Come learn all the Tips for Using Iron On Vinyl that you need to know to have success with your projects! I’ll be covering the different types of Iron On, layering techniques and more!
A few months ago, I was able to teach a class with my friend, Sydney from Tastefully Frugal, at the Cricut Mountain Makeathon! Being that using Iron On is both of our favorites, we decided to teach a class all about Iron On! Today I thought it would be fun to share all that information with you guys!
To see the full tutorial for our Adventure Awaits Bag that we made with our classes at the Cricut Mountain Makeathon, head over to Tastefully Frugal!
IRON ON VINYL VS HEAT TRANSFER VINYL:
Most probably already know this, but I wanted to clear this up before jumping into all the different types of Iron On. Iron On Vinyl and Heat Transfer Vinyl are the same thing. Different brands just call them different things. I almost always call it Iron On, because I work mostly with Cricut products and that is what Cricut calls it. But, if you’re purchasing on Amazon or from other companies, it may be referred to as Heat Transfer Vinyl!
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF IRON ON?
Let’s start with the base of what we’re working with — Iron On! Below is a breakdown of all the different types of Iron On and what you can and cannot do with them!
EVERYDAY IRON ON:
Everyday Iron On is the most used and universal type of Iron On. It was previously known as Iron On Lite for Cricut. But, they improved it with the StrongBond guarantee and changed up a few components of it and it is now called Everyday Iron On! Everyday Iron On is the most popular type of Iron On, because it is the most universal and can be used in almost any type of project!
I love to use Everyday Iron On for shirts, blankets, wood signs, bins, bags and more!
4th of July Candy Target Shirt
Layering with Everyday Iron On:
If you plan on layering your project, then you will almost always need to be using Everyday Iron. It will need to be the BASE Iron On used for any type of layering. The only exception is when you’re working SportFlex Iron On. You can layer the following types of Iron On on top of Everyday Iron On: Everyday Iron On, Glitter Iron On, Foil Iron, Patterned Iron On and Holographic Iron On.
SPORTFLEX IRON ON:
SportFlex Iron On is hands down one of my favorite types if Iron On! It was released in early 2018 and has quickly become very popular with crafters everywhere! SportFlex Iron On has STRETCH to it! I wish you were standing in front of me, so I could show you! Anytime you’re working with a base material that has any stretch, you will want to use SportFlex Iron On! This means, dri fit shirts, swimsuits, stretchy PJ’s for kiddos, etc.
Layering with SportFlex Iron On:
The rule with layering SportFlex Iron On is easy – YOU CAN’T! Because of the stretch in the Iron On, it cannot be layered on top of Everyday Iron On. It also CAN NOT be layered on top of other SportFlex Iron On. To achieve a layered looked, you will want to use the slice tool!
GLITTER IRON ON:
Glitter Iron On is the perfect way to add some shimmer and shine to a project! My daughter almost always requests we incorporate Glitter Iron On onto any projects that we’re making for her! It is a thicker Iron On and in my opinion, is the easiest type of Iron On to weed. However, sometimes it’s hard to see the cut lines when weeding. I love to pull out my BrightPad when weeding Glitter Iron On — it makes it 1000% times easier.
Layering with Glitter Iron On:
Glitter Iron On CANNOT be used as a base Iron On when layering. However, it can be layered ON TOP of Everyday Iron On. If you are wanting to give your design the layered look and will not be using Everyday Iron On, then you will want to use the Slice tool to give your design the affect that it’s layered, when it’s not.
PATTERNED IRON ON:
Patterned Iron On is a new(er) type if Iron On that Cricut offers. It is such a fun way to give more personality to a project! I specifically love using it on apparel! They have such beautiful options for the patterns too!
Layering with Patterned Iron On:
Like most of the other types of Iron On, Patterned Iron On can ONLY be layered on Everyday Iron On. If you are wanting to give your design the layered look and will not be using Everyday Iron On, then you will want to use the Slice tool to give your design the affect that it’s layered, when it’s not.
FOIL IRON ON:
Foil Iron On is a great way to embellish projects! I love using Foil Iron On for party decor and apparel especially!
Layering with Foil Iron On:
Foil Iron On CANNOT be used a base Iron On when layering. However, it can be layered ON TOP of Everyday Iron On. If you are wanting to give your design the layered look and will not be using Everyday Iron On as a base layer, then you will want to use the Slice tool to give your design the affect that it’s layered, when it’s not.
HOLOGRAPHIC SPARKLE IRON ON:
Holographic Sparkle Iron On brings some fun texture to your designs! It’s got the same shimmer and shine as Foil Iron On, but has a texture to the design! I also love to use this for party decor and apparel!
Layering Holographic Iron On:
Holographic Sparkle Iron On CANNOT be used a base Iron On when layering. However, it can be layered ON TOP of Everyday Iron On. If you are wanting to give your design the layered look and will not be using Everyday Iron On as a base layer, then you will want to use the Slice tool to give your design the affect that it’s layered, when it’s not.
TIPS FOR LAYERING IRON ON:
I went over layering with each specific type of Iron On above, but wanted to quickly summarize it all for you!
Only use Everyday Iron ON as a bottom layer. You can layer ONE layer on top of the base and it can be Everyday Iron On, Glitter Iron On, Foil Iron On, Holographic Sparkle Iron On and Patterned Iron On. In full disclosure, I have applied a third layer before, but it was for a shirt for a Birthday Party. So, I didn’t expect or need it to last as long. I find that the 3rd layer doesn’t last quite as long in the washes!
The easiest way to make sure that your layers cut the way they should is to make sure that in Design Space, all the layers are marked their own color. This allows you to easily differentiate the layers and also makes it so they’ll load to cut on separate mats.
Take your time when applying layers on to your project. There’s no perfect science to it. You just have to eyeball it when layering!
When applying heat to your bottom layer, reduce the time by 10-15 seconds. This is because you’ll be applying additional heat to that layer, when applying the top layer of Iron On.
WARM PEEL VS COLD PEEL:
Knowing whether to warm peel or cold peel can make ALL THE DIFFERENCE in the success of your project. This technique is referring to when you peel the plastic backing off the Iron On AFTER you have applied it to your material using your EasyPress (or Iron or Heat Press). Warm Peel means you peel it while the design is still warm. It’s WARM PEEL not HOT PEEL. So, you’ll want to wait like 10-20 seconds for it to be warm and then gently pull back the plastic backing. Cold Peel means that you need to wait until the Iron On is cold to peel off the plastic backing – which is usually 2 to 3 minutes. I like to hold my design up to a cold window or glass to help it cool faster!
If you’re not sure whether to warm peel or cold peel, you can reference Cricut’s EasyPress Recommended Settings Page!
And if you are trying to warm peel a project and you’re having trouble, then my motto is ‘when in doubt, cold peel!” Especially if you’ve been trying to warm peel and you haven’t had success.
BEST ACCESSORIES TO USE WHEN CREATING WITH IRON ON:
I quickly wanted to give you a list of all the items I use when creating projects using Iron On!
Cricut Maker or Cricut Explore 2
Cricut EasyPress (the EasyPress 2 comes out soon)
Now it’s time to go get your crafting on!! Leave any questions you have below or find me on Instagram and DM me!
And I’d LOVE it if you pinned the image below! Thanks friends!
Jodi
This was so helpful, thank you!!!
Gina
I am going to buy a Cricut maker for the 1st time and think I mostly will do iron on projects. I am having a hard time deciding what side Cricut Easy Press 2 I should purchase to be able to work with everything, small projects like earrings to adult T-shirt’s. Any input would be helpful!
Pam Dana
I’d probably just got with the 9×9! It’s the middle size and will basically work for everything! If you do a design that is bigger than that, then you can just move the EP2 and press each area separately! GOOD LUCK and let me know if you have any other questions!
Jan
Should I get a cricut maker or explore cricut 2?
I have the old cricut with the cartridges.