Craft with Cricut Infusible Ink Sheets and Pens

Are you curious about the sublimation process but don’t have a sublimation printer? You’re not alone. Crafting in itself can turn into an expensive hobby. We spend money on equipment, materials, and supplies. And while many of us have gotten good at shopping sales, some purchases are just too large to justify if it’s not giving us a return on the investment. Fortunately, when it comes to sublimation, there is a less expensive alternative. What is Infusible Ink? Cricut makes a product called Infusible Ink, which was introduced in 2019. The big selling point is that the ink bonds with the fabric or other compatible surface. Infusible ink was introduced as printed transfer sheets and as pens that can be used to create a transferable design. Using Infusible Ink is very similar and almost identical to the sublimation process. The biggest difference is that you do not need a sublimation printer.

Infusible Ink sheets & pens Infusible Ink sheets come in various patterns and solid colors. Packs contain 12” x 12” sheets. The ink is part of the sheet and is not released until it is heated at the proper temperature for the right amount of time. You can cut designs on your Cricut, Silhouette, or other cutting machine. Infusible Ink pens are really cool. There are color themes and lots of individual colors to choose from. You can either draw free-hand on a sheet of copy paper (I prefer laser copy paper) or have your cutting machine draw the design for you. What can you make with Infusible Ink? What can you make, though? Anything you can use for sublimation, you can use with Infusible Ink. I’ve made earrings, mugs, shirts, and baby clothes, to name a few. I recently made a couple of sets of ceramic coasters using Cricut Infusible Ink. One set was made using an Infusible Ink sheet and the other set was made using Cricut Infusible Ink pens. The techniques are very similar for each. Let me show you how I created each set. We’ll start with the easiest way to create a coaster. For this one, I’m simply going to cut a circle the size of my coaster. You can always get creative with this and add a cut out or a more intricate design. But we’ll keep it basic here. Infusible Ink Sheet Coaster Materials and Supplies Infusible Ink ceramic coasters Cricut Infusible Ink Sheet Cricut or other cutting machine Green or purple cutting mat Butcher paper White cardstock Heat transfer tape Easy Press or heat press Alcohol Paper towel The Process Coaster Design Open the file in your design software (I’ll be using Cricut Design Space). Insert a circle onto your canvas and size it to 3.5” This is the size of the ceramic coaster If you would like for your design to cover the entire coaster, you are set If you would like a border around the outside of your design, duplicate your circle. Size your new circle to be smaller than the original one. Once you are happy with the size, delete the original circle. Select “make it” If your design has a directional pattern or words, be sure to “mirror” Place the Infusible Ink sheet on your mat with the pattern side facing up Select “Infusible Ink Sheet” from the cutting materials list Cut To weed your coaster, slightly bend and roll. It’s best not to use a weeding tool so that you do not scratch any part of the printed design

Pressing the Coaster Set your press to 400 degrees fahrenheit and the timer for 240 seconds Clean your coaster using alcohol and a paper towel or lint free cloth Place the design on the top side of the coaster, pattern side down Use heat resistant tape to hold in place Layer the coaster and papers on the heat press pad in this order: Heat pad White cardstock Coaster with design facing down Butcher paper (this should be larger than your heat plate Place the Easy Press on top, being careful not to slide Without adding any pressure, press for 240 seconds When the press is complete, slowly remove the Easy Press using a direct upward motion Allow the coaster to cool before removing the tape and ink sheet

And you’ve got a coaster. Have fun making as many of these simple coasters as your heart desires. I’m a 4’s kind of girl. I like making coasters in sets of 4. But you do you! Infusible Ink Pens Coaster Materials and Supplies A design (I used one from Creative Fabrica) Infusible Ink ceramic coaster Cricut Infusible Ink pens (your choice of color) Laser copier paper White cardstock Butcher paper Cutting machine design software Heat transfer tape Easy Press or heat press Alcohol Paper towel The Process Decal Design Select the design you would like to use and insert it onto your canvas I found the design I used inside of Cricut Design Space Creative Fabrica offers tons (really) of images Line images work best for this projects Insert a circle onto your canvas Size the circle to 3.5” Change the color of the circle to white Select your design, and change the line type to “draw” If you are adding any text to your design, change the line type to draw Size your design to fit inside of the circle you inserted When you are happy with the arrangement, select the circle and the design and “attach” Select “make it.” IMPORTANT: “Mirror” your design. Place a sheet of laser copier paper on your cutting mat Select “continue” and follow the instructions to draw your design. OPTIONAL: You may wish to color in your design using Infusible Ink markers. Cut out your design using scissors or using your cutting machine Use alcohol and a paper towel to wipe down your coaster. Position your design on your coaster with the heat resistant tape. Layer your coaster as follows: Heat press pad White cardstock Coaster with design side down Butcher paper Place the Easy Press on top, being careful not to slide Without adding any pressure, press for 240 seconds When the press is complete, slowly remove the Easy Press using a direct upward motion Allow the coaster to cool before removing the tape and ink sheet

I really like using Infusible Ink pens to create designs. I’ve even had my kids use them to make their own designs. Another idea is to trace a design or piece of artwork in mirror (or reverse) using a light table or Bright Pad. Then the design can be transferred to a compatible surface. Craft projects to try with Infusible Ink Using Cricut Infusible Ink might be the perfect next thing for you to try. This can certainly be the case if you already have a cutting machine and a heat press or Easy Press. If looking for Cricut products to use for Infusible Ink projects, look for the label indicating that it is “Infusible Ink compatible.” However, keep in mind that you can use any blanks that are meant for sublimation printing. Here is a list of things you may want try with Infusible Ink products: Polyester shirts Polyester towels Sherpa blankets Sublimation pet tags Sequin pillows Polyester pillows Sublimation mouse pads Wood home decor signs For more ideas, check out The Artistry. It contains a section about sublimation and a section about Cricut. If you decide to try your hand at using Cricut Infusible Ink, I’d love to see your creative projects. Please tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok. I am EJsFunCrafting on all platforms.