CRICUT: Wristlet DIY Iron-On Tutorial

I guess I took about a 2 month unintentional break from the blog recently as I was enjoying the holidays with my family, and each day just got away from me. Some of that time may have been a little laziness on my part, ha. That’s allowed though, right?? Howeverrr.. in the meantime, I’ve had SO many projects twirling around in my head, I’m excited to get started on them! But first, the most exciting thing I have to share – my husband got me the Cricut Explore Air for Christmas! AHH!! This thing is amazing, people. It can cut over 60 different materials, including aluminum cans, birch wood, and leather! What?! I can literally cut and print my own leather bracelet in less than 5 minutes. My hubby did really good, I love this machine. Once I learn the ropes more, I’ll create a post about the ins & outs of what it can do.

For my first project with my new Cricut, I chose something pretty simple. I picked up a few iron-ons and found a couple of canvas wristlets at Hobby Lobby. I wanted a very simple but trendy design, so I created these super adorable wink eyes in Photoshop. For a downloadable PNG file, right-click and save this image:

What you’ll need:

• Cricut Explore Air Machine
• Cricut Adhesive Cutting Mat – Standard Grip
• Iron-On Transfer
• Iron and Ironing Board
• Scissors & X-Acto Knife (Optional)
• Fabric Scrap (to cover iron-on transfer paper)
• & item you’ll be using to iron your image on

After I created my image in Photoshop, I uploaded it as a ‘New’ project at Cricut Design Space (Note: You’ll need an account for this part). Since I wanted my wristlet to be double sided, I copied and pasted the image and arranged them accordingly. I previously cut my Iron-On Transfer paper to 3″ x 12″, which is how I arranged the images below to fit the space. When putting it on the cutting mat, be sure the shiny part is facing down. I clicked the green “Go” icon and then I’m prompted to select my quantity and size, and checked the box that says “Mirror Image (for iron-on)”. Click “Go” again, set your dial position to the material you’re using: Iron-On. Press the flashing “Load” button, then press the Cricut “Go” button on your machine. Your Cricut gets to work! It’s really easy and so cool watching the little blade cut every tiny detail, especially in those more intricate designs.

Once it’s finished cutting, peel the iron-on off of the mat, with the transfer tape. Using an X-Acto knife, your fingernail or other weapon of choice, peel the tape away from your backing very slowly as you don’t want to tear your design. Once the tape is peeled away, you’ll want to “weed” your image. This means removing any extra unwanted pieces that were left behind from the previous step. Now we’re ready for ironing! With the sticky side down, position your iron-on how you want it on your item. This can be tricky so take your time to avoid a crooked mess.

Once you’re happy with how it’s positioned, grab a scrap piece of fabric big enough to cover your iron-on. Place it on top and iron over the fabric. This prevents the plastic from melting all over your project. Iron over it a few times until it’s good and stuck. If you notice your design trying to pull away, keep ironing until it’s completely transferred.

All done! I love that this little design is so versatile. I’ll definitely be carrying this bag around with me when I’m traveling or out and about.

If you’re new to the Cricut like me and like this design, I hope you find this tutorial useful. Happy crafting!