starting from scratch, we recommend you look at reviews and prices and decide from there, bearing in mind how much space you have for these machines as well. One thing we will advise is that if you aren’t already passionate about wanting to make mugs, why invest in a mug press at all? For most projects in your die-cutting craft room, a Cricut EasyPress Mini will be all that you need.

If you’re only going to make a few mugs a year, there are so many ways to make them and make them well without a mug press. However, if you want to make tons and tons of mugs and you want the permanence of the Infusible Ink designs you get with the Cricut Mug Press, this machine is well worth the money. If you’re passionate about Infusible Ink, you are going to love this.

About sublimation blanks:

When it comes to sublimation blanks in general, they can vary widely in terms of how well they take the ink from one brand to the next. If you want to use Infusible Ink on fabric, remember that it doesn’t work well on cotton. You need a fabric that is at least 65% polyester in a t-shirt when using sublimation or Infusible Ink.

You can’t just use any old material with sublimation or Infusible Ink. They are treated with a special coating to allow them to take the ink properly. So no, you can’t just grab any old item from the dollar store and use it with Infusible Ink.

Do I have to seal Infusible Ink projects?

Infusible Ink is about as permanent as it gets! It is dishwasher safe, microwave safe, and is very durable.

Prepping your surfaces:

When working with Infusible Ink, you do have to take special care with your surfaces. Your mug, for example, needs to be prepped really well. The ink will not transfer properly if there are any finger prints, oils from your fingers, dust, or debris on the mug.

We like to use a lint roller on it to get up any little bits of debris. Then, you need to wipe it really well with a paper towel and some rubbing alcohol to ensure that it is thoroughly clean.

cricut mug press with mug in it and paddle down

How do I get the best possible seal on the Infusible Ink in my Cricut Mug Press?

When you wrap your design around the mug and put it into the press, as soon as you put that paddle down, the mug press is going to squeeze the ink to the surface of the mug. This is nearly foolproof, but we have had a few times where there was a spot here and there that didn’t get as much ink coverage as we would like.

So, we like to use heat transfer tape to give it that extra little bit of security in holding things in place, especially along the edges.

Is it worth the hype?

Should you invest your money in a Cricut Mug Press? You won’t like this answer but, it depends.

You have to decide how passionate you are about making mugs and whether it’s worth the money. It definitely works really well and you can create beautiful mugs with it. But that’s all you can create with it.

For someone like Rachel, she loves mugs and has a large collection of them. So, making mugs to give as gifts for other people is something she would really enjoy doing and she could see herself getting a lot of use out of the Cricut Mug Press.

It’s a lot of fun to use, but do bear in mind that there’s a learning curve and you may need to practice a bit before you master it. We do think it’s a great product though and well worth it if mugs and Infusible Ink are something you love!