How to Cut Vinyl for a Curved Surface with a Cricut

by Jane Melcher
Updated on

Get tips for cutting vinyl on a curved surface with a Cricut machine.

How to Cut Vinyl for a Curved Surface with a CricutCheckout this video:

Materials Needed

You will need the following materials to cut vinyl for a curved surface with a Cricut: vinyl, Cricut cutting machine, weeding tool, transfer tape, and a hard, flat surface. Read on for instructions on how to cut vinyl for a curved surface with a Cricut.

Cricut cutting machine

To cut vinyl on a curved surface with a Cricut, you will need the following materials:
-A cutting mat
-Vinyl
-Transfer tape
-A weeding tool
-Scissors

First, you will need to adhere your vinyl to your cutting mat. Place your vinyl shiny side down on the cutting mat, then load the mat into your Cricut machine. Make sure that your blade is sharp and set to the appropriate depth for cutting vinyl.

Next, use your Cricut machine to cut out the design you have chosen. Once the design is cut, remove it from the cutting mat and weed away the excess vinyl using a weeding tool.

Then, cut a piece of transfer tape that is slightly larger than your design and place it over top of the design. Use a scraper tool to smooth out any bubbles or wrinkles in the transfer tape.

Finally, peel away the backing of the transfer tape and place it on your desired surface. Gently rub over the design to adhere it to the surface, then carefully peel away the transfer tape, leaving behind your beautifully cut vinyl design!

Vinyl

To cut vinyl with a Cricut, you will need the following materials:
-Vinyl
-Transfer paper
-Cricut cutting machine

Follow these steps to cut vinyl with a Cricut:
1. Cut a piece of vinyl that is big enough to fit your design. If you are cutting multiple colors, make sure to stack the colors on top of each other in the order that you want them to be cut.
2. Place the vinyl on the cutting mat with the glossy side facing up. Load the mat into the Cricut machine and select the “vinyl” setting.
3. Use the software to design your project. When you are ready to cut, select “send” and watch as the Cricut machine cuts your design into the vinyl.
4. Carefully remove the cut vinyl from the cutting mat and weed out any excess vinyl from your design.
5. Place a piece of transfer paper over your weeded design and use a hard object (like a credit card) to rub over the entire design, making sure that all of the pieces are stuck to the transfer paper.
6. Carefully peel off the backing paper from your design and place it on your desired surface. Use a hard object to rub over your design again, making sure that all of the pieces are stuck down.
7. Peel off the transfer paper and enjoy your new vinyl project!

Transfer Tape

Transfer tape is a clear or translucent adhesive material used to move designs cut from vinyl. The vinyl adheres to the transfer tape, which can then be used to apply the design to another surface. The process is similar to using carbon paper to transfer a design onto fabric or paper.

Cutting the Vinyl

If you want to cut vinyl for a curved surface with a Cricut, there are a few things you need to know. First, you need to make sure that you have the right type of vinyl. Second, you need to make sure that your Cricut is properly calibrated. Third, you need to use the correct blade settings. Fourth, you need to use the correct mat size. Let’s get into the details.

Cut a piece of vinyl that is larger than your project

When you cut vinyl with a Cricut, you will want to start by cutting a piece that is larger than your project. This is because vinyl can be tricky to work with and it is easy to make mistakes. If you make a mistake, you can simply trim off the excess vinyl and start over. It is also important to note that vinyl shrinks as it dries, so you will want to cut your pieces slightly larger than you need them to be.

Once you have cut your vinyl, it is time to start applying it to your project. Begin by peeling off the backing of the vinyl and then applying it to the surface of your project. Use a credit card or other flat object to smooth out any bubbles or wrinkles that might form.

Once your vinyl is applied, use a sharp knife or scissors to trim away any excess. Be sure to go slowly and take your time so that you don’t accidentally cut into the vinyl itself.

Now that you know how to cut vinyl for a curved surface with a Cricut, you can create all sorts of unique and personalized projects!

Place the vinyl on your cutting mat

Place the vinyl on your cutting mat with the vinyl side up. If you are using a public cutting machine, make sure to clean the mat before use. Place the vinyl on the mat so that it will not move when you cut it.

Load the vinyl into your cutting machine

To get started, load the vinyl into your cutting machine. If you’re using a Cricut, this is as simple as click the “load media” button, choosing “vinyl” from the list of materials, and then loading your vinyl sheet into the tray. If you’re using a Silhouette, you’ll need to load your vinyl into the cutting mat.

Cut the vinyl using the settings for a curved surface

To cut vinyl on a curved surface with a Cricut, you’ll need to use the “Rotary Blade” setting. This will allow the blade to roll as it cuts, following the curve of your surface.

First, select the “Rotary Blade” setting on your Cricut machine. Then, load your vinyl onto your cutting mat. Make sure that the shiny side of the vinyl is facing up, as this is the side that will be cut.

Once your vinyl is loaded, select the “Cut” button on your Cricut machine. The blade will start rolling and cutting the vinyl along the curve of your surface.

Applying the Vinyl

It’s easy to cut words or simple shapes out of vinyl to apply to a project, but what do you do when you want to apply vinyl to a curved surface, or apply vinyl in a very specific way? You can use a Cricut to cut vinyl into any shape you need. You can also layer vinyl to create different colors and patterns.

Remove the vinyl from the cutting mat

After your design is cut, remove the vinyl from the cutting mat. If your design is very intricate or if you are working with a small piece, use a weeding tool to help remove the vinyl. Start at one corner and slowly peel the vinyl away from the mat, being careful not to pull up any pieces you don’t want to remove.

Weed the vinyl

After you have cut your design, it’s time to weed the vinyl. Weeding is the process of removing the excess vinyl that is not part of your design. The process is pretty simple. Start by peeling back a corner of the vinyl transfer tape. If your design is one solid color, you can usually peel the entire thing back and then use your weeding tool to remove the unwanted vinyl. For designs with multiple colors or intricate designs, it’s best to peel back the transfer tape a little at a time and weed as you go.

Use a weeding tool (or an old unused toothbrush) to remove any small pieces of vinyl that are not part of your design. You can also use tweezers for this step.

Pro tip: Use a lint roller to remove any tiny leftover pieces of vinyl after you are finished weeding.

Apply transfer tape to the vinyl

Adding transfer tape to your vinyl project is a necessary step to ensure successful transfer of the vinyl design to your intended surface. If you are using a Cricut cutting machine, this step is completed with the help of the machine lid. If you are not using a Cricut, you can apply transfer tape by hand.

1. Start by peeling the backing paper away from the vinyl. If you are using a Cricut, select the ” weld ” setting on your machine before cutting out your design. This will ensure that all pieces of your design remain attached to each other after cutting.

2. Cut a piece of transfer tape that is slightly larger than your vinyl design.

3. Place the transfer tape on top of the vinyl design, ensuring that all edges are lined up.

4. Use a scraper or credit card to firmly press down on the transfer tape, making sure that all areas of the vinyl design are securely attached to the tape.

5. Peel away the backing paper from the transfer tape, being careful not to remove any of the vinyl design with it.

Place the vinyl on your project surface

To begin, you’ll want to make sure your project surface is completely clean and free of dust and debris. Then, take your vinyl sheet and lay it down on your project surface. If you’re working with a larger project, you may need to trim the vinyl sheet down to size before proceeding.

Once the vinyl is in place, use a pen or pencil to trace around the edge of your project. This will give you a guide to follow when cutting the vinyl. Be sure to leave a small margin of error around the edge of your tracing — about 1/8 inch should suffice.

Rub the vinyl onto the surface

rub the vinyl onto the surface. If you’re using a printable vinyl, use a scraper or your fingers to smooth out any air bubbles. Continue until the entire vinyl is applied and there are no air bubbles.

Remove the transfer tape

Now that your vinyl is applied to your surface, it’s time to remove the transfer tape. For this step, you’ll need a pair of weeding tools. I like to use a weeding hook and a weeding pen, but you can also use a craft knife or scissors.

Start by gently peeling back a corner of the transfer tape. If the vinyl comes up with the tape, simply lay it back down and rub over it with your fingers or a squeegee. If the vinyl is stuck to the transfer tape, you can try using a hair dryer on low heat to loosen it.

Once you’ve peeled back a corner of the transfer tape, slowly continue peeling it away from the vinyl. If any parts of the design start to come up with the tape, stop peeling and press that area back down with your fingers or a squeegee.

Once all of the transfer tape has been removed, carefully inspect your design to make sure all of the vinyl is stuck down. If necessary, use your weeding tools to remove any small pieces of vinyl that didn’t stick.

About the author

Jane Melcher

Jane is a stay-at-home small business mom. She makes more than her husband selling her creations on Etsy.

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