I am impressed with the Cricut EasyPress™

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here.

You may have heard about the second generation of the EasyPress™, the EasyPress™ 2, and it is now available to order on Cricut’s site!

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Cricut EasyPress™ 2 © 2018 Cricut, Inc.

There are three different sizes, and the new models offer higher temperatures, among other improvements. I love my current EasyPress™, but I’m definitely interested in the smaller version for the children’s clothing projects I do.

What I love about my Cricut EasyPress™

When I got my first Cricut, I had no plans to do heat transfer vinyl.  But after a few successful experiments, I was hooked! Only one problem: my clunky home steam press was too cumbersome and too inexact to get the vinyl adhered correctly every time.

Enter the Cricut EasyPress™.  It gives great results in a small package. Its main advantages are:

  • exact temperature within 5 degrees Fahrenheit or celsius like a commercial heat press
  • targeted heat right where you want it
  • no hinges or fixed parts to get in the way
  • light and easy to store
  • has an optional matching mat for support and even heating
  • easy to take it to a craft night or a friend’s house

A lot of us probably don’t have enough crafting space for a commercial heat press, and I don’t feel comfortable having one with kids in the house. The EasyPress™ can be quickly tucked away out of sight in a cabinet or closet.

Note: Cricut uses the term “iron-on” instead of heat transfer vinyl or HTV. They’re all the same thing.

What to iron on for your iron-on: the base layer

You can use a folded bath towel or the EasyPress™ mat as a base layer. I recommend spending just a little bit extra for the EasyPress™ mat as it will ensure great results and is engineered to absorb seams like when you’re adhering vinyl to baby clothes. Amazon usually has a good price on the 12″ by 12″ size. The Cricut site has the other sizes.

Cricut has a great interactive tool on their help site where you can enter your iron-on type and fabric type, and it will give you the recommended temperature along with easy-to-follow directions for application.

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There is also a printer-friendly pdf file with the recommended settings that you can download. I laminated a printout and put it right beside my work area.

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© 2018 Cricut, Inc.

Reverse Canvas

I never would have attempted this without an Easy Press. It’s so much easier than I thought it would be. I’ve created gifts for friends, and done several home decor projects. I love looking around our home and seeing projects I’ve made that have special meaning for our family. Here’s my tutorial and video on reverse canvas projects.

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Image from CraftBundles (http://shrsl.com/15ynj)

Be sure to check out the EasyPress™ FAQ page from Cricut’s help site.

Layering HTV isn’t difficult, but definitely follow these directions for the best results.

HTV isn’t limited to fabric! Here’s more information on using the Easy Press with non-fabric materials.

The above post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here.

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