Hello, good to see you!

Welcome to another tutorial and free cut file Blog for you, Our cut files have been specifically designed to use on all cutting machines, please click the link below to download them.  Bonfire night is almost here. Here’s a quick and easy tutorial for a quick layered HTV or Self adhesive design. Of course, this design isn’t limited to T-shirts or clothes, it can be used with self adhesive as we have shown here,  or cards, just adapt the process to the medium you plan to use it on and be sure to check our application guides as appropriate.

Get crafting this fun design for loved ones, friends, and family. You could even do a matching Glass, Card, T-shirt and Gift bag with the design to really impress your friends or family! This Tutorial is also suited for the Silhouette Cameo and Portrait range, Cricut Maker, Explore and Air 2 and if resized for the Joy, and also Brother scan n cut, Plus other Plotters. Please see further down for the free files, and for Silhouette and Brother machines instructions after the tutorial.  Please bare in mind the cut and mat settings will need to be adjusted as appropriate for the machine – see our settings guide here 

We would love to see what you make!  Have you found our You Tube channel yet? The video showing this and all of our other tutorials are  available on there, as well as exclusive demos, inspiration and more!  Join us on Facebook , Instagram or Tiktok or  send us an email to [email protected] we would love to hear from you!

***WATCH THIS BEING MADE WITH HTV HERE***

***WATCH THIS BEING MADE WITH SELF ADHESIVE VINYL HERE***

What you’ll need;

• Cricut machine Available  Here Or Silhouette Cameo 4. Available Here 
• Cricut Easypress and Easypress Mat Available Here
• GMCrafts LED light panel Available Here 
• Red, Yellow and Gold Holographic HTV Available Here  or if using self adhesive Available Here
• Glow in the dark HTV Available Here or if using self adhesive we used Chameleon Green Available Here
• Fireworks Rainbow HTV or self adhesive Available Here
• Squeegee. Available Here
• Weeding tweezers . Available Here
• Scissors,  and Apron or T-shirt etc from your own stash (or glass jar and lights if using self adhesive).
• Silicone Paper, this is like the baking paper you can buy in the supermarket on a roll for the kitchen- DO NOT USE TEFLON
• If making the self adhesive project – Transfer tape. Available here and Rubbing alcohol and lint free cloth here
• Cut files, which are free below! Including, Cricut, Silhouette and Brother cut files as they are designed to work on all machines.

BONFIRE NIGHT CUT FILES CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD FOR ALL MACHINES

Instructions;

1. Before you start you will need to download the cut files for your chosen machine, link above. Unzip the file to use it by right clicking it in your downloads.

2. Upload each PNG into the design space. Click “Upload Image” marked yellow below  on the left-hand Design Panel, and navigate to the  files you want to open. Select ‘Insert image’ and select image type ‘simple’ when prompted. Next you’ll be asked to delete any space that does not get cut, you can skip this part by pressing ‘apply & continue’. When asked if they’re print-then-cut images or just cut images, select cut images. Click save. When it has been uploaded, Insert the images onto the canvas and resize to suit your project, I  recolour each one differently, (circled in Blue) so I can cut the different Vinyl for each layer, which means I don’t have to keep returning to the design page, see below, I then Weld the 3 stars and the rockets so they cut from once piece of vinyl, (circled in red), then click make it to move on to the next screen. On the next screen, If using the Cricut Maker 3 then you will need to choose to cut on the mat (unless using smart media)

3. When on the next screen below, ensure if you are using standard HTV you MIRROR the wording. If you forget please do it by clicking the edit function for each mat in the cut screen, before you proceed to cut.

PLEASE NOTE SEE PICTURE BELOW DO NOT MIRROR WORDING OR IMAGES WHEN CUTTING OUR PATTERN VINYL AS THIS IS CUT DESIGN FACE UP AND THEN TRANSFERRED WITH THE SUPPLIED APPLICATION TAPE AFTERWARDS SEE FURTHER DOWN FOR HOW TO DO THIS.

Click continue in the bottom right on the next screen. In the next window make sure your settings are all set to the successful settings from your test cut and ensure your machine is linked before proceeding to cut. Cut settings: (**please test cut) Press the flashing Cricut symbol on your maker to cut, after loading the sheet into the machine. Apply the settings needed for your chosen Vinyl, we made it with our  Pattern Vinyl—- Cut setting – Everyday Iron on ,  Pressure setting-   Less, GM Glow in the dark—- Cut setting – Everyday Iron on ,  Pressure setting-   More and Holographic Vinyl—- Cut setting – Holographic Sparkle Heat Transfer,  Pressure setting-  Default

**A reminder that these settings, including the blade setting, are specific to the materials and machine we’re using, adjustments may be necessary if using different materials and machine**

We always recommend before proceeding, you test cut your materials when first using so if you have not recently used this product in your machine. Please test cut for your chosen machine found on our Application guide, and also Blog.  Load the Vinyl chosen individually for each layer.

4. Please check the Vinyl is going to your mat correctly as shown below we always suggest checking, by peeling the corner, and always put the clear sheet side for htv on the mat, and the paper side for self adhesive on the mat. Place the Vinyl for the first layer you are cutting on the mat. Press the up arrow to load the mat, and press the flashing light to proceed to cut on the machine. Once cut repeat to cut with the remaining different layer using the settings and test cut guidelines above. REMEBER TO CUT PATTERN FACE UP.

5. Once all Layers/ colours are cut, Switch your Easy press on, and set the temperature to 150’c and the timer to 8 seconds, (Please note settings for Glow in the dark  when pressing a single layer only are Pressing Temperature: 140°C – 150°C Pressing Time:8- 10 seconds for Holographic it is 150°C and 15 seconds for a single layer, and Pattern is 160°C because we are layering, if you press the Glow in the dark first for 4 seconds, then warm peel it, let it completely cool, followed by the holographic on top for 8 seconds, again warm peel then let the garment go completely cool, then the Pattern last for 15, this will be a perfect combination ) For other Vinyl please refer to our  Application guide, When Layering it is important to reduce the layering times so not to over heat the vinyl.

NB If you are using self adhesive for this project this would be the perfect time to now clean the surface with Pure Alcohol. get the lint free cloth, put on some of the alcohol and rub over the surface of each glass to ensure you have removed the surface contaminants, be sure to let it dry completely before proceeding.

6. Whilst the Press is heating up, switch on your LED pad and remove the waste Vinyl surrounding the designs (weeding) I use a pair of weeding tweezers to do this as shown below.

7. Once weeded , take the Pattern HTV and the included Clear milky roll of transfer tape included with the GM Pattern HTV Vinyl, remove the milky protective sheet and place the sticky side facing up, before the placing the weeded side of your design onto the sticky sheet, this is stuck to the front of your design after weeding. Smooth out with your squeegee,  rub with the squeegee on the reverse to ensure it transfers easily, then remove the carrier sheet that was originally on the back of the Vinyl, trim excess away as shown below.

8. Place the easy press mat under the Apron or whatever you are applying it to, and preheat once the press is ready for 10 seconds to remove any moisture.

If you need to get this design in the middle press a gentle crease in the Apron to line up your design. I then place the layers on top to check alignment before pressing layers individually, See pictures Below.

Lay the design already on the transfer tape in the correct place facing up, and ensure it is on a hard surface, or Cricut Easy press matt and on a hard surface,  check our guide here for more information on applying and using HTV successfully. Press each area once only for 4-8 seconds firmly using your upper body weight over the press. Because we are Layering, I have not used the full press time, and I will then layer the top layer of Pattern HTV over the holographic (Once the design has cooled completely)  for 15 seconds and this will give s a perfect combination of time and temperature. Please note how much pressure I am applying as the press marks show after lifting off the press, if any areas lift once doing this- repress for a few more seconds- please note ensure any collar or seams are off the pressing mat so not to interfere with the pressure needed. See Below. Ensure you protect your design as shown with the silicone paper. (If need be use Baking paper for this)

9. Move the garment on the pressing mat. Ensure you protect your design as shown with the silicone paper if your application transfer sheet with the HTV on doesn’t cover the full area of any previous HTV applied.

10. Only press for the full time on the last top layer.  If after removing the sheet the  design is looking a bit untidy then recover with a sheet of Silicone Paper or baking parchment and quickly repress smoothing over it like an iron would, but quickly so not to over heat.

11. If using this project for self adhesive, to transfer once weeding has been completed in step  6 above. Take some of the reusable Application tape, lay it on the table Sticky side face up. Place each sheet with the design onto the sticky side, with the design face down onto the sticky side. Rub the back of the vinyl carrier with your squeegee, then peel this away.

12. Apply one at a time, holding in your hand gently place the centre first, before rubbing from the middle out with your fingers to ensure a smooth application, be sure once applied to give it a firm rub with your finger side or squeegee (or lint free cloth) to activate the adhesive. Remember it takes 48 hours to reach optimum adhesion. When removing the application sheet, peel backwards on it’s self.

Don’t forget your finished design can be matched by using any material cut using a cutting file, card, self adhesive vinyl or even HTV. We’d love to see your makes on our social media pages! Or email them in!

Silhouette Cut File

Instructions:

Before you start, you need to download the cut file,  Upload the cut file into Silhouette Studio and resize as necessary,  (when resizing bring all  layers into the design software and select all  at once to get the correct offset layers and save the adjusted file, so you can cut layers individually at that correct scale you have chosen) Remember to test cut if necessary and cut settings are found here along with test cut guidelines for every machine.

Brother Cut File

To import these files into the Brother Canvas Workspace:

After downloading, please log in as usual to your design space account, open a new project mat, then left click on the SVG  icon in the top left bar in canvas, this will then allow you to import your files. Once you left click this icon, a pop up box appears with you to choose where to import file  from, choose to import the file from your downloads list or where you have chosen to save when unzipped.

Cut settings are found here

Just incase you need the link CanvasWorkspace (brother.com)