The Cricut Mug Press is a tool for infusing ink onto ceramic mug surfaces, creating your design, and giving that extra personal touch!
I am a sucker for a sale. And if I see something I want, I buy it. This does mean that I end up with some tools that I don’t necessarily need but are fun to have. The Cricut mug press was one such purchase. I have used the Cricut to cut out acrylic images in the past that lay over other surfaces. But this tool uses infusible ink to infuse the color into the mugs.
This idea did intrigue me enough to get a Cricut mug and test out how it can work. One thing to note is that the Cricut mug press is specifically meant for mugs. That is what it is built for. I have seen the press used for tumblers, glasses, and other materials. One important thing to note is that whatever the base material, it needs to fit snugly into the mug press. There are many options for silicone-filled to help ensure a snug fit while also transferring the needed heat.
Check out the Craft section of MCG for more fun patterns in strings and things or more unlimited ideas.
Supplies
For my intro to the Cricut mug press project, I used the mug press, a standard mug, a sheet of infusible ink, tape, and a weeding tool. The mug that I used came with the press, so I knew that it would work well for the project. There are also “off-brand” mugs that can be used as well.
Process
Making the Design
The first step of the project was making a design for the mug. And yes, I did use my Cricut to cut out the pattern. I decided to go with one of my favorite bake-off moments with James Acaster. He’s an English comedian whom I adore, from whenever I’ve seen him. But this moment from Bake-Off resonated with my soul. (If you haven’t seen the clip, I highly recommend it)
I decided to stay simple and have the quote on only one side of the mug while keeping the back blank. I probably could have done some image design, but I was a woman on a mission for this one. Very one-minded and focused. Picking a font for the quote was also a lot of fun.
When it came to printing the design for the Cricut mug press, the direction of the words was something important to keep in mind. With the acrylic stickers, the back side is the sticky side, so it has the right orientation from the design get-go. For infusible ink, it’s backwards. That’s why it is important to mirror your image to get it to look as it would in the desired design. Basically, it should be backwards when you print it (whether you designed it that way or mirrored it). If you can read it properly when it’s printing, it probably won’t turn out the way it should.
Preparing the Design
After printing the design / cutting the infusible ink. It is time to weed away the sections that will remain the mug color. For my design, I wanted the mug to be mostly infusible ink, with the words being outlined by the images. I.e., the words were white / the color of the mug. This meant I needed to remove the letters from the infusible ink.
For several of the letters, they just popped off the sticker with a little maneuvering and bending of the piece. The ones that proved to be more difficult were the letters that had holes in them. Which is a lot more letters than I realized! Having to keep the holes but not the letters ended up being a bit of a challenge.
And not all the design was cooperative. Some of the infusible ink paper would split and leave unwanted paper bits behind. This was where the weeding tool came into play. The hook end is perfect for scraping away those pesky pieces of paper. Although I still had to be conscious of where I was scraping to not impact the design I wanted to stay.
Warming Up the Cricut Press
Then it was time to figure out how the Cricut mug press worked. When I plugged in the press and hit the power button, it started to glow with an orange light. Apparently, this means that it is on. It took me a while to find instructions that felt clear. Especially after losing the manual.
The key part to this moment is waiting. When the machine is yellow, that means that it’s warming up. When it turns green, then it’s on, heated, and ready to operate. So, while the machine was warming up, it was time to prepare the mug.
The infusible ink is naturally on sticky paper. If you did a design with words or images as infusible ink and the remainder of the mug blank, then the sticky paper on the page will be sufficient. I did a second mug after testing this theory, and I was correct.
However, most of my sticky page was covered by the infusible ink. This meant the design didn’t have space to stick to the mug. Which is where the tape came in. I put tape along the upper lip and the bottom to keep the design in place. My mistake was looking away for a moment and letting the cat eat some of the tape. She is a menace.
Fuse!
Once the design was solidly in place, I put the prepped mug into the press and pushed down on the lever. The Cricut mug press then just… goes. It will let you know when it’s done and time to take the mug out. The only thing to be aware of is that there will be an inky / glue smell. Not surprising considering what is getting heated.
When the mug press is done, make sure to put the mug on a surface that can handle temperature, as it will be hot. Once cooled, all that’s left to do is remove the tape, and now you have your own customized mug!
Reflections
I adore this mug. The Cricut mug press did an amazing job of transferring the ink and getting the design to transfer to the mug. It feels a bit like magic to be able to make a design and apply it, and the product has a smooth surface. While I kept this first project simple with one type of ink, I could easily see going a bit crazy. I do wonder if firing on the mug multiple times would cause problems.
Lessons
Removing the Tape
I felt like removing the tape was the most annoying part of this project. I just went for a straight removal of the tape after the mug cooled down. My fingernails turned out to be a poor tool. One thing that I wish I had used was heat. Using a hairdryer to warm the adhesive is a great way to help the release.
Pattern
Cricut Mug Press Project
Equipment
- Cricut Mug Press
- Cutting Mat
- Weeding Tool
Ingredients
- 1 Sheet Infusible Ink
- 1 Mug
Instructions
- Cut out design on a sheet of infusible ink. Remove excess ink to create a clear design.
- Wrap design around mug, tape in place if needed.
- Turn on Cricut mug press. Wait until the light turned green.
- Load the mug and press down on the lever. Let the press do its magic until it beeps to say it’s done.
- Carefully remove mug from the press onto a heat-resistant surface. Be careful since the mug will be hot!
- When able, remove the tape and ink sheet. Wash the mug before using it.
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