Kindness Matters.
It's such a simple thought, isn't it? Kindness doesn't cost a thing to give and everyone could use a little more of it in their lives. But we're all so busy running from place to place, obligation to obligation, that it can be easy to forget to show a little kindness and compassion to those around you.
So when we saw this month's gorgeous hand-lettered cut file that Arlena from Bossy Brushstrokes created just for the Craftey Community, we knew we wanted to create something that could serve as a sweet reminder to spread kindness around wherever you go!
Head over to the Community site to download this month’s free hand-lettered SVG cut file and let’s get started!
You’ll need:
- Embroidery hoop (we used a 10" bamboo hoop)
- Blank tea towel or other piece of fabric that you'd like to use. *Be sure your piece of fabric it is large enough to fit in your embroidery hoop plus have a little extra material all around so you can pull it tight. For example, if you're using a 10" hoop, you'll want at least a 12"x12" square of material. We used an Aunt Martha brand natural color tea towel in our project.
- Cutting machine (we used a Cricut Maker for this project)
- Color Chimp Essentials Heat Transfer Vinyl in Violet
- Weeding Tool
- Heat Press or Iron
- Teflon Sheet (optional)
- Kindness Matters SVG file (download here)
Step 1: Design
Upload the Kindness Matters SVG file to Design Space or software of your choice and resize to fit your material. We sized our file to 9" wide.
We also added a small heart to our design. Simply use the Shapes menu to choose a heart shape and add it to your canvas and resize it to your liking.
Next, hit the green “Make It” button and follow the Design Space prompts to prepare your mat and select your material.
Don't forget to “Mirror” your design before cutting it when you're working with HTV.
Step 2: Cutting
Place your vinyl on your mat shiny side down. The shinier, plastic side of the HTV is the carrier sheet - it is what you will use to transfer your design to the material once it is cut and weeded.
Step 3: Weeding
After your machine has completed the cut, it's time to weed your design. Use your weeding tool to remove all of the excess vinyl. Don't forget the smaller details, like the insides of the letters too! Your weeded design should look like this:
Step 4: Place Your Design
Now that you have your design weeded, you're ready to place it on your on your fabric and press it.
First place your design on your fabric about where you think it should go, then place the embroidery hoop on top of it to perfect the placement, readjusting as needed.
Step 5: Press Your Design
Since we're working with Color Chimp Essentials Heat Transfer Vinyl, we pressed with medium pressure for 25 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 6: Peel away your carrier sheet
Let your design cool for about 10 seconds and then 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 pressing again.
Step 7: Put together your new wall hanging
Now for the fun part!
Secure your material in your embroidery hoop and pull it as tight as you can. Once you have your material how you want it, trim away any excess material. That's it - you're all done! 
This sweet piece would look so good hanging in a nursery or little girl's room. This design would also be perfect on a t-shirt or coffee mug - the possibilities are endless!
As always, if you try this DIY be sure to share a picture in the comments below, we’d love to see your projects! 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 Essentials heat transfer vinyl.
