Vinyl for Cricut

There are a lot of different types of vinyl for Cricut crafting projects. Each type of vinyl is used for a different purpose so it is important that you are using the correct vinyl for the project you are making. I am also going to share some info on finding the best prices on the vinyl for Cricut projects. We all love to save money, since that means we can buy more crafting supplies!

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Types of Vinyl for Cricut Crafts

Before you run out and just start buying vinyl for Cricut crafts, think about what projects you want to make. There are different types of vinyl to use for different projects, so you want to make sure that you purchase the right one for what you want to make. The way you should cut and apply each type of vinyl is different also, so be sure to understand the differences before you get started.

Permanent Vinyl for Cricut Crafts

Permanent Vinyl would be what you would want to use to make decals that you can put on a variety of surfaces. You might also hear permanent vinyl called 651 vinyl. This is because Oracal brand makes vinyl and they assign a number to each grade of vinyl, so all 651 is permanent but not all permanent is 651. It is much like how many people will call a facial tissue a Kleenex, even when that facial tissue is made by another company or brand.

Cricut vinyl can also come in a permanent vinyl. I have also heard permanent vinyl called adhesive vinyl since it is they type of vinyl that already has an adhesive on the back side of it. It may also be referred to as outdoor vinyl since it is made to stand up to the weather and elements outdoor.

When you cut permanent vinyl you want to be sure to leave it on the backing sheet when you place it on the Cricut cutting mat. I like to use a light grip mat, or one of my standard grip mats that have been used a few times. This helps to make sure that the paper backing of the vinyl will come off your cutting mat easier. There is nothing worse than ruining a brand new mat because the backing sheet of your vinyl will not come off of the mat.

If you use the Cricut vinyl cut setting it will do what is called a kiss cut. This means that it will only cut through the top layer, which is the vinyl, and it will leave the backing sheet in tact. Then you can weed away the excess vinyl that you do not need for the project. After you weed away the excess vinyl you will need to use a transfer sheet to move the project from the backing on to the object you are putting it on. I show how to do that in my decal project HERE.

Some things you can apply permanent vinyl to include plastic items like water bottles or storage containers. You can also use permanent vinyl for making signs or home decor items. I have also applied permanent vinyl to glassware and wood surfaces.

Patterned Permanent Vinyl for Cricut Crafts

There is also patterned permanent vinyl that you can use with your Cricut vinyl projects. Using patterned permanent vinyl or your projects is a great way to add a variety of colors without having to layer your vinyl. You would cut, weed and transfer this vinyl with the same process used for the permanent vinyl. The only different is that now your vinyl has a pattern or design on it.

Printable Vinyl for Cricut Crafts

There is also a printable Cricut vinyl that is made for making decals. With this product you will print the image from your home printer and then cut the image on your Cricut. You can use this to make your own decals or stickers. I have used this product specifically for making stickers, as I like it better than the Cricut sticker paper.

I have a very detailed tutorial on making stickers with the printable vinyl HERE so I am not going to repeat all of the steps here. Please head over to my sticker tutorial for that information.

Removable Vinyl for Cricut Crafts

Removable vinyl is vinyl is also called indoor vinyl, or 631 vinyl. This vinyl is made so that it can be applied to things like drywall and not damage the surface when you remove it. This is also great for temporary signage, classrooms and party decorations since there is adhesive already on the back, but you can stick it to a surface and not have to worry about leaving a sticky residue behind.

You would cut the removable vinyl for Cricut crafts the same way as you would for the permanent vinyl. You can also use transfer tape to move these vinyl designs to the object you are placing them on. I do recommend using a very light grip or low tack transfer tape because you do not want the transfer tape to end up stuck to your surface, such as your drywall. Some people have used painter’s tape for this process.

Iron on Vinyl for Cricut Crafts

Iron on vinyl is also called heat transfer vinyl, or HTV for short. This vinyl is always applied using a heat source, like a heat press. HTV is what you would use when you are making shirt with your Cricut.

I prefer to use Siser brand vinyl for my iron on projects. I feel that is the best quality brand of iron on vinyl out there, and it weeds the easiest. For permanent vinyl I like StarCraft vinyl.

Over the years I have gotten Siser vinyl from a variety of places, including My Craft Source. When you shop at My Craft Source be sure to use code ShawnMosch to get 5% off your order!

Heat Transfer Warehouse is another great source for your vinyl needs. I also have a coupon code you an use there! Use code SHAWN5 to get 5% off your order when shopping at Heat Transfer Warehouse.

I have also ordered from Expression Vinyl. Sorry, no code for that one. All of these stores carry Siser brand vinyl and I love that I can order large rolls or small sheets. This can give you a larger variety of choices and allow to to save money on larger orders.

When it comes to cutting iron on vinyl with your Cricut this is where the process changes. This is because iron on vinyl comes with a clear carrier sheet already attached to it. This is great because you do not need to purchase any transfer tape to go with it, but you do need to think a little more before you just start to cut that vinyl.

Since the clear carrier sheet is on the back of the vinyl and you do not want to cut through that, you want to place that clear carrier sheet down on the cutting mat. This is typically the shiny side so you will often hear people say shiny side down when talking about cutting HTV. You also need to remember to Mirror your image before you cut HTV. This is because you are actually cutting from the back side of the vinyl.

When you go to place it on a shirt for example, you will flip it over so the vinyl is touching the shirt which would mean the carrier sheet is on top of that. You will also need some parchment paper when working with HTV. Place the parchment paper over the top of your design, as a protective piece between the carrier sheet and the heating element of your heat press.

In MOST CASES if you are layering iron on vinyl that has glitter in it, it is recommended that you make sure that the glitter layer is the top layer. This is so that you are not trying to press anything on top of the bumpy texture of the glitter vinyl.

The exception to this would be if you use Sparkle or Twinkle vinyl by Siser. This iron on glitter vinyl is specially made with a smooth top surface so that you can layer it. I did a full review of the Sparkle iron on vinyl HERE.

Patterned Iron on Vinyl for Cricut Crafts

Patterned Iron on Vinyl is any iron on or HTV that has a design, pattern or print applied to it. Unlike regular HTV this does not come with a carrier sheet attached to the vinyl, so when you purchase it make sure that you also have a masking sheet. The masking sheet will do the job of transferring the cut image from the backing sheet to the project. These masking sheets can be used over and over again, until your designs no longer stick to them when you try to transfer them.

For patterned iron on vinyl, you need to think about it differently than regular iron on vinyl. Place it on your cutting mat with the patterned side up, and do not flip the image. Once cut, you will weed it and then use your masking sheet that you purchased and place that on top of the patterned vinyl to transfer it onto the object you are putting it on.

Below is a video on how to use your patterned HTV and the masking sheet that you purchased for it.

To see another project where I used Patterned HTV/Patterned Iron on vinyl you can click HERE.

Printable Iron On Vinyl or Printable Heat Transfer Sheets for Cricut Crafts

There is also printable vinyl where you can print images from your home inkjet printer and then cut those images with your Cricut. Over the years I have done a variety of print then cut projects with printable heat transfer sheets. Instead of going over the process again here, I will just link to those projects so you can read those tutorials for the details on the process.

• Cricut Print then Cut Shirt – Sloth
• Print then Cut Shirt – Mosch Media
• Tooth Fairy Bag
• Donald Duck Shirt

Tip for Weeding Vinyl

If you feel like you are having a hard time weeding your vinyl, especially when you are cutting small, thin or delicate designs try adding an Offset around your design! I did this when I was doing a project that used a hand written recipe that was converted into a SVG file. I found that the letters were just so fragile and would pull off of the carrier sheet or rip as I was weeding. When I added an offset it made it so much easier!

@shawnmosch Use Offset to make weeding small or thin letters easier! #Cricuthack #cricuthacks #cricutmade #craft #crafttock ♬ original sound – Shawn Mosch

Compare the Cost of Cricut Vinyl

Something really important to think about before you run out to purchase a lot of vinyl is the cost of Cricut vinyl. The Cricut brand vinyl is sold in smaller rolls, and you cannot use a coupon on it in your local craft stores like you can for Siser or other brands of vinyl. The best way to figure out a true price comparison for the different brands of vinyl is to calculate how much the vinyl costs per square inch.

For example, let’s break down the price of Cricut vinyl per square inch. When you order the Cricut vinyl online from the Cricut website, or when you purchase it at your local craft store it is sold at $11.99 for a roll. This is the regular price. The roll is 12″ by 24″ which is pretty small. If we multiply 12″ by 24″ we find out that there are 288 square inches of vinyl in that one roll.

If the regular price of that roll is $11.99 then that means we are spending over 4 cents per square inch. Now, 4 cents does not sound like a lot, right? But what if I could show you how to get your vinyl for Cricut projects for less than 2 cents per square inch? That is like saving half of what you spend on vinyl!

In the chart above I break down the cost for the Everyday Iron On Cricut vinyl at regular price, when it is on sale on the Cricut site and also what it is currently on sale for at JoAnn’s (current as of June 2021) You can see that when the price of the roll drops down to %5.99 per roll you are getting it for around 2 cents per square inch.

But if you like Siser EasyWeed for your iron on vinyl, and I do, look at those prices! Yes at regular price at the craft store it is actually slightly more than the Cricut brand vinyl, but it is so easy to find a 40% off coupon for local craft stores so if you do that the price drops down to less per square inch than when Cricut brand is on sale on the Cricut website.

Where you can REALLY save some money is when you order Siser vinyl from online retailers, such as My Craft Source, who has a regular price of around 2 cents per square inch when you purchase a small 12″x24″ sheet. But if you are like me and know you use a lot of one color and want to buy a large roll you can really save some money. Plus you can use Coupon Code ShawnMosch to save and additional 5%!

Where to get your vinyl, and my coupon codes!

I prefer to use Siser brand vinyl for my iron on projects. I feel that is the best quality brand of iron on vinyl out there, and it weeds the easiest. For permanent vinyl I like StarCraft vinyl.

Over the years I have gotten Siser vinyl from a variety of places, including My Craft Source. When you shop at My Craft Source be sure to use code ShawnMosch to get 5% off your order!

Another retailer that I work with is Vinyl and Tulle. Use coupon code SHAWNMOSCH to save 10% off your order! They ship WORLD WIDE!

Madame Blanks is my recommended source for for my Canadian followers! Use coupon code SHAWN10 to save 10% off your order of StarCraft products!

I love that I can order large rolls or small sheets when ordering Siser online. This can give you a larger variety of choices and allow to to save money on larger orders. To make sure you are getting the best price for your vinyl, make sure to check out my Vinyl Buyers Guide.

Vinyl Storage

Once you start to purchase all of this vinyl, you are going to need a great way to store all of it. Make sure to click on the button below to check out this list of Cricut Vinyl Storage by Crafting Spree!

You can even make your own vinyl storage with mailing tubes like I did! Check out my TikTok video

@shawnmosch She works hard for her money so she uses coupon code ShawnMosch at checkout to save money @mycraftsource.com #crafttok #shopping #crafter #cricuthacks #fyp #heattransfervinyl #savemoneytips ♬ She Works Hard For The Money – Donna Summer