Did you recently purchase a Cricut Maker 3? Here’s a fun (and easy!) project to make for those sweet little outdoor-lovin’ kiddos. This post is sponsored by Cricut. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I recently added the Cricut Maker 3 to my craft room. And, crafters, it is AH-MA-ZING! I used it today to make a collection of Hiking Themed Shirts for my kiddos. If you follow my Instagram account, then you know my kids are well on their way to becoming avid hikers. As fall approaches, hiking in the south is awesome. The weather is cooler, the snakes are fewer, and the leaves are lovely. We’re prepping for a series of hikes over the next few months, starting with these shirts.
Where to Find Hiking Images
Did you know that Cricut Design Space has a great collection of hiking images? Creating shirts with these images is super easy. Two of the designs I pulled straight from Cricut Design Space. One design I used from Cricut Design Space and added curved text over the top.
Using the Cricut Maker 3
Great news! The Cricut Maker 3 uses all of the same blades and accessories as the Cricut Maker 2 (if you have that machine). The main difference that I noticed with the design of the machine is that the “C” button that normally cuts is now a “play” button.
The primary difference with machine performance is the ability to cut WITHOUT mats. That’s right! No mats to order or clean. Instead, the Cricut Maker 3 uses Smart Materials. Smart Materials are available in Smart Vinyl, Smart Iron-on, and Smart Paper Sticker Cardstock. Of course, I’m using the Smart Iron-on for these hiking shirts.
Since the Cricut Maker 3 does not require a cutting mat, when using the Smart Vinyl, crafters are not bound by the size of the cutting mat and can make longer cuts.
What Kind of Shirts Should I Use?
Cotton shirts are the best to use for this project. You may use long sleeve or short sleeve as we know the temperatures can vary greatly depending on where your family may be hiking.
Supplies for the Hiking Shirts for Kids with the Cricut Maker 3
- Cricut Maker 3 – Of course, this project can be completed with the Cricut Maker or the Cricut Explore Air.
- Smart Iron-on Vinyl in desired colors (or regular iron-on vinyl if using the traditional Cricut Maker or Cricut Explore Air)
- Blank shirts
- Measuring tape
- Cricut EasyPress
- Cricut EasyPress Mat
- Weeding tool
If you have never worked with iron-on vinyl before, I recommend checking out this How to Get Iron-on Projects Right the First Time article.
How to Make Hiking Themed Shirts for Kids
Open up Cricut Design Space. I have all of the images that I used for these shirts linked here. You may also open up Cricut Design Space and create your own design.
Important: Using the measuring tape, measure the front of the shirt where you would like the completed design to go. Re-size the images in Cricut Design Space to fit within this measurement.
Send the images to the machine. If you are using multiple colors or types of iron-on vinyl, Cricut Design Space will prompt you on when to change out materials. I’m a fan of black/white or one color designs, so my material changes are typically very few. But that’s the great part about creating your own design– it can be whatever you want it to be!
Once the images have finished, remove the un-necessary vinyl with the weeding tool.
Now it’s time to get the iron-on vinyl on the shirt with the Cricut EasyPress. My go-to reference for this is the Cricut EasyPress Heat Guide. I use this to make sure that I’m using the correct heat temperature and correct process for the heat-transfer material and base material that I am using. Don’t complete a project without checking this invaluable reference first!
Following the instructions in the Cricut Heat Guide, adhere the iron-on material to the shirt.
Now the only thing left to do is hit the trail!
Looking for more Cricut tutorials and tips? Check out my Cricut Project page!
