Have you added the latest heat press machine in the Cricut family to your crafting collection? Are you wondering how to use Cricut Mini Press to make iron-on projects? If the answer is yes, then you have reached the right place. I even bought this Cricut machine some time back, and I love it. This is literally the most amazing tool I have got in quite some time.
Cricut Mini Press is not actually the real name of this machine. Its actual name is Cricut EasyPress Mini. However, among its users, it is famous for its Mini Press name. As the name suggests, it is a compact machine that easily fits in your hand, and you can literally carry it around in your bag. So, learn a little more about this Cricut heat press machine.
About Cricut EasyPress Mini
Before you learn how to use Cricut Mini Press, you should first learn about the machine.
Key Features
- It comes with a protective base, so you don’t have to worry about something getting burned while the machine is on.
- There is a button in the machine designed to control its heat level. When you start it to prepare, an orange light lits up, and when the machine is ready to work, the light turns green.
- This machine has an auto shutdown feature. If you are worried that you might forget to turn off the machine, you don’t have to worry about it. If you leave the machine on and don’t use it for 13 minutes, it will automatically shut itself off.
Dimensions
- If we talk about the dimensions of the machine, the heat plate of the machine is 3.25 inches long and 1.9 inches wide.
- The maximum size of the design is recommended to be 4 x 3.5 inches. The other size you can use on the machine should be 1.7 x 5.25 inches.
- The height of the machine is 4 inches. Now you can understand how small it is, and you can take it wherever you want and use it however you want.
How to Use Cricut Mini Press: 4 Simple Steps
Before you start working on the machine, you should know the procedure that you have to follow. So, these are the things you have to do before you start working.
Step 1: Heating the Cricut EasyPress Mini
- First, you have to plug the machine into a wall outlet. Then press the power button and turn the machine on.
- Then, leave the machine in heating mode. It will continue to heat until it reaches its desired temperature. Although it is a small machine, it gets heated very quickly. Therefore, you should not use anything other than the machine to heat it while it is on.
Step 2: Select Your Material
- You can set the machine to a low, medium, or high temperature according to your use.
- Then, you must select the iron-on vinyl on your machine along with the base material and tap on apply.
Step 3: Set the Time and Temperature
There is no timer on the machine to set how long you have to keep heating the material. So, you have to check the time yourself. Always check the time before you start heating and determine how long you need to heat for. You have to stop it when the time is up.
Step 4: Moving the EasyPress
When you are using the machine, you will need to be careful about its speed. You should not apply too much pressure. At the same time, you do not have to run the machine too fast or too slow. These things can cause marks or lines on the material. You have to run it at normal speed, as you would on a computer mouse or electric iron.
How to Use Cricut Mini Press to Print on a T-Shirt?
Now, you have all the information you need to use Cricut EasyPress Mini. Now, you can work on your iron-on projects. To work on a project, you should be doing the following steps:
- To begin a project, you must first go to the Design Space app and choose a design.
- After you select the design, customize its size and shape as you want. You can also create a design or upload it on the Cricut app.
- Once your design is ready to cut, you will need to cut the design into an iron-on vinyl with the help of a machine.
- When your design is ready after cutting, you have to prepare the machine for heat transfer. Set the heat temperature and wait for the machine to heat up. When the green light lits up, the machine is ready for heat transfer.
- Now, put the design on the t-shirt with the help of a mat and apply the heat with the machine.
- After that, wait until the design cools down. This is very important. If you try to peel the protective sheet without letting it cool, the material might come off the fabric, and all your work will be ruined.
- In the last step, your t-shirt design is done.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I would say learning how to use Cricut Mini Press is not difficult. After reading the blog, you will feel the same. In this post, you learned about the machine from the beginning. I also wrote about the important things to keep in mind while using the Cricut machine. When you have all the essential info, you can proceed to work on your iron-on projects and create beautiful designs on your clothes with the help of this Cricut EasyPress Mini machine.
FAQs
What Can I Do with a Cricut EasyPress Mini?
With the Cricut EasyPress machine, you can create beautiful designs on shirts, coasters, bags, hats, caps, and so much more. This heat transfer tool is used to adhere a final cut from a Cricut cutting machine onto your desired items. You can use materials like heat transfer paper, iron-on/heat transfer vinyl, and infusible ink sheets and pens with this heat press machine.
Do I Need Cricut Design Space to Use Cricut EasyPress Mini?
Cricut Design Space is very important when working on any Cricut project. For example, while the EasyPress machine transfers the design to an item, you need the Cricut Design app to cut the material on a Cricut machine. You may also need it to adjust the heat on the Cricut EasyPress Mini according to your requirements.
How Long Do I Have to Apply Heat on a Shirt?
The duration of time you need to apply heat for a transfer depends on several factors. It depends on the type of material you are using. Harder materials will take longer, whereas smoother materials will take less time. The duration also depends on the type of shirt. A dark shirt may take as long as 90 seconds, while a light shirt will only take about 45 seconds.