How to Etch Glass with Cricut (and Mistakes to Avoid)
If you’ve ever wondered how to etch glass with a Cricut, prepare to be amazed! You’ll love how easy it is to make unique DIY gifts for friends and see the wonder on their faces when you say, “I made that!” I’m also sharing my bloopers so you won’t make the same mistakes.
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Cricut Glass Etching: Everything You Need to Know
I first tried etching glass in this Christmas craft YouTube video and was completely wowed! It’s a great technique for personalizing DIY gifts and all things glass.
However, there are a few mistakes you’ll want to avoid. I even demonstrate five common pitfalls in my step-by-step YouTube video on How to Etch Glass.
Glass Etching Supplies
- Glass dishes (wine glass, plate, candleholder, vase, etc.)
- Cricut machine*
- Stencil vinyl or premium removable vinyl
- Transfer tape
- Glass etching cream or glass etching kit
- Bristle brush
- Protective gear: gloves, glasses and mask (recommended)
For your convenience, I’ve grouped all of these items in my Amazon shop so you can browse them together.
*If you don’t have a Cricut machine, check out these great stencils for glass etching instead.
How to Etch Glass with Cricut
I highly recommend you watch the video above as you go through these steps so you can see me create a design in real-time. I think you’ll find it’s less complicated than it might look if you’re new to Cricut Design Space.
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Step 1: Select a template, if needed
Cricut Design Space has a great selection of templates you can use to help you resize any design. Below I’m showing the water goblet template.
This template does not actually cut on your machine. It’s simply there as your friend helping you stay within the boundaries as you plan your design.
You can even change the glass type to a champagne or cocktail glass in the menu bar. How cool is that?!
Step 2: Select and resize your design in Cricut Design Space
I’m using a design from my shop for my glass etching. If you haven’t checked out my holiday designs, I hope you’ll stop by and grab this bundle offer!
To resize the design, you’ll want to use the bottom arrow to click and drag.
I always like to create a rectangle behind my design. This makes it easier to weed the design and apply it to the glass.
Step 3: Attach all layers
Since we’re cutting our design out of one piece of vinyl, we’ll need to attach all layers so they are cut together.
I’ve changed the color of my design so you can see how the layers will be cut.
Step 4: Cut your design
Once all layers are in place, you’ll simply click the green “Make It” button and send the design to your machine.
Here are my settings using stencil vinyl and a cutting mat. You can also use smart material if your machine is compatible. (I have loads of vinyl scraps, so I generally use a mat to cut on my Cricut Maker 3.)
Step 5: Weed your design and apply it to the glass
For glass etching, you’ll want to remove the parts of the design that you want to show up. In our “Dear Santa” design, you’d remove the text and Santa hat.
Once the design is weeded, use transfer tape to “pick up the design” and remove the backing on your vinyl.
Step 6: Apply etching cream
Before you begin working, just remember to have your safety gear ready. You want to prevent the cream from making contact with your skin and have good ventilation in your workspace.
Safety First
Always use appropriate safety gear (gloves, eyewear, mask) when working with etching cream. It is an acid, so you want to avoid skin contact and work in a ventilated area.
You may find it helpful to use painter’s tape or masking tape to prevent the etching cream from bleeding. I recommend applying a fairly thick layer of etching cream since that gave me the best results after several trials.
Step 7: Rinse off etching cream
The instructions on the etching cream say to leave the cream on for one minute before rinsing it off in a sink. I actually found that leaving it on 15-20 minutes worked best.
Pro tip: Always rinse your brush immediately, whether or not you decide to wait on the etching cream.
Many reviews on Amazon suggest longer wait times, but you can decide for yourself!
After rinsing, you can peel off the vinyl and reveal the fruit of your labor!
For a great beginner project, I suggest choosing a simple monogram for your first etched wine glass (like the one above). Wouldn’t this be a lovely gift for a newly engaged or married couple?
Pin it for later!
Now that you’re a pro at etching glass, what will you etch next? I’d love for you to tag me on Instagram and show me your projects!
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