If you follow me on Instagram, you might remember that I posted about a brand new product from Cricut in my stories a few months ago. Well, I finally got the chance to test it out and I’m so excited to share the results and two easy DIYs with you!
In case you missed the memo, I’m talking about Cricut’s brand new Infusible Ink™ material!
It comes in two different formats: transfer sheets, which you can use your Cricut Maker to cut out the design like you would with vinyl or iron-on; and as markers. The colours are SO vibrate. It’s similar to the iron-on material in the sense that it is heat activated, but has a few different key features.
1. Unlike iron-on material, it won’t crack or peel over time and it actually dyes the fabric.
This is one of the coolest things about the Infusible Ink™ material. It actually dyes the fabric, whereas the iron-on material just sits on top. This means that your design won’t crack or peel over time. It also means that the design stretches with the fabric, making it a great option for clothing as it will hold up to daily wear and tear! You can also throw your fabric designs in the wash and they’ll stay put.
2. You can use it on ceramics – like coasters!
Another really amazing thing about this new material is that you can actually use it on a whole new kind of base materials… ceramics! Right now, only square or round coasters are available as Cricut Infusible Ink™ blanks, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they expand the options in the future!
3. You need to use the EasyPress for the heat transfer
With the iron-on material you can use an iron (although the EasyPress will give you a much better adhesion and professional finish – it’s a game changer!), but with the Infusible Ink™ you need to use an EasyPress for the heat transfer. This is because the design needs to be heated at an even weight/pressure and depending on the base material at a very specific temperature or the transfer won’t work.
I will admit that I was a little nervous to first use the material (new things can be scary!), but I was thrilled to find out that it’s just as easy to work with as Cricut’s other heat transfer materials, if not easier, and the results were amazing! This might actually be my new favourite material to work with.
For this post, I decided to test it out on two very different materials, a canvas tote bag and ceramic coasters.
Let’s get to it!
DIY Tote Bag
Here’s what you need:
- Cricut Maker (Cricut.com / Amazon.ca)
- EasyPress 2 (Cricut.com / Amazon.ca)
- Infusible Ink™
- Butchers paper (included with your Infusible Ink™)
- 1 sheet of cardstock
- Cricut essential tools
- Standard-grip cutting mat
- Cricut Blanks – tote bag
Step 1: Creating your design
This would be the same process as any other Cricut craft. Create your design using Cricut Design Space. If you’re creating something with a quote, Cricut has loads of fonts available for free. They also have tons of images and designs for free too. If you are graphic design savvy, you can also upload your own designs in any of the following formats: .jpg, .gif, .png, and .bmp.
Step 2: Cutting your design
Once your design is created, measure the area of your tote bag that you’d like your design to fill. Resize your design and then click “Make It!” Next, connect your Cricut machine and select “Infusible Ink” from the materials. Make sure that you select mirror on! Place the material onto the standard-grip cutting mat and load your machine. Click on the Cricut button once it begins to flash to start your cut.
Step 3: Weeding your design
Once it’s done, weed your design – this is the process of removing the negative space from your cut. The weeding process for Infusible Ink™ designs is a little bit different than other materials. Instead of pulling out the negative space with the weeding tool, remove your sheet from the grip mat and gently roll the material. You’ll start to see the edges of the negative space pop up, you can then pull it off. I found this video to be really helpful when I was figuring out the weeding process.
Step 4: The heat transfer process
First things first, make sure your base material is wrinkle and dust free! I ironed my tote bag before I started my project so that way it had time to cool down. When you’re ready to start the heat transfer process, use a lint roller to make sure there is no dust or lint on your fabric.
Next, place a sheet of cardstock inside your tote bag so that the transfer doesn’t soak through. Place your design face-down on the fabric then cover it with a sheet of butcher paper. Use Cricut’s Heat Guide to determine the time and temperature for the transfer. I used the EasyPress 2, so my heat time was 40 seconds at 385°F, with light pressure and a warm peel.
I love how this tote bag came out! I tried to take a close-up shot of the material after to show you how the Infusible Ink™ dyed the fabric of the tote, but it’s a little hard to tell.
DIY Ceramic Coaster Set
Here’s what you need:
- Cricut Maker (Cricut.com / Amazon.ca)
- EasyPress 2 (Cricut.com / Amazon.ca)
- Infusible Ink™
- Butchers paper (included with your Infusible Ink™)
- 1 sheet of cardstock
- Cricut essential tools
- Standard-grip cutting mat
- Cricut Blanks – ceramic coasters
Step 1: Creating, cut and weed your design
Follow the same process listed in my DIY above for the tote bag in steps 1 to 3.
Step 2: The heat transfer process
Just like with the tote bag, we need to make sure the surface of the Cricut blank is dust free! Using the dust cloth that comes with the coasters, wipe the top of their surface to ensure they’re clean.
Place your design face-down on the coaster then cover it with a sheet of butcher paper.
Use Cricut’s Heat Guide to determine the time and temperature for the transfer. I used the EasyPress 2, so my heat time was 240 seconds (or 4 minutes) at 400°F, with no pressure and a cold peel.
My mind was completely blown after I made my first coaster. My first thought was “this stuff is so cool”, my second thought was “THIS STUFF IS SO COOL” followed by, “I’m going to make all of the things! How many coasters is too many coasters?” (But seriously, how many coasters is too many coasters because I’m up to 8 now with tons more ideas. I’m not even sure if I know 8 people to invite over for drinks!)
The colour was so vibrant on the coasters and there was no raised finish or anything either, the coasters looked like something you would order from a high-end home decor store. I tested them out immediately to see if they would actually hold up and they did! I’ve been using them ever since with no issues.
I loved working with the Infusible Ink™ so much that right after I finished these two projects I ended up running out and buying more materials and blanks from my local Michael’s!
For all my Cricut Crafter friends – have you tried out the new material yet? If so, I’d love to see what you made with it.
Happy crafting!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cricut. While I may have received compensation and/or product mentioned in this post, the opinions and text are all mine. This post also contains affiliate links.
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