How To Transfer Metallic Puff Iron-On Vinyl For 3D Designs

Instructions

STEP 1: GET MY FREE PUFF VINYL DESIGN FILES

First, download my Puff Vinyl designs from my free library – look for Design #572. Alternatively, you can use the Save This Project form near the top of this post and the design link will be emailed to you.

The SVG folder has two designs, Follow the Call of the disco Ball, and Disco Fever.

TIP: If you’re not sure how to upload, go to jennifermaker.com/svgs to learn how to unzip and upload SVG files.

I’ll use my T-shirt guides for alignment. You can get the files to make at set at https://jennifermaker.com/t-shirt-ruler-guides.

STEP 2: PREPARE AND CUT YOUR PUFF VINYL DESIGN

1. Open Cricut Design Space and click “New Project.”
2. Click “Upload” and then “Upload Image.”
3. Click “Browse.”
4. Select the design SVG file, “.svg.”
5. On the Prepare to Upload screen,  it will say “Cut image” with the design preview.
6. Click “Upload.”
7. Find your design in Recent Uploads and add it to the Canvas.
   
8. You can slightly resize the design with the lock icon closed.
   TIP: The puff vinyl will expand to fill in some gaps, so keep that in mind and make a test version if you make the design much smaller.
9. If you want to add a background, click “Offset.”
10. Adjust the slider so the offset is thin but all of the elements will cut as one piece.
    
    Better offset
    
11. Click Apply.
12. Use the Color Box to change the Offset to a light color.
13. Click Contour.
    
14. Click all the small pieces to turn them off and make the background a solid piece.
    
15. Close the Contour pop-up.
16. Make sure the Offset will still fit on your material and blank.
17. Check that the correct machine is selected.
18. Click “Make”
19. On the Prepare Screen, turn on “Mirror” for all the mats.
    
20. Select the first mat, then click “Continue.”

CUTTING

1. On the Make Screen, select the “Everyday Iron-on” setting for any of the vinyl options listed. 
2. Change the Pressure to “More” for a cleaner cut.
   
3. Use scissors to cut your first color of vinyl to be just a bit bigger than the design area needed.
4. The vinyl options listed for the Offset layer are shinier on the carrier sheet side.
   
   
5. For this brand of puff vinyl, the slightly duller side is actually the carrier sheet, the opposite of most HTV materials. If you can’t tell which side is the vinyl, use your weeding tool to lightly scratch a corner. The side that you can mark and lift a little is the vinyl. 
   
6. Place the first color of vinyl with the vinyl side up on a green StandardGrip machine mat. Make sure the vinyl covers the design area on the screen
   
   
   
7. Use a brayer to adhere it securely. 
8. Check that your Fine-Point Blade is clean and in the clamp.
9. Press the flashing button to load the prepared mat into your Cricut. 
10. Press the flashing button to begin cutting.
11. When it has finished cutting, unload the mat, flip it over onto your work surface, and roll it back to release the vinyl.
    
12. If there are uncut vinyl sections you can cut away without interfering with the design, trim them away to store for small projects.
    
13. Put the design back on the mat, with the cuts facing up.
    
14. If you’re weeding a design with delicate sections like the stars, use your weeding tool to carefully lift the excess vinyl from the indents so you’re peeling the material away from the design instead of toward it. This helps keep skinny pieces in place.
    
15. If a delicate spot starts lifting, carefully anchor it to the mat with a rounded section of the weeding tool and lift the excess around the tool with your other hand
    
16. And if a section does lift, gently pat the area back down into place and hold it still with your tool while peeling the rest away.
17. Once you’re done, make sure no elements have shifted, and gently nudge them back in place if needed.
    
18. If you have other mats, prepare, cut, and weed them following the same process.

PRESSING

NOTE: These settings worked for both the Reflective Heat Transfer Vinyl Rainbow and Siser Smooth Glitter HTV as the first layer.

1. Put the 1” wooden (or otherwise heat-safe) cutting board on your pressing area. Do not use a heat pad, because puff vinyl needs a smooth, hard surface for the best results.
   Metallic-Puff-Iron-On-board
2. Make sure the surface and board are secure enough for heavy pressure.
3. Always check for manufacturer’s instructions before pressing. Siser Sparkle smooth glitter’s instructions say to heat at 305° (152 C) 15 seconds. But since it will be pressed a second and third time for the puff layer, I found that 300° F (149 C) for 10 seconds worked to tack down the first layer.
4. Pre-heat your press to 300° F (149 C).
5. Open the shirt and lay it face up on the cutting board.
6. Press the shirt all over the design area for 10 seconds to remove any moisture or wrinkles that can interfere with the design.
   NOTE: Moisture will keep the puff vinyl from puffing up, so make sure the shirt, work area, and materials are all dry and free of steam.
7. Use a lint roller to clean the design area.
8. Fold the sleeves together and lay the crease on the pressing area. Make sure there are no wrinkles.
9. Lightly press the crease to make a straight vertical line in the design area.
   
10. Place your T-shirt ruler guide on your shirt with the top edge just below the collar’s seam.
11. Vertically crease the top and bottom of the design’s carrier sheets, but NOT the actual vinyl. 
12. Align the top of the main design’s first layer with the bottom of the ruler. 
    NOTE: For a design like Disco Fever, some of the accent elements, like the stars, may be slightly above the ruler. Focus on the largest section.
    
13. Use the creases in the carrier sheet to align the decal to the shirt’s crease and ruler. 
14. Pat the empty carrier sheet sections down to lightly stick to the fabric.
15. Remove the ruler.
16. Press the entire design area all at once for 10 seconds. If you’re using a handheld press, use firm pressure.
17. After 10 seconds, let the carrier sheet sit until it’s cool to the touch, but not completely cold.
    
18. Hold the shirt in place with one hand and lift a corner of the carrier sheet with the other. Keeping the carrier sheet rolled back on itself, gently pull it away from your anchoring hand in a smooth motion. If vinyl starts to come up, pat it down, replace the carrier sheet, and press for just a few seconds. Then use the same motion to try removing it again. This layer is just tacked down, not fully adhered, so it’s ok if small edges lift.
    
19. Place the puff vinyl material side down on the first layer. 
    TIP: If your first layer was an offset, make sure it’s evenly visible around the edges of layer 2. Otherwise, put your ruler back down for reference.
    
20. If there is any vinyl not protected by the carrier sheet, cover it with butcher paper.
    
21. Press the entire design without moving the heat source for 10 seconds at 300° F (149 C). If you’re using a handheld press, use firm, even pressure.
22. Let the vinyl and carrier sheet cool completely.
    
23. Use one hand to anchor the shirt and the other to gently roll the carrier sheet off. The puff vinyl is just tacked down, so it’s ok if some edges lift. Just pat them in place. Don’t heat it again, because that can activate the puff motion.
    NOTE: It won’t be puffy yet.
    
24. Cover the entire design with butcher paper.
25. Press for 10 seconds at 300° F (149 C) with the same amount of pressure. If you’re using a handheld press, use very firm, even pressure for the best results.
26. Remove the butcher paper and reveal the puff!
    

VARIATION - GLITTERY SHADOW

PREPARE THE DESIGN

1. In Design Space, click Text
2. Type a name or word.
3. Select a font in the Font menu, like JM Groovy under the System section after you add it.
4. Close the Font menu.
5. With the lock icon closed, change the dimension so it's the right size for your project.
   
6. Click the Offset menu.
7. Change offset to about .111 worked for my design, but you might have to experiment using your text and materials, because you don’t want it to get completely hidden when the name puffs.
8. Change the offset to a different color.
   
   NOTE: Unlike the earlier project, don’t use the Contour tool to remove any of the inside cuts.
9. Make sure the correct machine is selected and click "Make"

CUTTING

1. Mirror both mats and click Continue.
   
2. For the Siser Smooth Glitter I used "everyday Iron-on" with the pressure set to "More" with the material shiny side down on a green StandardGrip machine mat.
   
3. Cut and weed the vinyls like the previous variation.
   

PRESSING

1. Prepare like before
2. Set press to 300°F (149°C) and time to 10 seconds
   NOTE: The smooth glitter’s manufacturer’s settings didn’t quite work for layering, but I used 300° F (149 C) at 10 seconds with medium pressure to tack it down. This works best with a warm peel, so let it sit for a few seconds before removing the carrier sheet.
3. Tack the glitter layer down with medium pressure.
4. Warm peel the carrier sheet.
   
5. Align the puff layer on top so you can see the glitter evenly all around the design
   
6. Tack the puff vinyl down at 300° F (149 C) for 10 seconds with firm, even pressure.
7. Let it cool then peel back the carrier sheet.
   
8. Cover all the vinyl with butcher paper, and press it once more with the same settings.

Or apply the metallic puff iron-on alone!

SHOW IT OFF