Christmas Coasters with Cricut Infusible Ink

Learn to make these beautiful Christmas coasters with Cricut Infusible Ink. These coasters make great holiday gifts.

The holiday season is here and I’m always on the lookout for handmade gift ideas to make. I’ve made so so many handmade gifts over the years but I’ve never given coasters as a gift so I decided to make some Christmas coasters with Cricut Infusible ink. Let me tell you…they turned out way better than I could ever imagine. And once you get the hang of working with infusible ink, the process goes super quick. Ready to learn how to make ’em? I KNOW you’re ready so let’s get started.

BASIC SVG & SILHOUETTE STUDIO POSTS

• How to Use Silhouette Cameo 4: A Guide to Getting Started
• How to Use SVG files: Tips, Tricks & Ideas
• How to Import Files Into Silhouette Studio

What is Cricut Infusible Ink?

Cricut Infusible Ink is a peel-proof, flake-proof, wash-proof ink that you can transfer onto any compatible material. Cricut sells compatible blanks but you don’t need to buy their blanks to use the infusible ink (see below). Infusible ink is a heat transfer product that is infused into your base material without any bulk. The ink becomes part of the material and is permanently bonded. Cricut Infusible Ink comes in many different bold colors and patterns.

How is Infusible Ink Different than Heat Transfer Vinyl?

Infusible ink is infused into the substrate material during the heating process. The ink actually becomes a part of the material, unlike heat transfer vinyl (HTV) which is adhered on top of the material. When you use Infusible ink, you don’t have to worry about it peeling off after washing which is sometimes a problem with HTV.

Is Infusible Ink the Same as Sublimation?

Infusible ink is a type of sublimation. Sublimation refers to the process of bonding ink into the material. The material can be things like fabric, wood, or in this case, ceramic. Sublimation designs can be printed, however, you need a special sublimation printer which costs a pretty penny. So if you have a cutting machine but no sublimation printer, Infusible Ink is the way to go.

What Materials are Compatible with Infusible Ink?

In order for fabric to work with infusible ink, it must be a light-colored polyester surface. Infusible ink will not work on dark cotton. The polyester content must be at least 50%. If you are using Infusible ink on a mug, or ceramic surface, it must be specially coated for sublimation. Cricut has numerous blanks for sale that work with infusible ink but places like your local craft store and Amazon also sell sublimation blanks that work just as well as the Cricut blanks.

DIY CHRISTMAS COASTER SUPPLIES

• Cricut ceramic coaster blank or other compatible blanks
• SVG Files (see below for access)
• Cricut Infusible Ink (I used Cherry Red)
• Cricut EasyPress 2
• Cricut EasyPress Mat
• Weeding Tool
• Cricut or Silhouette
  

How to Cut Infusible Ink with Silhouette Cameo

Did you know that you don’t need a Cricut cutting machine to use their Infusible Ink? That’s right…you can cut the Infusible Ink sheets with a Silhouette (or any other cutting machine that supports SVG files).

1. Create your design in Silhouette Studio using a premade SVG file or design directly in Silhouette Studio. The files that I am using are free on Design Bundles.
2. Measure the diameter of your coaster and create a circle with that diameter in your cutting software. Place your design in the middle of the circle. This will ensure that your design extends to the edge of the coaster.
3. Mirror your image just like you do when you are using heat transfer vinyl
4. Place the Infusible Ink sheet onto the cutting mat with the patterned side up. Since Infusible ink comes in rolls, it may be difficult to keep flat on the mat so make sure you use a sticky mat.
5. Send the Infusible Ink sheet through your Cameo or Portrait to cut. The cut settings should be Blade: 5, Speed: 4, Force 26, 1 Pass.
6. Weed the negative space around your design. You do not need a weeding tool to weed Infusible Ink! Simply bend the paper a bit and you can peel it right off. Remember, whatever you weed out will be white (i.e. the insides of the letters). If you want your coasters to be red with a white design, you’ll need to weed the letters and swirls and leave the background.

How to Apply Infusible Ink with Cricut EasyPress 2

For an in-depth tutorial on how to use the Cricut EasyPress2, check out this post.

1. Place a white piece of cardstock onto the Cricut EasyPress mat. This is to protect the mat from any ink.
2. Place your design face down onto the cardstock.
3. Place the coaster onto your design with the ceramic side face down.
4. Place a protective sheet on top of the coaster (this sheet comes with the Infusible Ink transfer sheets)
5. Set the Cricut EasyPress2 to 400 degrees and 240 seconds
6. Place the EasyPress 2 onto the coaster and start the timer by pressing the Cricut icon. No pressure is needed. Be very careful that the coaster does not slide when you apply the EasyPress 2 on it. If your coaster moves, your design may turn out smeared.
7. When the timer beeps, remove the EasyPress 2 and the protective sheet. The coaster will be SUPER hot at first. Wait for the coaster to cool.
8. When the coaster is completely cooled, flip it over and remove the Infusible Ink sheet to reveal your beautiful, design.

I hope you found this tutorial useful. Please consider sharing it so others can find it!

SVG FILE FAQs

How do I open these files in my Silhouette software?
Save the file to your computer. If it is a zip file, unzip it. Open your Silhouette software and select FILE>OPEN and navigate to where you saved the file. You can also import the file(s) to your Silhouette library by clicking FILE>LIBRARY>IMPORT TO LIBRARY and navigating to where you saved the file.

Can I open SVG files in the Silhouette Basic Edition?
No. You must have Silhouette Designer Edition or higher to open SVG files. If you have Silhouette Basic Edition, you can use PNG files and convert the PNG to a cut file.

Can this file be used with a Cricut?
Yes. Any SVG file can be used in Cricut Design Space