How to Use Heat Transfer Vinyl: Beginner’s Guide

Over the years, I’ve made my fair share of heat transfer vinyl t-shirts, tote bags, and pillows, so it’s high time I shared all of my tips! In this beginner’s guide, I’ll walk through how to use heat transfer vinyl, from creating your design to transferring it.

This tutorial is sponsored by xTool, but all opinions expressed are my own. This post also contains affiliate links, and I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. See disclosures for details.

What is heat transfer vinyl?

Heat transfer vinyl, also called HTV or iron-on vinyl, is a thin layer of colored polyurethane (PU) with a heat-activated adhesive. I know it sounds scary, but it’s not!

You can easily cut HTV at home to create custom apparel, home decor, and gifts. There are many types of vinyl with different patterns and textures, like glitter, holographic, foil, glow-in-the-dark, and flock.

The benefit of using vinyl is the versatility of the fabrics and materials (a.k.a. substrates) you can use with it. I’ve applied HTV to everything from shirts to leather and canvas.

How does heat transfer vinyl work?

Heat transfer vinyl involves a three-step process: 1) creating or uploading a design, 2) cutting the design with a cutting machine, and 3) using heat to transfer the design.

The vinyl is semi-permanent (lasting 50-100 wash cycles or more) but sits on top of the fabric. It doesn’t integrate with the fabric like sublimation inks do, but it still looks fabulous.

In contrast to the Cricut Maker or Cricut Explore machines, the xTool M1 not only cuts with a blade but also cuts, scores, and engraves objects with a laser. The ability to switch back and forth between blade-cutting and laser-cutting is a game changer!

The newer xTool M1 Ultra model adds even more capabilities, like inkjet printing, drawing, and foiling.

This also sets the M1 line apart from the new Glowforge Aura machine. While the Aura has a similar (but lower-wattage) diode laser, it lacks the blade-cutting feature.

I wanted to share a blade-cutting project with the M1 line in case you’re in the market for an all-in-one machine.

How to Use Heat Transfer Vinyl to Make a Shirt

While I’m using a cotton t-shirt for this project, you can select any base material you like. HTV is perfect for making cosmetic bags, onesies, blankets, wine gift bags, or canvas art.

You can use any brand of vinyl you like for this project. Try starting with a roll of white vinyl or black vinyl.

Other popular vinyl brands include Siser EasyWeed, Cricut, and HTVRONT.

Step 1: Create your design

Add Text or Graphics

Start by adding some simple text using the text button in the left column. I’m making a “Be Kind” shirt.

To modify or format the text, select the text and choose a font from the drop-down menu (see photo above). Click and drag the corners of the text box to resize it, or type a font size in the Text menu.

I changed my font to one called Adelio Darmanto. (You can choose xTool built-in fonts or any system fonts you have on your computer.)

Format and weld letters

Make sure that script font letters overlap enough to remove any gaps. You can adjust the spacing by selecting the text and changing the Spacing field +/-.

To have the machine cut the letters as one phrase, select the word “kind” and choose Weld in the Text Operations field, as shown above.

Insert additional shapes, if desired

There are tons of free shapes and images built into Creative Space! I’d start there if you’re a beginner.

To add a touch of whimsy, I inserted a stem from the “Festival” collection and a flower from the “Plant” collection.

You can also shop the project gallery in the upper right corner, where it says “xTool Projects.” There’s a thriving community of xTool users who have posted tutorials.

If you want to cut multiple colors of vinyl, you can move shapes to separate layers. This is similar to changing the color of shapes in Cricut Design Space. Just select “Ignore” under “Object setting” to skip cutting a layer.

Note: One advantage xTool’s Creative Space has over Cricut Design Space is the ability to have multiple canvases active at one time. This allows you to save multiple variations of a design in one project file.

Step 2: Size the design

Measure your shirt to determine how large you want your design. I’m using a medium Adult t-shirt, so I resized my design to measure roughly 9 by 9 inches.

Anywhere between 9 to 13 inches is common for an SVG t-shirt design for Adults.

You can buy a t-shirt ruler guide for vinyl alignment if you plan to make a lot of shirts.

Step 3: Mirror the design

Before sending the file to cut, you need to mirror the design. We need to cut the design in reverse so it will read correctly when transferred.

To mirror your image, select all the layers while holding Shift. Then choose Reflect Horizontally under the “Reflect” menu. In Cricut Design Space, this is the same as clicking the “Mirror” button before cutting.

After mirroring the design, create a square around the entire graphic to make the next few steps easier.

Step 4: Load the vinyl on a cutting mat

The xTool M1 comes with a light-grip mat and fabric-grip mat, much like Cricut and Silhouette cutting machines. For smooth HTV, you’ll apply the vinyl to a light-grip cutting mat with the shiny side down and the matte/vinyl side up.

Step 5: Insert mat and preview the design

Insert your mat into the machine, resting it on the base plate. The mat is sticky on both sides, making it easier to attach to the plate.

The fine-point blade should be inserted underneath the square housing. (You should feel a magnet snap the blade into place.)

Here’s where M1 technology has a true advantage over Cricut machines. The M1’s 16MP camera gives you a live preview of the project!

While Cricut Design Space has a Camera and SnapMat feature on the iPad and iPhone apps, the xTool’s camera works on both mobile and desktop devices.

Make sure your software is connected to the machine and click Refresh. You’ll now see the image of your vinyl on the mat, as shown above.

To minimize vinyl scraps, reposition the image on the mat as needed.

Step 6: Cut the design

Once you’re satisfied with the positioning, select PU HTV vinyl as your material. (If you don’t see this option, make sure you click off of the design so no layers are selected.)

I like to adjust the cut pressure higher than the default setting (to 100 instead of 90). You may want to do a test cut to check your machine settings with your brand of vinyl.

If you want to preview where the blade will cut, choose the Framing option and hit the white button on your M1 machine. Then click the Process button to begin cutting your vinyl.

Step 7: Weed the design

After cutting the design, you need to remove the excess vinyl, or “weed” the design. This is my favorite part of HTV projects! It’s so satisfying to see your design come to life.

Step 8: Press the design

To complete the transfer, you can use a professional heat press, a Cricut EasyPress with an EasyPress mat, or a household iron. Household irons may give inconsistent results, but I started my HTV journey with one. You can too!

I’ll show the results using both a heat press and a household iron.

Vinyl manufacturers often provide handy reference guides to help you determine the appropriate heat settings. If you’re using a Cricut heat press, you can also refer to the Cricut Heat Guide for instructions.

With a household iron, use a high/cotton setting with no steam. With a handheld heat press, the temperature should be set to 315°F for everyday iron-on vinyl.

Begin by pressing your shirt for 5 seconds to remove any moisture from the garment and get a smoother texture.

Then apply the adhesive side of your vinyl transfer to the shirt.

Quick tip: fold the shirt in half and press it to create a center crease before aligning your transfer.

Press the design with medium pressure for 30 seconds, or according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Your HTV may call for a cold peel (removing the liner after the HTV has cooled) or a hot peel (removing the liner soon after pressing). Once you remove the carrier sheet, you can discard it.

I used a household iron for the flower in the upper right corner, and you can hardly tell a difference in the quality!

Caring for your heat transfer vinyl project

Do not directly iron the vinyl as this could cause damage to both the garment and your iron. If you want to press the vinyl design to remove wrinkles, you can press it on the back. Otherwise, you can cover the vinyl with parchment paper or a protective Teflon sheet. I use Teflon sheets when layering iron-on vinyl as well.

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I’d love to see your projects, so feel free to tag me at @firstdayofhome on Instagram or Facebook. Don’t forget to pin this post for later as well!

Pin it for later!

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