In this Cricut series I’ve been trying to do a variety of different functions of Cricut, with different types of project. Well I haven’t done any heat transfer vinyl yet. Let me correct that.
In my searching I found two t-shirt ideas that I really liked. Both boob-centric.
The bloody hands is just an image from Pinterest, and the pumpkins are from Gao Designs.
There are lots of iterations of the pumpkins online – usually with the words “Hands off my pumpkins!” I did consider adding the words but I decided not to in the end.
I don’t have a lot of experience with HTV yet. I added a unicorn to the hem of a t-shirt when I first got my (first) Cricut, but I forgot that the shirt was a longline one, and when I wore it the hem rolled up over my belly. Plus, I don’t think it was attached very well.
After some research – mostly in how to do it with a household iron – I had a second attempt with a cute little unicorn silhouette on a canvas pencil case. This turned out a lot better.
So on to the shirts! First up, the bloody hands.
I put on my shirt, and marked where I wanted to put the hands. I uploaded the image to Design Space and sized them just right. Then I cut them.
The wrong way round. I put the vinyl on the mat upside down.
So I cut them again. Except this time I realised that the vinyl I was using wasn’t actually iron on.
So I cut them a third time. On actual iron on vinyl. And I successfully ironed them on to my shirt!
It wasn’t until I was all finished that I realised one of the fingers had a very flat tip. I don’t know whether I placed the vinyl on the mat wrong, or if I cut it off, but still. Who cares.
Ignore all the cat hair. I usually do.
I had a few more struggles with the pumpkin shirt. Firstly for some reason I cut the orange pattern out of the black vinyl. I don’t know whether that was my error or Design Space.
When I turned the sheet of vinyl to use the rest of it for the correct cut I realised that there’s a problem with the way I label my vinyl. Note to self: label the shiny side of iron on vinyl.
Weeding these hands was difficult. I think maybe I should have used a deeper pressure for the blade, but little finger bones kept peeling up and I lost a couple completely.
Then, when I ironed on the first pumpkin I think I shifted the vinyl after the glue melted but before it set.
I had trouble lining up the skeleton in the gap for this one too – maybe I moved something while weeding.
The second pumpkin and hand came out much better, although there are two different coloured cat hairs embedded in it. Which I knew was going to happen eventually.
I have also just realised I put them on the wrong sides. I followed the orientation of the bloody hands I think. Oh well.
There are lots of issues, but for my first t-shirts I don’t think they’re too bad.
Crafted By Colette 