Everything You Need To Make Mugs With Cricut

The magic of Cricut is in the number of things you can make – which is almost everything.

Making mugs with Cricut is a fun way to customize them for personal use or as a gift.

If this is the next item on your DIY Cricut list, here’s everything you’ll need to make gorgeous mugs. 

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What do you need to make mugs with Cricut?

Cricut Mug Press 

The Cricut mug press is an easy-to-use must-have in your mug printing endeavor. The mug press uses heat to sublimate images onto your special polyurethane-coated mugs. Using a Cricut Mug Press bypasses the process of cutting your designs with a Cricut machine. 

Cricut Machine 

If you’re not using a Cricut mug press, you’ll need a Cricut machine. You can use the Cricut Joy, Cricut Explore, or the Cricut Maker to create and cut your designs before printing them on the mugs. 

Infusible Ink

Permanent infusible ink is the best to use when creating long-lasting mugs. It blends perfectly into the mug creating a smooth finish in a process called sublimation.

Sublimation gives you flat and permanent images that are safe for usage on both the dishwasher and the microwave. 

Printable Mugs 

There are special Cricut mugs that you can use for this project. These mugs already come polyester coated. Poly-coating is essential for the sublimation process to take place. 

Infusible ink Sheets 

These are pre-printed pieces of material that hold the Infusible Ink. They are intended to be used with the Cricut machine. 

The infusible ink sheets are loaded onto the Cricut machine by feeding them onto the cutting mat. Your Cricut will automatically cut out your design onto the mugs. 

Infusible ink Markers

In addition to the sheets, you can add more hand-drawn details to your mug with these infusible markers.

Lint roller 

You might need a lint roller to clean your cups and get rid of all lint and particles before taping your design on them. 

Grip mat 

The grip mat is useful for cutting infusible ink sheets. After cutting, the sheets are then loaded into the machine in readiness for drawing and printing. 

Different mats are used for different materials. Ensure that you have picked the correct grip mat for your project. 

Some are heavyweight, while others are lightweight for lighter projects such as making stickers. 

Can Cricut vinyl go in the dishwasher?

Mugs made with vinyl are not safe for use in the dishwasher or the microwave. 

The adhesive on the mug easily comes off, and they may end up creating fumes if microwaved, which is dangerous for the environment and the microwave. 

Can you use regular mugs with Cricut Mug Press?

If you don’t have the specific Cricut Mugs, you can use any other mug as long as it’s poly-coated. 

You must also ensure that the mugs are not tapered and do not have corners. They should be round and smooth to make it easy for the sublimation to occur. 

Final Take 

Making mugs with Cricut keeps getting easier. If you think the process with the Cricut is too long, try the Cricut Mug Press.  Here are a few ideas for mugs to make today.