DIY Pocket Pet with EasyWeed® HTV Scraps
If you like to craft then you probably already have a stash of EasyWeed® scraps from previous projects just begging to be used. It’s easy to let those scraps stack up (Check out our Pinterest board Storing and Organizing Vinyl if your stash is overflowing!) for “future use.” The issue isn’t a lack of scraps. The issue usually lies in finding the right project to bust your scrap stash. That’s where this post comes in! Keep reading to see how you can use EasyWeed Scraps to create a little pet for your t-shirt pocket.
Step 1: Create and Cut Your Design
I built the fox pieces in Adobe Illustrator before bringing the file into Silhouette Studio. Next I measured my real t-shirt pocket to create a faux pocket square with the same dimensions. This way I can I size my cut file to fit properly.
While my design may look complete here, there are a few things to do before sending it to the cutter:
- Always mirror your image before cutting EasyWeed heat transfer vinyl.
- Place the HTV carrier side down on the cutting mat before loading into the cutter.
Recommended cut settings for EasyWeed can be found on our website and app. We suggest performing a test cut before each project to ensure the settings will work for your blade and machine since age and accessory conditions will affect cutting.
Step 2: Weed Heat Transfer Vinyl
After cutting, it’s time to pick out the small bits of excess from the scrap HTV. The Siser EasyWeeder™ is invaluable in this process known as “weeding”.
Step 3: Heat Apply Your Pocket Pet
To heat apply the EasyWeed Scraps I’m going to start from the bottom layer (background) and work my way up to the top layer (foreground). Set your home iron between the cotton and linen settings. While the iron warms, set up your first color in the design, in this case it’s white (picture 1.) Cover the material with a heat transfer cover sheet, and firmly press the iron down for 5-10 seconds. If the design isn’t fully covered by the iron plate, lift the iron and press in sections. Do not slide the iron! After pressing, peel EasyWeed’s carrier sheet hot (picture 2.) If the HTV lifts with the carrier instead of staying down on the shirt, simply cover and heat for increments of 5 seconds until no lifting occurs. Place your next color and repeat the process (pictures 3, 4 and 5.)
When each layer is applied, re-cover everything and press for a final 10 seconds. All the HTV should be firmly adhered and a little fox is now peering out from the pocket!
You could create all kinds of pocket pets depending on your EasyWeed Scraps! What’s your favorite heat transfer vinyl scrap busting project? Let me know in the comments!
Need another scrap stash buster? Check out how Joe used EasyWeed Scraps in his blog post to make an 8-bit style design: Use EasyWeed Scraps for a Sweet Design.