A Guide on Glitter Vinyl (Adhesive and Heat Transfer Vinyl)

Working with Glitter Vinyl is not as hard as you think. Though, it’s a little bit different from the standard vinyl. This type of vinyl is a bit thicker and sturdier than other vinyls, making it a little trickier to cut. Glitter Vinyl comes in adhesive vinyl and HTV, meaning you can use Glitter Vinyl in any project you can dream of. This article will help you learn all the things you need to know before dealing with Glitter Vinyl.

WHAT IS GLITTER VINYL?

Glitter Vinyl is a type of vinyl with a different design than other standard vinyl. The finish of this type of vinyl is neither matte nor glossy, and it has this sparkly and glimmery finish! Like other types of vinyl, Glitter Vinyl also comes in many different colors you can choose from.

HOW TO CUT GLITTER VINYL?

Cutting Glitter Vinyl is slightly different from cutting standard types of vinyl. This type of vinyl is thicker than the other vinyl, making it harder to cut. But don’t worry! We will show you how!

1. Check if your Glitter Vinyl is Adhesive or Heat Transfer Vinyl.

Adhesive vinyl differs from HTV; therefore, the cutting method is also different. Adhesive vinyl is a vinyl that can adhere without heat, while HTV can only stick on a surface if you use heat while applying it. HTV also has its backing at the front side of the vinyl; you don’t want to cut it because it will completely ruin your vinyl. So check them first!

2. Don’t forget to mirror your design (For HTVs).

This step is only relevant if you are using HTVs. If you are using Adhesive Glitter Vinyl, ignore this step and proceed to the next step. If using Heat Transfer Vinyl, don’t forget to MIRROR your design. Because if you do, your vinyl will not cut the correct way.

3. Place your Glitter Vinyl on your cutting mat.

So now that you know what type of Glitter Vinyl you have, we will now proceed with how to place them on your cutting mat. 

If you are using Adhesive Vinyl, place them on the cutting mat the same way you put a standard vinyl (bright side facing up).

On the other hand, if you are using Heat Transfer Vinyl, load your vinyl on your cutting mat glossy side facing down. This way, you won’t cut the backing of your Glitter HTV. You need to mirror your design because it will be cut on its back and not the front sides.

As mentioned earlier, Glitter HTVs and Adhesives are thicker and sturdier than other vinyl types, so it tends to curl up when you first put them on your cutting mat. If this happens, just carefully push it into the cutting mat to help it stay on the mat. Or simply use a stickier mat when working with Glitter Vinyl.

4. Check your Cutting Machine.

Now that your cutting mat is successfully loaded check your dial setting. Because of the thickness of this type of vinyl, it requires more pressure for the blade to cut the vinyl perfectly. If using Cricut, put your dial setting on “Custom.” After doing this, a drop-down menu will appear on your computer screen. Find the “Glitter Vinyl” in the Vinyl section. After doing this, you can now cut your Glitter Vinyl. Whether using Glitter Adhesive Vinyl or Glitter HTV, you must do this step to achieve a clean and perfect cut.

5. Check your cutting blades.

If you are experiencing poor cuts, you may want to check your cutting blades. Cutting different types of vinyl can dull your blades. Glitter Vinyl is harder to miss because of its thickness, so dull blades won’t let you achieve perfect cuts.

HOW TO WEED GLITTER VINYL?

Weeding is the process in which you remove the excess vinyl from your design. Glitter vinyl is gorgeous and eye-catching, but weeding glitter vinyl can be tricky due to its sparkly design. It can be tough to find the cutting lines. Weeding this type of vinyl can be very frustrating, but don’t worry! We have some tips and tricks for you!

You can use good old Baby Powder! Sprinkle some baby powder on your design, revealing those cutting lines you are looking for! If you are worried about your design being ruined, don’t worry; it is safe!

You can also use your window! This trick will only work if it is bright outside, so do not do this trick at night time. If your design is simple, you can easily hold the vinyl up on the window to see the cutting lines. If your design is intricate, you can also tape your design on the wall with scrap transfer tape.

Here’s another tip for you! While weeding Glitter vinyl, make sure that you have excellent lighting. Enough light will help you see those cutting lines and won’t tire your eyes.

HOW TO APPLY GLITTER VINYL?

Now that your Glitter Vinyl is perfectly weeded! It’s time to apply them to your final surface. Application may vary depending on what type your Glitter Vinyl is. When you are using Glitter Adhesive Vinyl, here are the steps!

GLITTER ADHESIVE VINYL

1. Clean your final substrate. Here’s another trick for you! After thoroughly cleaning your final substrate, rub some rubbing alcohol on it to make it super clean and for the vinyl to adhere perfectly. Alcohol takes off any leftover oils and completely dehydrates the surface.

2. Carefully center your design on your final substrate. When you finally stick it on the final substrate, use your scraper and scrape the top of your transfer tape to remove air pockets and bubbles to ensure your design is attached to your surface. If you don’t have a scraper tool, you can also use sturdy cards like gift cards.

 3. Remove the transfer tape, be careful when doing this process. There’s a chance that the vinyl is not entirely stuck on the surface. If this happens, bring back the transfer tape on the design and scrape it again.

Now, you are finally done!

GLITTER HEAT TRANSFER VINYL

1. Press your final substrate until there are no wrinkles. By doing this, you are also pre-heating your substrate, making your application much more manageable!

2. Find the center of your final substrate and design. Here’s how, (link to an article about centering)

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3. Make sure there’s something underneath your final substrate before pressing. And put a multipurpose paper or Teflon sheet on top of your design. Doing this will protect the carrier sheet of the HTV from burning and melting.

4. Press the design on the final substrate for about 15-20 seconds with a lot of pressure.

5. Press the back of the shirt to ensure the design is completely stuck.

6. Peel off the carrier sheet carefully, and see if the HTV is completely stuck on the substrate. If not, place the carrier sheet on top of the design. Next, put the multipurpose paper or the Teflon sheet. Then, press the design again, with more pressure this time and a little longer than last.

And that’s it! We are done!

Note: make sure to let the substrate rest and cure for about 2-3 days before washing them!

Discover More Great Articles On Crafting

Find more crafing ideas together with the tips and tricks by clicking the links below:

A BLAST FROM THE UNEXPLORED SUBLIMATION ON GLITTER HTV

TIPS AND TRICKS WHEN WORKING WITH HEAT TRANSFER VINYL PART1

We hope that you find this article very helpful! We would appreciate it if you send this article to your friends and family who are curious about how Glitter Vinyl works. If you try doing projects with Glitter Vinyl, please send them to us thru private messages on our social media accounts! We would like to see them! Thank you!

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For your vinyl crafting needs, please check our website at www.craftvinyl.ca. We offer different Adhesive and Heat Transfer Vinyl, perfect for your next project.