Thursday, August 1, 2019

The process

Yesterday Anni asked how I got the words transferred on to the water bottle. Today I'll attempt to explain it. I must warn you this is going to be long and lots of pictures that may or may not be helpful.
First thing you have to do is open up the file in Cricut design space and size it to what you need. Then you cut the appropriate size of vinyl (I used a permanent vinyl for this) and stick it to your cutting mat. Then you run it through the machine and let it cut the design out for you.

When it's done cutting remove your vinyl from the cutting mat. This is cut although you can barely see the lines in this picture.

I start by taking off the excess vinyl from around the design. Once you have it to the point it's at in the picture below then you start weeding out the little pieces in the letters such as the middle of the O .


This next one is a double picture. At the top the piece that says tape and Cricut and you see grid lines is what's called transfer tape. It's basically a piece of clear contact paper. You peel off the backing and lay it down on top of your design. Using a scraper you rub over it to make sure that the vinyl is sticking to the transfer tape. The bottom of the picture is the transfer tape on top of the design.

Carefully pull up on the transfer tape making sure that all of the design is stuck to it. If anything is not stuck to the transfer tape lay it back down and go over it again with your scraper. (I use an old gift card or one of the numerous fake cards that come in the mail as a scraper)

This is what you will have once you have lifted the vinyl from it's backing and it's all stuck to the transfer tape. Now you can transfer the entire design to your bottle or whatever you choose to put it on. My transfer tape may look a little fuzzy but that's because that particular piece has been used several times. That's the nice thing about it. Once you use it you can lay it back on it's backing paper and save it for the next project.

Carefully lay it down on the bottle making sure it's straight and where you want it. Once you get it on the item you won't be able to reposition it. Again using your scraper make sure that the vinyl is securely stuck to your bottle. Begin lifting the transfer tape. If any vinyl is not sticking to the bottle lay the transfer tape back down and use your scraper on it some more.
 Once you pull your transfer tape all the way off you have your completed bottle. I usually take the scraper and lightly go over the vinyl a bit to make sure that all the edges are stuck down really well.

25 comments:

Ginny Hartzler said...

This is all so much beyond me!! But you are a natural.

Hootin Anni said...

...and it works beautifully! Kinda like making your own decal...amazing work. And now, thanks to your tutorial, I can see the process from start to finish!!

crafty cat corner said...

Phew! That's a lot of work, I'm wondering what happens if one of the letters or part of does not adhere? do you have to start all over again?
I think it's brilliant but will stick to fabric, lol
Thanks for showing.
Briony
x

MadSnapper said...

WOW! who knew how much work this is? not me! I have no gift for this at all but you sure do

Grace said...

So - 'transfer tape' is kind of a misnomer - it's not really tape so much as just a way to keep the design together so you can transfer the design to an object (?) Suppose the design you were going to put on an object was large, without all the spacing as in words, say a pumpkin with minimal cut-outs - could you not just peek off the design and apply to an object? Does the transfer tape have any other function other than making it easy to position the design?

(As to your reply to my previous comment - it seems in condo buildings whatever is visible to the outside world must be uniform and consistent with the atheistic of the building - most condos have rules about any kind of window 'dressing'. White or 'neutral' colors are the only window dressings that can be visible to the outside. So if you want colored or patterned curtains they would have to be backed with plain white so only the white showed outward. Same goes for door wreaths and such - they can only be 'seasonal' and must be removed after the season ends - ie: Christmas door wreaths must come down the week after Christmas. Also door wreaths can't make noise - again, Christmas wreaths can't have bells etc. You give up a lot of individuality when you live in any kind of place that has 'community rules' - even a single family home in HOA controlled community - really strict rules about what can be done to the outside of the home - which includes such little things as window clings. And big things things like what kind of flowers and shrubbery you can have! Everything has to be cookie cutter. Our condo has a rule about hanging laundry over the balcony railings. I have to admit I complained about people hanging laundry off their balcony railings - makes the place look trashy.)

Lin said...

It's like magic!! Thanks for showing us.

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

That really is a neat project! I know I would love having one of those machines. I'm still cutting butterflies and birds out by hand...what a chore! Hugs!

Pam said...

Wow, that is really neat. I however have not, although I have wanted to venture off into doing that sort of stuff....But I have reined myself in, I am trying to purge things out of my house, I am narrowing down craft stuff to get rid of so I don't see trying something new. It is hard, I hate getting rid of this stuff but I have not used so much of it in a long time. I am TRYING to face the facts that a lot of this stuff I used to do, I can't manage it anymore. I hate this illness but its time I faced the truth, and even with doing that, I face it one day and the next I am struggling to keep pushing and doing some of the stuff I know I should not. Great WATER BOTTLE I really love it.

Sandee said...

You are amazing. I would never be able to do this.

Have a fabulous day, Ann. Big hug to you and lots of scritches to Gibbs. ♥♥♥

Grace said...

Okay - that should "aesthetic" NOT atheistic - Oh my word! And of course 'peel" not 'peek'...

BeadedTail said...

Very interesting! Does that stay on through the dishwasher too?

Ann said...

Well thanks. I think I still have a lot to learn but it's been fun working on it

Ann said...

Yep, it's like making a decal. As a matter of fact I think some people even sell them like that.

Ann said...

If you have letters that aren't sticking you just keep putting the transfer tape back down and rubbing until they do. I suppose if you had a real issue with it though and it was bad enough you might have to start again.

Ann said...

The transfer tape is sticky but not to the point where you would have a hard time peeling it off of your vinyl or your project. Yes it is pretty much just a way to keep your design together. I think if you were to try and transfer anything, even something that is one piece, without the transfer tape it might be too flimsy and harder to handle. I suppose it would be possible though.
I guess that does make sense on some of the condo rules but still kind of a shame. I would object to the laundry hanging on a railing but different colored drapes or window clings would be fun. I suppose though, you give people an inch and they take a mile.

Ann said...

Your welcome. I needed something to post about so I was happy to do it

Ann said...

It's hard to get rid of craft stuff. Even things I no longer am interested in doing I have a hard time letting go of on the off chance that I might want to try it again. I've discovered that paper is my most favorite thing to work with and now vinyl. I'll try to focus more on that and not wander off into other things.

Ann said...

Aww thanks. It's really not as hard as it may sound here.

Ann said...

I've read that you shouldn't put items with the permanant vinyl in the dishwasher or the microwave. I've also heard that people have done it and it's been fine. I'm thinking to be on the safe side you should probably not do either.

Catherine - Mixed Media Artist said...

agree

CheerfulMonk said...

Wow! Thank you. :)

Rose said...

Very good explanation...easy to understand now.

Ann said...

You are most welcome.

Reeni said...

I LOVE the bottle! Thanks for showing us how you do it!!

Debby@Just Breathe said...

I love it! I also love that you have a hobby that brings you joy.

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