Making your own mug: how to set up a mug project in Design Space

11 March 2021

Cricut

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So, you have your Cricut Mug Press, but you haven’t opened it yet – perfect!

The following resources will set you up for success right away. In this blog, you’ll learn how to:

Activate your Cricut Mug Press
Customize a ready-to-make mug project
Make your own mug project using Infusible Ink transfer sheets
How to make a mug project with Infusible Ink markers

Activate your Cricut Mug Press

Use a computer to activate your Cricut Mug Press. It only takes a couple of minutes and gets you the latest and greatest firmware.

Here’s how to activate your press, step by step.

Unbox your Cricut Mug Press
Connect the power cord to the back of your press and into a wall outlet
Next, connect the USB cord to the back of your press and into your laptop or computer USB port
From your computer/laptop, open Design Space
From the top left nav, select New Machine Setup > Heat Press > Cricut Mug Press
Follow on-screen prompts

Customize a ready-to-make mug project

Making your own mug. Cricut Mug Press - supplies needed

This ready-to-make project is a perfect test drive for your Cricut Mug Press. Visit the fundamentals page for step-by-step instructions and videos, or read on.

From Design Space, open the Personalized Monogram Mug project
Use the drop-down to select mug size
Select Customize
Double-click text box
Enter initials or even a short word
Select all
From the lower right corner, select Attach
Select Make It
Toggle Mirror switch on – always use Mirror for heat-transfer projects
Select Continue to cut your design
For pressing instructions, see Cricut Heat Guide

Apply Infusible Ink Transfer Sheet to your LightGrip or StandardGrip machine mat ink-side up before cutting. Before adhering it to your mug, clean mug surface with an alcohol wipe and lint roller. No need to use butcher paper with Infusible Ink Transfer Sheet mug projects.

Make your own mug project using Infusible Ink Transfer Sheets

Make your own Paulie the Plant mug with Cricut.

In Design Space, there is a free Mug Design Setup project, which makes it easy to complete Infusible Ink transfer sheet projects. Your resulting cut will be a perfectly sized, easy-to-weed design with convenient sticky tabs that secure your design to your mug for the transfer.

Let’s get started

From Design Space, open the Mug Design Setup project
Use the drop-down to select mug size and desired edge effect
Select Customize
Use the red mug guides to align your image on the canvas.
- IMPORTANT: Any design elements outside of the blue box will not transfer to your mug.
When your design is complete, click the eyeball icon to hide red mug guide layer
Select all
From the lower right corner, select Attach
Select Make It
Toggle Mirror switch on – always use Mirror for heat-transfer projects
Select Continue to cut your design
For pressing instructions, see Cricut Heat Guide

Instructions to make your own coffee mug using Cricut.

The beauty of using Mug Design Setup project is it double cuts the outer layer. Your design is a kiss-cut, only cutting through the ink layer of the transfer sheet, the outer layer cuts all the way through the liner. Before adhering it to your mug, clean mug surface with an alcohol wipe and lint roller. No need to use butcher paper with Infusible Ink Transfer Sheet mug projects.

Cricut Maker using Infusible Ink on a StandardGrip green mat

How to make a mug project with Infusible Ink Markers

Cricut Mug Press - supplies needed for drawn mug project

In Design Space, there is a free Drawn Mug Design Setup project, which makes it easy to complete drawn mug projects. Your resulting cut will be a perfectly sized design for the transfer.

Let’s get started

From Design Space, open the Drawn Mug Design Setup project
Use the drop-down to select mug size
Select Customize
Use the red mug guides to align your image on the canvas.
- IMPORTANT: Any design elements outside of the red dotted lines will not transfer to your mug.
When your design is complete, click the eyeball icon to hide red mug guide layer
Select all
From the lower right corner, select Attach
Select Make It
Toggle Mirror switch on – always use Mirror for heat-transfer projects
Select Continue to cut your design
For pressing instructions, see Cricut Heat Guide

GIF – How to make a drawn mug

If you want to draw a design by hand, use Infusible Ink markers directly onto laser copy paper, wrap around your mug, and secure with heat-resistant tape. Before adhering it to your mug, clean mug surface with an alcohol wipe and lint roller. Be sure to add 3 layers of butcher paper around the mug before you press to protect your heat plate from extraneous ink.