Ahhh Fall: the crisp air, the cozy weekends spent apple picking, the scent of pumpkin spice everything in the air... and of course, all the fall-themed crafts you can handle!
Today, we're showing you how to use this month's free fall-themed, hand-lettered cut file from Bossy Brushstrokes and our own Color Chimp Luxe HTV to create a DIY kitchen towel that will get you in the mood to turn all those freshly picked apples into a delicious apple pie!
You’ll need:
- Tea Towel or Kitchen Towel
- Cutting machine (we used a Cricut Maker for this project)
- Color Chimp Luxe Heat Transfer Vinyl (we used Bordeaux and Rose Gold for this project)
- Heat Press or Iron
- Weeding Tools
- Teflon Sheet (optional)
- Tis the season to be fall-y SVG file (download it here)
Step 1: Upload Your Design
Upload the Tis the Season to be Fall-y free SVG Cut File to Design Space or Silhouette Studio and resize to fit your tea towel. We sized our file to 4.75" wide.
Since we wanted a two-color design, we used the Contour tool to separate our cut file into two pieces. If you have not used it yet, the Contour tool is a really handy tool that essentially allows you to hide and show different parts of your cut file.
Start by duplicating your cut file. Since we are separating it into two colors, we just duplicated it once. If you wanted to separate it into more colors you'd want to duplicate it additional times.
Next, click the "Contour" button and click on any portions of the cut file you'd like to hide. Once you've hidden everything you need to, close the Contour window.
Repeat the process with the next layer until you've got your design how you'd like.
Once you’re done, hit the green “Make It” button and follow the Design Space prompts to prepare your mat and select your material.
Remember to “Mirror” your design *on BOTH mats* before cutting it!
Step 2: Cutting
Apply your vinyl to your mat, placing the shiny side of the HTV towards the mat (the shinier, plastic side is called the carrier sheet and it is what allows you to transfer your vinyl to your material while keeping everything in place) and then let your machine get to work.
Pro Tip: Always a double-check your settings BEFORE you cut!
Step 3: Weeding
Once your machine has finished cutting, it's time to weed it your design. Remove the vinyl from your mat by turning your mat over and gently rolling it away from the HTV. Next, begin by pulling away the larger pieces of excess vinyl and then use your weeding tool to remove all the smaller pieces, like the insides of the letters.
Step 4: Place & Press Your Design
Place your weeded design in the desired location on your towel. Since we're working with two different colors, we cut our carrier sheets so that we could press both colors at the same time. We recommend covering your entire design with a Teflon sheet or thin cotton towel before pressing to help keep things in place.
NOTE: When pressing multiple colors of HTV, you want to make sure that your carrier sheets do not overlap at all. If you are unable to cut your carrier sheets so that you can press both at the same time with no overlap, simply press your design in two stages. Always remember to use a Teflon sheet or thin cotton towel to cover your design before applying heat to the second layer.
Since we're working with Color Chimp Luxe HTV, we pressed with medium pressure for 5 seconds at 320 degrees. You always want to be sure to follow the pressing instructions for the brand and type of heat transfer vinyl you are using because it can vary from brand to brand and with different fabrics.
Step 5: Peel away your carrier sheet and enjoy!
Now the fun part: It's time to peel away your carrier sheet! If you’re not sure that your HTV has completely adhered to your material after you peel away the carrier sheet, we recommend covering your entire design with a Teflon sheet or thin cotton cloth and quickly pressing again.
That’s it - now break out those apples, pre-heat the oven, and start baking!
We love seeing what you create, so if you give this DIY a try be sure to share a picture in the comments below! Check back next month for another exclusive hand-lettered design from Arlena and in the meantime, check out her all work over at BossyBrushstrokes.com and be sure to follow her on Instagram.
Be sure to head over to the Craftey shop to find all of the materials used in this project, including our Color Chimp Luxe heat transfer vinyl.
