Step 1: Create The Design
1: In order to be able to start our Design, we are going to access our Design Space application and in there we are going to click on the + New Project Green button located on the top Right corner of our screen.
2: After we clicked in there, we are going to be able to access our Blank Canvas, in where we are going to start creating our Design:
3: We are going to click on Images Functionality, located on the vertical left Menu bar. Once in there we are going to click on FREE option, and search by the word: Whisk, we are going to see that several options are showing, in our case we are going to select the first one and then we are going to click on Add to Canvas
💡Tip: You can identify that the element was selected, because the same icon/image is showing next to the Cancel button on the bottom Right of the screen.
💡Tip2: You can also search by the code of the image, in our case is: #MB35531E
4: After we clicked on the Add to Canvas button, we should have something like this:
5: Now we are going to add a rectangle to mimic the whole front of our kitchen towel. In order to add a Rectangle, we are going to click on Shapes located in the left vertical menu bar and we are going to click on Rectangle
6: Before continue we our design, we need to know the size of our finished product, since it’s the size that we are going to cut with our machine, in order to do that, we are going to grab our physical kitchen towel and measure the space in where we want to add the design:
💡Tip: Our towel is divided in three and the design is going to be located in the middle of the 3 parts
7- Now we are going to resize our rectangle to the measurements that we need. In our case it is going to be: H: 14“ x W: 6“. In order to resize it, we are going to select the rectangle by clicking on it and then we are going to use Size functionality located on the horizontal top menu bar and in there we are going to add our measurements.
In order to be able to add the exact measurement, we need to click on the lock to be able to add them individually:
💡Tip: Since this rectangle is only a placeholder to make sure that our design in going to look good on the kitchen towel, we do not mind that the corners are rounded and not straight.
8- Now, we are going to proceed to change the color of our rectangle, in our case since the kitchen towel that we are using is white, we are going to change it to that color, you can use the color of your kitchen towel.
In order to change it, we click on the rectangle and we are going to click on the gray square (cricut color by default) located next to the Operations drop down, one in there we are going to click on the color of our choice:
After clicking on the color, you should have something like:
9- Before resizing and changing the color of our whisk, we want the whisk to be vertical instead of horizontal, so in order to rotate it, we are going to use Rotate functionality located in the horizontal top menu bar and we are going to rotate it 90
10- We are going to overlap the whisk over our rectangle, in order to do it, you are going to select the whisk by clicking on it, and while holding the click you are going to drag and drop over the rectangle.
💡Tip: If your image is showing behind the rectangle, do not panic!, click on the image and then locate Arrange functionality on the horizontal top menu bar and chose: Bring to Front and the image is going to be shown over the rectangle:
Before arranging the image in front of the rectangle
After arranging the image in front of the rectangle
11- Now that we have our base, and the whisk in the direction the we want, we can resize and change the color of our Whisk, so we are going to use the same process for changing the size and the color as we used with the rectangle, in our case:
Color: Black
Size: H: 7.343“ x W: 1.861“
💡Tip: You can do it in different color and different size based on what you like and the measurements of your kitchen towel. We are only providing guidance for the design.
💡Tip 2: If you want it to resize the image with different measurements, but you do not know exactly what those measurement are, you simply can select the image, and by holding the click simply move the mouse in order to expand or contract the image to the desire size.
12: After, that we are going to start adding the text, in order to do this, we are going to use the Text functionality located in the left vertical menu:
13: After choosing it, we are going to write the following phrase: “WHIP IT GOOD” (we are going to write it in 2 lines):
14: We are going to change the font of the text, in order to change it, we are going to click on the text, and then click on the Font functionality drop down in the horizontal top menu bar, once in there we are going to click on the little icon to filter for FREE fonts and we are going to search Typewriter Font:
15: We are going to change the color of our text to Black, the same as our whisk. And we are going to resize the text to the size of our preference, locating the text at the bottom of the whisk.
You should have something like:
💡Tip: In order to resize the Text, you can use the same method that we used for the whisk OR, you can use the FONT Size Functionality in the horizontal top menu bar:
16: If you are planning to use different colors for the Whisk and the text, you can SKIP this step.
In order to be able to transfer the design all together, since we are using the same color, you can print the design exactly how it looks in your Canvas.
We are going to select the Whisk and Text, we are going to Align them by using Align functionality and in there the option to Center Horizontally after that we are going to click on Attach button, this is to make one piece instead of two.
After attaching the two elements, you should have something like:
💡Tip: This is only possible when you are using only one color for the whole design, since the whole design needs to be cut in the same mat. Also with this process you are not able to use scraps, unless there are the right size of the whole design, and normally you have more waste in material than if you just cut the pieces separately (even in the same mat)
How it looks in the cutting mat when the design is Attached:
How it looks in the cutting mat when the design is NOT Attached:
17: After you are happy with the design, especially with the measurements, we are ready to save our design, Click on Save button on the Right Top side of the screen and provide a name to your design and click on Save button.
18: Since we are ready to start cutting, we are going to Hide the rectangle, since it is not going to be cut. In order to do this, we are going to select the rectangle and click on the little eye icon that is showing next to the square under the Layers section.
After hiding the rectangle:
19: We are ready to cut our design!
Step 2: Cut The Design
1: Before start cutting our design, we need to make sure that we are going to cut with the right cricut machine, in order to do this, we are going to click on Maker in the top Right Menu, next to Make Green button and in there, we are going to chose our machine, in our case we are using a Cricut Maker
2: We are going to turn on our cricut machine by clicking on the power button:
3: We are ready to start cutting, so you are going to click on the MAKE green button.
4: Before proceeding with the cut, we are going to present to you all the functionalities/configurations that you can see on that screen:
💡Tip: Since we are not using different configurations than the default ones, there is no need to change anything on this page.
5: We are going to click on Continue, and in there we are going to browse for the heat transfer Vinyl type that we are going to work with. In order to do that we are going to click on Browse All Materials
Once in there, we are going to search by the word: Iron, in our case we are using everyday iron (common HTV vinyl), then click on it and then click on DONE button
💡Tip: If you click on the favorite icon next to the cricut small icon, you can easily access the material without searching for it every time, so you just click on this icon:
And after that your materials are going to be displayed in here:
6: In our case is just everyday Iron On/Heat transfer Vinyl, so we are going to use the following configurations:
7: Now that our configurations are ready, REMEMBER to activate/ turn on Mirror ON option , we are going to proceed to add our heat transfer vinyl in our physical mat, in order to do that, we grab our HTV and our mat. We need to make sure that we add our HTV inside the grid space, since inside those parameters is where the machine is going to cut.
💡Tip: Normally HTV has 2 sides, one that is laminated and one that is more opaque, we are going to make sure that we are cutting on the one that is laminated.
💡Tip 2: For this particular project, we recommend to use the Light Blue mat, since we do not need a strong mat to keep the material on the mat, those are more for intricate cuts.
💡Tip 3:Also, the HTV could be longer than the mat, but not wider, so if it is wider, you need to cut it to a max of 12” width.
5: After our Mat is ready, we are going to make sure that we add the mat under the rollers, and we are going to click on the upload button:
💡Tip: Remember that this instructions are for Cricut Maker, if you have another Cricut Machine, the instructions could be slightly different.
6- Once the Mat was uploaded, we are going to click on the Cut button (is going to blink) and the machine is going to start cutting and you are going to be able to see the progress of the cut on your device screen.
While the mat is loading:
While the machine is cutting:
7- After the cut is done, the upload/download mat button is going to start blinking, meaning the cut is ready, so you are able to download the mat from your machine and proceed to add the next mat following the same process.
Also, you are going to notice a check next to your mat on your device screen, so with this you can differentiate which mat/design was already cut and which ones not yet.
Step 3: Weeding
1: After Our sheet is ready, we are going to use our weeding tool, in order to remove all the parts that we are not going to use in our design (the extra material). This tool is critical for this type of project, you are going to use the point of your tool and make a little hole in one of the corners so you can start removing all the excess.
After Weeding:
💡Tip: Remember to remove all the small parts and the transparent part needs to be only displaying your design, if not any piece that is in the piece even if it’s not related with our design is going to be transferred to the material that you are using.
2: We are going to apply the same process to the phrase:
3: All the parts are ready to be transferred to our kitchen towel:
Step 4: Apply The Design To Our Towel
1: We are going to turn on our easy press (or Iron). In case that is your first time using an easy press, here is a quick recap of how to use it:
Buttons / Functionalities
1- Turn On/Off
2- Temperature
3- Time
4- Reduce Temperature or time
5- Add Temperature or time
6 – Cricut icon: Start timer / Machine Ready on the temperature
7 – Display
💡Tip: If you are using an iron, make sure that the steam is turned off.
2: For our easy press we are going to use the following configurations:
Temperature: 300 F
Timer: 30 seconds
3: We are going to place our elements in our towel and accommodate them before proceeding with the press:
💡Tip: Before proceeding with the transfer, we recommend to iron the kitchen towel in order to make sure that the surface is without wrinkles.
4: When we are happy with our elements on the towel, we are going to put over our teflon paper in order to be able to start pressing the design.
💡Tip: You can use linen fabric or any thin fabric over the design if you are using an Iron. You need to apply pressure for more or less 30 seconds, this may vary based on your iron.
💡Tip2 : If you are using an easy press, and the easy press is smaller that your design, after the first timer is done, you need to move the easy press to the remaining area and apply the timer one more time, the amount of times needed.
5: We are going to remove the easy press after the timer is done, and we are going to let cool the design a couple of seconds, and then we are going to start peeling the transparent part:
💡Tip: If while peeling the transparent part, the HTV is not fully transferred to the towel, do no continue peeling, and apply the heat one more time, all the times that is needed until the design is fully transferred.
6: After we remove the transparent part, we recommend with the fabric or the teflon paper to press one more time to make sure that the design was fully transferred.
7: And our kitchen towel is DONE! You did an amazing job!
