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What are Cricut Infusible Ink Freehand Markers? That was the first question I had when I heard Cricut was releasing a new Infusible Ink product so I’m here to tell you all about them.
Cricut Infusible Ink Freehand Markers give you the ability to make your own customized projects like shirts, coasters, totes, and more without a Cricut cutting machine.
If you haven’t heard, Infusible Ink is a new product that Cricut released last summer. Unlike Iron-on (htv), Infusible Ink becomes one with the base material, it doesn’t wash out and there is no adhesive. There are requirements that are different than using Iron-on (htv), for instance:
Much higher temperature to press
A high polyester count for fabric items
The use of butcher paper & cardstock to protect the areas you don’t want the ink to attach to
etc, etc…
I’m working on a step by step Infusible Ink post to help you understand it more but for now we’re going to talk through “What are Cricut Infusible Ink Freehand Markers” and why you should get them today.
(via Cricut.com)
The Infusible Ink Freehand Markers come in 2 different color sets – Tropical and Basics. Tropical includes pink, purple, light blue, orange, and light green. Basics includes black, red, blue, green, and yellow.
(via Cricut.com)
In each color set you have 3 options of Infusible Ink Freehand Markers:
2.0mm Marker
1.8-3.6mm Brush Tip Marker
1.0mm and 2.5-3.2mm Dual-Tip Markers
The freehand markers allow you the opportunity to create permanent projects without the use of a cutting machine. You WILL need other supplies and we’ll get to those below but before we do, just image what you’d create using your own handwriting or your own drawings?
The very first thing I thought of when I heard about these new markers was what my children could create with them. Personalized gifts for their friends and grandparents were at the top of the list.
To try out my new Infusible Ink Freehand Markers I decided to make a Valentine shirt for my youngest daughter. I am not one who loves their own handwriting but I was excited to give it a go and I’m so glad I did. With the correct supplies this shirt was so EASY!
Infusible Ink Freehand Markers Shirt Supply List
To make your own Infusible Ink Freehand Markers shirt you’re going to need the following (affiliate links included):
Infusible Ink Freehand Markers
Butcher Paper
White Cardstock
Laser Copy Paper
Infusible Ink Compatible Shirt
Heat Resistant Tape
EasyPress 2 (or original EasyPress or Heat Press)
EasyPress Mat
When using Infusible Ink there is a specific order to how you layer things. To make sure you always have the correct order always check the Cricut Heat Settings Guide, it will walk you through each step/layer.
Why do I need butcher paper, cardstock, and laser copy paper to use Infusible Ink Freehand Markers?
The thing about Infusible Ink, without getting into the science, is that it is permanent and if you don’t protect your surfaces it will likely end up somewhere you don’t want it to be and if it does you’ll end up frustrated because you’ve ruined something…and possibly something not cheap.
It is the cardstock’s job is to protect your EasyPress Mat and/or the back of your shirt/bag/etc.
It is the Butcher Paper’s job is to protect your EasyPress (or Heat Press)
The Laser Copy paper is important because that is what you’ll do your drawing on. You need Laser Copy Paper (not all purpose or regular copy paper) because Laser Copy Paper is made to stand up to the heat of a Laser Printer or Laser Copier which means the high heat required for Infusible Ink won’t be a problem for it and it has a nice smooth coating that prevents the ink from bleeding.
Okay, tell me how to make a shirt with Infusible Ink Freehand Markers.
Depending on the shirt you want to create you may or may not need to trace your image backward. For instance, if you wanted to draw a heart you could just draw that and press it and it wouldn’t be a problem. Because I am using words I first wrote them out on paper. Then using my Cricut BrightPad (a window or other light could also work, I just really love my BrightPad) I turned that sheet over and used a fresh piece of Laser Copy Paper and the Red Brush Tip Infusible Ink Marker to write Valentine backward so when it’s turned over onto the shirt it will read correctly. Then using the Black Infusible Ink Freehand Marker I traced be mine (also backward).
Once you have your image drawn you’re going to prepare everything for pressing.
Step 1 – gather supplies; turn your EasyPress on to the proper temperature and set the proper time (found in the Cricut Heat Guide).
Step 2 – lay EasyPress mat on a SOLID SURFACE, I cannot stress this enough. I used my solid wood, nice and flat, kitchen table.
Step 3 – lay out your shirt, smoothing it out so there are no wrinkles.
Step 4 – place white cardstock (larger than your image) INSIDE the shirt.
Step 5 – lint roll your shirt – even if it’s brand new I recommend using at least 2 lint roller sheets. Lint is the enemy of Infusible Ink, because of the high heat if you have lint pieces you will end up with blue spots on your shirt and they will not come off.
Step 6 – lay your butcher paper on top of your shirt covering the whole area you want to place your image and preheat.
Step 7 – remove EasyPress and butcher paper and place your image (drawing side down) where you want it on your shirt. Using heat resistant tape secure it in place.
Step 8 – place butcher paper on top of image making sure to cover the entire area.
Step 9 – carefully place your EasyPress on top of your image and with gentle pressure hold in place. Do not slide it around or let it move. It’s important to hold it right in place.
Step 10 – once the time is up replace the EasyPress in it’s base, remove the butcher paper, and lift up your laser copy paper.
Step 11 – ENJOY YOUR NEW SHIRT!!!
We are so excited about these new markers. I can’t wait to see what my kids come up with. What would you do with them? If you have any questions leave them in the comments and we’ll get them answered for you.
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- How to Clean Towels that Smell Like Mildew - January 20, 2023
can you use the mini easy press in during this craft.
It depends on the size of your image. If it’s a smaller image, then yes you can use the EasyPress Mini. Thanks!