Cricut Hat Press: Ultimate Guide to Iron-On Vinyl and Infusible Ink Hats!

Instructions

Step 1: Set Up and Activate the Cricut Hat Press

Unbox your Hat Press and set it up on a sturdy workspace. Make sure you have enough space for your materials, easy access to a power outlet or appropriate extension cord, and are within seven feet of your mobile device. Remember, the Hat Pressing Form contains sterilized walnut shells. If you have allergy concerns, please consult your doctor before unwrapping the form.

On your mobile device, search your application store for "Cricut Heat" and download it. Open the Cricut Heat app and sign in using your Cricut ID. A pop-up will ask you to allow the app to use your device's Bluetooth capability to connect to enabled heat presses. Click "Ok, I understand" to continue and follow the prompts.

Click "Set Up New Hat Press" to make the app search for available heat presses. Plug in your Hat Press, remove the wrapping, place it in the safety base, and turn it on so the app will be able to see it. When your Hat Press appears on the screen, tap "Connect" to begin the activation. The app will show you which email address the press will be registered to and ask you to agree to their terms of use and privacy policy. Tap the agree box and then "Activate."

Keep your press powered on, keep your device open to the Cricut Heat app, within seven feet of it, and make sure your Bluetooth stays on. It may beep a few times while downloading updates, but that's normal. When the activation is complete, the app will show a success message and the press will beep before turning off. Tap "Done" and you're ready to press!

The first time you use Cricut Heat for a project, the app will walk you through some very helpful tutorials. I recommend following them to learn more about the app's functions.

Step 2: Start Pressing!

Project 1: Star Test Design from the Hat Press Box

While you can use the Cricut Hat Press without the Cricut Heat app, I'm going to demonstrate several projects using the app. It makes the process so easy!

First, try the Everyday Iron-On Vinyl star design that came with your Hat Press on a Cricut Ball cap.

On the Cricut Heat main screen, tap on your Hat Press and then on "Start New Project" on the next screen. Tap "Select" next to Transfer Material and choose Everyday Iron-On. On the Applied to screen, tap "Ball Cap" under Cricut Blanks.

Confirm your settings then click "Next" to continue to the Project Overview screen. The app tells us exactly what to do under Recommended Settings and What You Need. Gather your press, design, cap, pressing form, and Strong Heat Resistant Tape. For detailed instructions, tap "Detailed Instructions."

Tap "Send Setting to Hat Press" and prep your materials while the press heats up. Open the hat and remove the cardboard insert. Fold down the sweatband and place the form inside the cap. Make sure it fit snug by tightening the back strap and smooth your material. Use a lint roller to remove any dust.

Preheating smooths the material and removes moisture from the fabric. To preheat, place the hat and form on the workspace with your design area facing up. hold the form by the bottom strap. When the press is at the correct temperature, the Go button turns green. Place the press on the hat, hit the go button, and move the heat plate back and forth for five seconds to cover the whole area.

Place the star shiny side up on your hat. The Hat Press can apply vinyl over seams, but avoid eyelets, mesh, or metal elements. Tap "Detailed Instructions" for good tips on your first press. Since we'll be moving the heat press, we need to tape the design in place with Strong Heat Resistant Tape.

Hold the form with one hand, place the press on the design and hit "Go" to begin. Apply light pressure until the timer ends. For a small design like this, you don't have to move the press back and forth. Not that the times for materials are different when using the Hat Press. Place the press back in its base. After the liner is cool to the touch, slowly remove the tape and liner.

Remember to follow the care directions for your first project! For this example, that means waiting 24 hours before washing the hat, hand washing with cold water and no bleach, line drying, and no dry cleaning.

When you're done with a project, unplug the press and make sure it is totally cool before putting it away.

Project 2: Cricut Trucker Hat and Infusible Ink

Since Infusible Ink is a sublimation process, you must have adequate ventilation around your Hat Press. Preferably, open a window and set up a low fan to increase air circulation so you don't inhale any fumes.

Choose an Infusible Ink design, or use my "Just a Country Girl" design, which is in the "hat-decals-jennifermaker" file in Design #377. I used the denim pattern for "country" and paisley for the rest. Cut out and weed your design. Use transfer tape to move "country" from its carrier sheet to the available space on the larger design.

Tap "Start New Project" and set your material to Infusible Ink transfer sheets and your Cricut Blank to "Trucker Hat." Tap "Next" and gather your press, form, butcher paper, lint roller, design, hat, and Strong Heat Resistant Tape. Tap "Send settings to hat press" to start heating the press.

Place your hat on the form and use a lint roller to remove dust. When the press reaches 400, place a pice of butcher paper over the hat and preheat for five seconds with light pressure over the whole design space.

Prepare your design by trimming extra transfer tape. Position the design at least a quarter to half an inch above the brim. Tape it down. Since Infusible Ink can look blotchy if the design moves, make sure it's REALLY secure to the hat's curve. Place butcher paper over the design and press. Hit the Go button, use light pressure, and move back and forth until the 90 second timer beeps.

The sublimation process will still be active, so let the item sit for a few seconds as the fumes disperse. And since the ink is still transferring from the carrier sheet, we don't want to jostle anything to avoid ghosting where the design lifts from the fabric too early.

Carefully remove the butcher paper and set it aside. Once everything is cooled to just a bit warm, peel off the paper to reveal the beautiful design! Tap "Done" in the upper right corner.

TIP: on the Hat Press main page, you can see recent project settings under "Last Used" and tap those to save time on matching projects.

Project 3: Cricut Ball Cap and Infusible Ink

Since Infusible Ink is a sublimation process, you must have adequate ventilation around your Hat Press. Preferably, open a window and set up a low fan to increase air circulation so you don't inhale any fumes.

Choose an Infusible Ink design or use my "Mama Bear" design, which is in the "hat-decals-jennifermaker" file in Design #377. Cut and weed your design. I layered red and blue on my transfer tape.

Choose "Infusible Ink Transfer sheet" and "Ball Cap" then tap "Send Settings to Hat Press."

Prep your Ball Cap using the same steps as the Trucker Hat in Project 2. Use plenty of tape! Follow the app prompts to preheat and press for 90 seconds. Remove the butcher paper and allow the design to cool for a bit as the app says this is a warm peel material. Enjoy your new hat!

Project 4: 100% Cotton Ball Cap Front and Brim with Everyday Iron-On Vinyl

Choose an Iron-On Vinyl design or use my "Dream Team" and daisy designs, which are in the "hat-decals-jennifermaker" file in Design #377. I'm using white vinyl for the words and layered whit with yellow for the flower. Cut (make sure to mirror!) and weed your designs.

Start a new project. Tap "Select" next to Transfer Material, choose "Everyday Iron-On Vinyl," and then "100% Cotton" for your blank. Tap "Next." Tap "Send Settings to Hat Press." Note, my press actually has to cool off since it was at 400 for the Infusible Ink and only needs to be at 330°F.

Secure your hat on the form and plan your design placement while you wait.

When the press beeps that it's at the correct temp, preheat the hat for five seconds to smooth the material and remove moisture.

Place your design nice and straight and then tape it down. You can reuse tape as long as it's still sticky! Place the press on the design, hit the "Go" button, and glide with light pressure until the 90 second timer beeps. Wait until the design is cool, then slowly peel the carrier sheet. Great job!

To add a daisy to the brim, Iron-On Vinyl is your best option. Since Infusible Ink requires a much higher temperature, it can melt the brim's inner form. Decide on your daisy placement, making sure you can safely hold and press the spot.

We can use the same settings as the cap's front, so tap "Make Again" in the top left of the app. Preheat the chosen spot for five seconds, then tape the flower down and press it using the timer. Since it's a small spot and the brim's curve doesn't quite match that of the press, I used the edge and kept it still.

Wait until the design cools and peel it off.

Project 5: 100% Cotton Bucket Hat with Everyday Iron-On Vinyl

Choose an Iron-On Vinyl design or use my "Sassy" design, which is in the "hat-decals-jennifermaker" file in Design #377. I'm using white vinyl. Cut (make sure to mirror!) and weed your design.

Since a bucket hat doesn't have a brim to indicate the front, check where the tag is and prepare to place your decal directly across from it. Of course, if you want to use a different spot, go for it! Place the hat on the form, making it as snug and smooth as you can.

Since this project has the same materials as the blue hat, tap "Make Again" to use the same settings. Or, you can tap "Done" and select it from the Last Used section and hit "Send to Heat Press."

Lint roll your hat and prepare to preheat.

TIP: Red fabrics tend to darken when they're heated up. Don't worry, the hat will go back to normal once it cools.

Follow the directions to preheat, apply your design, tape it, and press to transfer. Let it cool and then peel to remove your sassy hat!

Project 6: 100% Cotton Visor with Layered Iron-On Vinyl

Choose an Iron-On Vinyl design or use my "Feein' Lucky" design, which is in the "hat-decals-jennifermaker" file in Design #377. I'm using black Everyday Iron-On Vinyl and green Holographic Sparkle Iron-On Vinyl. Cut (make sure to mirror!) and weed your design.

Secure your visor on the pressing form, making the front as smooth as possible. Select the same settings from Last Used and preheat the hat.

Place the black layer on the visor and tape it in place. Lint roll to remove dust.nFollow the prompts to press and peel the design.

Our second layer is a different material, so tap "Done" to change your settings. Tap "Start New Project," select "Holographic Sparkle Iron-On Vinyl" and "100% Cotton, then hit "Next" and "Send Settings to Heat Press." Since the visor is already warm, tap "skip" to avoid preheat and let the press get to the correct temperature.

Line up your "Lucky" design and tape it down well. Make sure there is carrier sheet or tape over all of your vinyl. Press the design by following the prompts and peel after it cools.

Project 7: Straw Hat and Everyday Iron-On Vinyl Experiment

I always try out experiments with new tools, and love learning from them! Straw hats are very textured, so the result is not as smooth as a normal hat, but this is still super cute.

Choose an Iron-On Vinyl design or use my "Sunkissed" design, which is in the "hat-decals-jennifermaker" file in Design #377. I'm using white and yellow Everyday Iron-On Vinyl. Cut (make sure to mirror!) and weed your design.

I placed the hat on the form a little differently, folding the brim down to make the target area flatter and easier to access.

Cricut Heat doesn't have a "Straw" blank setting, so we need to figure out a setting to use.

Tap "Start New Project" and set your Transfer Material as Everyday Iron-On. I chose "100% Cotton" as my blank since straw is an organic material. Hit "Send Settings to Heat Press" and plan your design placement while it heats up.

Tape your design in place. I used a lot of tape to try to smooth out the design and keep it in place, but it was a challenge due to the bumpy straw. Do your best! Follow the app prompts to press your design.

Once it's cool, gently peel the tape and carrier sheet off. The design will be more fragile than one on a smooth hat, but I like the result!

Project 8: Layered Everyday Iron-On Vinyl on Polyester Stuffed Animal Experiment

While Cricut only recommends using the Hat Press for hats, I wanted to try it on another curved surface that is difficult to decorate: stuffed animals!

Choose an Iron-On Vinyl design that will fit on your stuffed animal. Remember to keep it smaller than 2.25" x 4.25" to fit the press. I'm using white and pink Everyday Iron-On Vinyl for a cute layered flower design. Cut (make sure to mirror!) and weed your design.

Set the Hat Pressing Form aside and plan your design on the animal's head. Trim the carrier sheets pretty close to the designs to make curving them easier.

Tap "Start New Project," set your Transfer Material to "Everyday Iron-On Vinyl" and your blank to "Polyester" or your animal's material. Tap "Next" and "Send Settings to Hat Press."

To be safe, tape some butcher paper over the target placement and preheat for five seconds, moving the press with light pressure.

Tape your design's first layer in place and tape it down very well. Cover it with butcher paper and follow the prompts to press for 60 seconds. Gliding the press felt like it moved the design since I didn't have the firm pressing form to stabilize everything, so I kept the press pretty still.

Let the layer cool and peel off the tape and carrier sheet. Tap "Make Again" and repeat the process for the second layer.

The Hat Press worked well on the curved stuffed animal!

Note: Using the Cricut Heat Press Without the Cricut Heat app

Power on the Cricut Hat Press and it will heat to the first level, Low, as indicated by one of the three wavy lines that lights up. This setting uses a 60 second timer. Press the power button again to move to Medium (another 60 second timer), and a third time to move to High (90 second timer). When the press beeps, it has reached the setting's target temperature.

For an Everyday Iron-On project, I recommend you use the Medium setting.

Prepare your design and hat as we did in the first project.

Press the Hat Press' power button twice to have it heat up to Medium. Use the Cricut Heat Guide to find the necessary preheat and peel process so you're ready. Preheat the surface and place your design. Once your hat press hits the surface, hit the Go button to start the timer. Again, glide the press over the surface with even pressure until the timer ends and the press beeps. Follow your material's cooling and peeling instructions.

Final Step: Show Them Off!

I had a great time experimenting with the Cricut Hat Press and love the results! I'd love to see your projects, too!