Hey there, crafters! Are you ready for a new craft material that could take you to another level of creativity?!

Well, you're on the right place!

Let me introduce a new line of Cricut materials called Infusible Ink that enables you to create heat transfer projects of expert quality at home! What makes it different from any ordinary ink is that it "infuses" into your project; as opposed to heat transfer vinyl, a physical layer of material that adheres to your object with a layer of adhesive, infusible ink sinks into your project, dying it. The seamless, long-lasting image that Infusible Ink permanently infuses into your blank is yours to keep forever! If you make a shirt or tote bag, it stretches and moves with the fabric of your product, and it's smooth like you "printed" right into your project! It also doesn't flake, peel, crack, or wrinkle.

Wait, there's cooler than that!

The science underlying how Infusible Ink functions is exciting. The colorful ink on Infusible Ink transfer sheets is solid, precisely like any other type of ink, when you look at it. But Infusible Ink is unique because when heat is applied, it undergoes a chemical change and turns into a gas! The ink transfers immediately into your project without leaving the transfer sheet. The ink then transforms back into a solid within your object. It is permanently injected into it after the heat is gone and your project cools.

It's cool, right?!

Get ready for unique projects with infusible ink because you're about to enter a roller coaster ride! Keep on reading and learn to create Coasters with infusible ink on Cricut.

How do you make coasters with infusible ink on Cricut?

Coasters made of ceramic that look like they purchased from a store? Cricut Infusible Ink makes this completely achievable! Use these tips and tricks to learn how to make coasters using Cricut Infusible Ink.

Note: Cricut offers two different styles of coasters: square ones with a cork backing and round ones with poly-coated ceramic. The cork-backed coasters take MUCH LESS TIME than the ceramic coasters to make. Using the square coasters, you can check the Cricut Heat Guide for the correct settings.

What you need:

• Cricut smart cutting machine
• Design Space on a computer or mobile device or Cricut Joy app
• Cricut Heat Transfer Guide
• StandardGrip Machine Mat
• Cricut EasyPress or Cricut EasyPress 2
• Cricut EasyPress Mat
• Cricut Ceramic Coaster Blank (Compatible with Infusible Ink)
• Infusible Ink Transfer Sheet
• Butcher paper
• Cardstock (80 lb.), White (colored cardstock not recommended)
• Lint-free cloth
• Alcohol wipes
• Scissors
• Tweezers

Step 1: Cut

Note: Ensure your hands are dry and free of lotions or oils before handling any products containing Infusible Ink.

• Onto the StandardGrip Mat, place the Infusible Ink Transfer Sheet with the liner side down.
• Use the Cricut Design Space to choose and resize your design to fit on the blank coaster.
• From the list of supplies, pick Infusible Ink Transfer Sheet. When using a Cricut Explore machine, turn the Smart Set Dial to Custom.
• Place the mat and blade inside the machine and hit Go.

Step 2: Weed

• Trim the sheet's unused space after removing the cut pattern from the mat.
• Roll the pattern gently to make the cut lines stand out and be easier to see. This method of "cracking" the cut makes it simpler to remove the extra paper from the inside and outside of your design.
• Carefully remove the negative pieces from inside and around your design using your fingers or tweezers, leaving the design on the lining.
• The clear liner should be trimmed so it doesn't extend past the Cricut EasyPress heat plate.

Step 3: Prep the blank

• To clean the coaster of any debris, use a lint-free cloth.

Tips: Get ready by setting up your Cricut EasyPress right away. Refer to the Cricut Heat Transfer Guide for the original Cricut EasyPress settings. Always follow the Cricut Heat Transfer Guide to get your project's exact temperature, time, and pressure settings.

Step 4: Get ready to infuse design

• Cardstock should be used to cover the Cricut EasyPress Mat to prevent unwanted transfer.
• Lay the design down on the coaster with the transparent liner on top.
• Rotate the bottom of the coaster upward. (top of the coaster with attached design will rest against cardstock and mat).
• Use butcher paper to cover the coaster.

Note: Infusible Ink Transfer Sheets are packaged with butcher paper.

• Complete this project by pressing at 400°F (205°C) for 240 seconds without further pressure. The Cricut Heat Transfer Guide should be used for the original Cricut EasyPress settings.
• Press the button slowly after the beep. The stack, including the butcher paper, should not be moved.
• The coaster will be hot. Allow to cool fully before handling. The butcher paper and liner should then be slowly removed.

Necessary: Use tweezers to remove the pattern if it separates from the liner and stays on the blank. An undesirable outcome like ghosting or marbling could result from this. Please avoid using your fingers to remove it.

Tip: Never use butcher paper again for another project, please!

What coasters work with infusible ink?

Regarding Infusible Ink blanks, there are a TON of options available. But when it comes to coasters, you can use Cricut's ceramic coasters, square coasters, and round cork coasters. You might have made the error of making too small (or large) patterns, and while they still turned out well, they had an odd appearance. The finest outcomes will achieve when you adhere to the following sizes for the general design:

Square Coasters – 3.75″ wide

Round Coasters – 3.5″ diameter

For them to fit entirely on your coaster, you need the entire width or diameter to be precisely the sizes stated.

Do I need to mirror infusible inks on a coaster?

You can make a truly stunning artwork and transfer it to a blank using Cricut's infusible ink. What was developed is a genuinely fantastic piece of invention!

You'll want to ensure the design doesn't mess up when using infusible ink. I know you are overwhelmed and excited to try this DIY coaster and forget this easy step, Mirroring!

Yes, you have to mirror infusible inks on the coaster.

After choosing your preferred design for your coaster, resize it accordingly, and remember to MIRROR IT! When you select a heat-transfer material in the Cricut Joy app, Mirror is immediately enabled. That was easy, so always keep it in your mind.

Can you reuse infusible inks?

Your Infusible Ink design will be permanently transferred to your blank as soon as the heat-transfer process starts. Reusing your design for a second heat transfer is not advised.

For a more fantastic result for your project, consider these tips aside from not reusing your infusible ink.

1. Before applying the ink to your surface, we advise you to warm it. Before putting the ink after heating it, it must entirely cool down. Therefore, before using infusible ink on any item, like a shirt, tote bag, or coaster, heat it up with your EasyPress.

2. This trick might seem a little strange, but trust me. It's very significant! Lay your design on the Cricut EasyPress to ensure it fits after cutting it out and weeding it. Then, turn the machine on.

When using infusible ink, this is SO important. The EasyPress can only be used once; it cannot be lifted and lowered repeatedly. Make sure that your design will suit the size of your EasyPress since you must apply heat to the whole piece of artwork at the same time.

You will achieve more excellent color saturation in some locations than in others if you apply heat to those areas more than once. Your finished project will be fairly obvious, and you won't achieve the best outcomes.

Does infusible ink come off?

Because Infusible Ink projects are permanent, there is no way to remove unwanted transfer marks or ghosting from a project.

Infusible Ink transfers are permanent; we don't want to waste your materials. That is why we've worked hard to ensure your success. Unwanted transfer effects with Infusible Ink are also permanent. Still, they can be readily avoided by adhering to all suggested material and blank preparation guidelines for Infusible Ink projects.

Blue Specks

Why it happens:

Polyester fabrics contain debris, lint, or dust particles that, even if you can't see them with the naked eye, can be activated when you apply heat, resulting in tiny blue specks. Any dye found in these particles permanently fuses with the blank during transfer.

How to prevent it:

Get rid of the lint on the blank's surface where your design will be applied before preheating using a lint roller. Be meticulous! You should make many passes to get rid of all the lint.

Press marks

Why it happens:

Given enough heat, polyester fabric may melt and leave a glossy or discolored mark if it touches a hot surface.

How to prevent it:

As directed during preheating and transfer, insert a new sheet of butcher paper between the heat plate. You are blank to lessen the possibility of press marks appearing on it. To prevent the heat plate from making touch with your blank, the butcher paper should be larger than the heat plate.

Marbling

Why it happens:

Areas of the transfer that appear faded or inconsistent with the rest can be caused by uneven heating or pressure. This undesirable outcome is brought on by creases, seams, buttons, or zippers passing through the heat plate and preventing uniform heating and pressure. The printed side of the sheet may also become damaged if you handle it with wet, damp, or oily hands.

How to prevent it:

1. Make sure your pressing surface is level, sturdy, and waist-high and your Cricut EasyPress Mat is clean and free of any obstructions.

2. Before transferring, pre-heat your material to remove any creases and moisture on the blank.

3. Before handling the printed side of Infusible Ink Transfer Sheets, ensure your hands are dry and free of lotion, oils, or other moisture.

4. Avoid pressing patterns over seams, buttons, zippers, or creases.

Colors are not vibrant

Why it happens:

Colors may not seem vivid after transfer for various reasons, such as wrong temperature and time settings (too low or too high, too short or too long), an unsuitable blank, or not recommended heat source like a home iron.

How to prevent it:

Be sure to carefully follow all preparation and project-related instructions, such as utilizing suitable blanks and adhering to suggested heating methods, timings, and temperatures.

Ink transfer to Cricut EasyPress or Cricut EasyPress Mat

Why it happens:

If safety precautions are not carried out, infusible ink may transfer to your Cricut EasyPress heat plate or EasyPress Mat.

Be advised: if this does occur, leftover ink will be present in later projects.

How to prevent it:

Prepare and layer project materials as directed to prevent the unwanted transfer to Cricut EasyPress, Cricut EasyPress Mat, and your work surface.

Reminder: Infusible Ink transfers can be removed from the Cricut EasyPress heat plate. Wipe them away while the heat plate is still warm. The unwanted transfer can easily be eliminated from the Cricut EasyPress heat plate by pressing it repeatedly—as if completing a transfer—on a clean sheet of cardstock or butcher paper (on a covered EasyPress Mat). However, the Cricut EasyPress mat makes it impossible to remove.

This is just a clear reminder that following instructions matters most to achieve a great project. Please make the most fantastic coaster and other projects with Infusible Ink now, and don't forget to share it with us!

Other Vinyl Crafting Articles

Please click the links below for more blogs that you may find helpful in your crafting adventures:

KNOW THE BASICS IN LAYERING VINYL IN CRICUT DESIGN SPACE

SKYROCKETING HEAT TRANSFER PRINTING FEATURING 2023'S BEST HEAT PRESS MACHINE

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