I’m going to be totally honest with you—if you only do a few heat transfer or iron-on projects a year, you probably don’t need an EasyPress or EasyPress 2. But if you do a lot of crafting work, this bad boy will up your quality while also saving you time. And if you sell your products, you need a heat press to ensure uniform, professional results across your projects. Iron-on material is traditionally associated with fabric, but you can use the EasyPress to adhere iron-on designs to other bases like wood and paper. As with ironing on to fabric, your base material and workspace must be super flat so that the EasyPress can distribute heat evenly. Start timer and move Cricut EasyPress Mini continuously across design until timer reaches 0. Cover all areas of design including center and edges and allow heat plate to extend approximately 0.5" (13 mm) beyond all edges of design. Peel the carrier sheet: One thing you want to pay attention to, in case you use a different brand of iron-on vinyl, is if it’s cold, warm or hot peel. While it might seem like it’s just a silly detail. Some kinds of heat transfer vinyl work better when peeled off at a certain temperature.

The EasyPress 2 is a companion to the Cricut cutting machine, and it makes transferring iron-on vinyl and Infusible materials way easier. Before using Cricut EasyPress Mini ensure that fabrics and other base materials are completely dry. Didn’t it turn out amazing? I love all of the different textures with the matte, foil, and glitter finishes. EasyPress vs EasyPress 2: What Are the Differences?Learn more about Cricut materials with my tutorials for how to cut leather, how to cut chipboard on a Cricut, how to cut wood with the Maker’s knife blade, and how use Infusible Ink on coaster blanks! What is the Cricut EasyPress Mat and Do I need one? Cricut originally released the EasyPress in 2017, and it came only in a 9” x 9” machine. The company then release the EasyPress 2 in 2018, which comes in three different sizes: 6” x 7” (ideal for smaller items like baby clothes), 9” x 9” (ideal for everyday use), and 12” x 10” (ideal for larger format projects).

You don’t have to use an EasyPress Mat with the EasyPress, but it was designed for it and makes things really seamless. You want to avoid ironing boards, corrugated cardboard, and silicone baking mats/aluminum boil, which gets very very hot. Working around seams and zippersOn a different note,I do have to say that I am OBSESSED with mine, and I want to press all the things! The EasyPress and EasyPress 2 are both easy to use, do not require a press cloth for most projects, are great for layered projects, are compatible with all major brands of heat-transfer materials (not just Cricut), and help transfers hold up and look great through multiple washes. Matching mats: With bigger (and smaller!) machines, comes a need for bigger (and smaller) mats. The Cricut EasyPress 2 mats are available in three sizes, perfectly fitted to your machine. You don’t have to apply pressure—just let it sit there doing its thing. After the EasyPress timer beeps, burnish the design. I like to do this for most of my heat transfer projects, honestly. I take a balled-up paper towel and rub all over the design to help the iron-on film adhere as it cools. You can see me doing this in the video I have in this post. The Complete Guide to Using the EasyPress 2 with Cricut Everyday Iron-on So if you plan to make small projects, your best bet would be to go with either the 6×7 inches or the 9×9 inches.

Heat Transfer Vinyl– Make sure you are using HEAT transfer vinyl, this is a different kind, and you also have to remember to mirror the graphics before cutting them. Also, if you are going to press of tees or other kinds of fabrics, pre-wash them, so that your vinyl down get ruined by the shrinkage of the fabric. Cricut EasyPress 9 x 9 inches: This is the medium size and weighing only 5.7lb it’s the perfect size for most projects and probably the most recommend if you are an EasyPress newbie. It works perfectly for projects like: Note: Ensure your design is within the maximum recommended design sizes for using Cricut EasyPress Mini with iron-on (4" W x 3.5" L or 1.7" W x 5.25" L).I was using a household iron to apply my heat transfer vinyl and it was just not reaching the required temperature for good adhesion. The seamed or zippered areas should “hang” over the sides of the cardboard. Remove the EasyPress immediately after your press time (usually 30 or so seconds) and let the cardboard cool completely before handling. 2. Use a towel as a base Also, if you are going to press fabrics, consider pre-washing them as well, this way you take the initial shrinkage out of the way. Another benefit of the EasyPress in comparison to an industrial heat press is the size and the weight, heat presses are bulky and extremely heavy. It works great with traditional heat transfer vinyl, as well as the fun stuff like heat transfer foil, glitter, and metallic materials. Wait a minute…why do I need an EasyPress if I have an iron?