The great thing about HTV is you don’t need much to start out. A cutter and a home iron is about all that's required when you’re just a “beginner” making items for yourself and family members. But after working with an iron for a while, you’ll likely find yourself thinking that there’s got to be an easier way, and there is! The Cricut EasyPress is a simple step up to “intermediate” and is good for when you have one foot in each pond, ie: some projects for sale and some for personal use. A heat press is still our #1 choice for best quality applications and is ideal for advanced users with full businesses, but with the EasyPress’ growing popularity, I thought it’s time to share our tips for working with the little guys!
The Cricut EasyPress comes in a variety of sizes and colors. The 12″ x 10″ and 9″ x 9″ function the same, but the Mini LT's heat settings are different than the others. Let’s discuss the first 2 and then we’ll get into working with the Mini LT.
Tips for Applying Siser® HTV with the Cricut EasyPress 2 and 3
The EasyPress is more suited for HTV projects than a home iron due to its lack of steam holes. The smooth plate won’t leave impression marks in the vinyl. Additionally, you can adjust the time and temperature to exactly what you’re looking for all while reading off the digital screen. However, Time + Temperature + Pressure = the best press, and the pressure factor is where things can go a little sideways…literally.
Your upper body strength determines how much pressure is applied on the heat transfer vinyl. If you lean to one side a little more than the other or press stronger with one arm, you might notice one side of the heat transfer vinyl is more applied than the other. To avoid this issue, do your best to stay centered over the EasyPress. If you find you can’t get enough pressure on the HTV, set the EasyPress Mat aside and move to a lower table or even the floor in order to get more "oomph" behind your press. Just be sure the surface you move to can handle the heat. Tile is cool and will pull away the heat, so try to stick with a wood floor or wooden cutting board (that you purchased just for crafting- Nobody wants food debris in their HTV!).
Notice the EasyPress mat off to the side? You don’t always need it, especially when applying EasyWeed®!
Lastly, most quality heat presses are made so that the heat is evenly and consistently distributed. While the EasyPress does a better job than an iron of holding on to heat, we still find that best results are achieved when adding an additional 30°F to the suggested Heat Press setting.
For Example: To heat apply EasyWeed on a Heat Press, we’d recommend 305°F. To heat apply EasyWeed on a Cricut EasyPress, we’d suggest 335°F. The time remains the same!
But what if you’re pressing more than one color? Watch this video for how to layer EasyWeed with the Cricut EasyPress.
You can accomplish most projects with the Cricut EasyPress sizes we just covered, but the EasyPress Mini LT is for all your little projects!
Tips for Applying Siser HTV with the Cricut EasyPress Mini
All the tips above can also be applied to the Mini. Like the EasyPresses before it, the Mini has a smooth plate and cool color scheme. Except the EasyPress Mini doesn’t have room for a digital read out, so instead there’s 3 heat setting buttons on the side. Cricut offers a guide to each setting and their temperature range, but you’ll still need to tack on that extra 30°F for best results with Siser HTV, so you’ll likely end up using the middle or highest setting for most projects.
Like this paper flower corsage with HTV decorated ribbon? See how it was made on IGTV!
With the proper combination of time, temperature, and pressure, your projects will look professional! Want to practice? Download the FREE “Bloom Where You’re Planted” cut file and try these tips out!
This post goes over the most frequently asked questions and issues we’ve received from customers regarding the Cricut EasyPress. If you’re still having trouble with your project, please email our team at support@siserna.com for additional troubleshooting.
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