Make the Perfect DIY Christmas Mug With Cricut Mug Press

Last Updated on October 17, 2023 by April

Learn how to make your own DIY Christmas mug with the Cricut mug press. These mugs are wonderful as Christmas gifts and holiday home decor!

This post is sponsored by Cricut. As always, all opinions are my own. : )

Do you love crafting unique Christmas gifts?

Creating personalized DIY Christmas mugs is a creative way to share your love for someone this holiday season. You can include them in a gift basket or add a bow and stuff them with treats as a stand-alone gift.

In this tutorial, you will learn how to use a Cricut Mug Press to create a cute Christmas mug. The mug you will be making features Santa Claus and his reindeer soaring over snowy mountains to deliver Christmas presents.

Cricut Mug Press

The Cricut Mug Press is a quick way to create pro-quality mugs. With its one-touch settings, it’s easy to get perfect results every time – and the peel-proof, dishwasher-safe results are simply amazing. Plus, with thoughtful safety features like auto-off, you can rest assured knowing your mug press is always safe to use.

The Supplies You’ll Need

• Cricut Machine – Cricut Explore Air 2, Cricut Explore 3, Cricut Maker, Cricut Maker 3, or Cricut Joy.
• Cricut Mug
• Cricut Machine Mat
• Cricut Infusible Ink Sheets
• Cricut Access
• Tweezers
• Oven Mit
• Lint Roller

Designing Your Mug With Design Space

Cricut Design space is the companion app for all your Cricut activities. With over 60,000 images, fonts, and ready-to-make projects to choose from, you’ll have everything you need to create beautiful projects with ease. Plus, use your own images and fonts for free.

Some designs on the app are free; however, if you want the good stuff, you’ll want to upgrade to Cricut Access. I think it’s totally worth it!

What is Cricut Access?

Cricut Access gives you everything you need to create a professional-looking design. This subscription gives you unlimited access to a growing library of cut + print images, plus 700+ fonts for limitless creativity. Plus, save on licensed content from top brands like Disney®, Marvel®, Star Wars™, Harry Potter™, and more.

With Cricut Access, you’ll have everything you need to create beautiful projects that reflect your unique style.

DIY Christmas Mugs Tutorial

To create a DIY Christmas mug like the one shown above, you’ll need some Cricut Access design elements. Check out the project details here. If you choose to create this Christmas mug, you can skip the design process and go straight to the cutting and assembling steps.

First time setting up your Cricut machines?

Click here to set up your machines. You will need to set up every Cricut machine to be able to use it.

Create Your Design

1. Click on the ‘Projects’ tab located on the left rool bar.
2. Click on the ‘Mug Design Setup’ option from the list of options. You can find this option quicker by typing it into the search bar.
3. Choose your desired mug style from the options. Make sure to check the size of mug you are using so the design will be the correct size.
4. Use the left tool bar to choose the images, text, and shapes you want to add to your project.

Things You Should Know:

-You will see a layer called ‘Hide this layer before cutting’. This is a visual guide meant to show you where your designs will fall on the DIY mug. You should hide or delete this layer before making your design in your Cricut machine.

-The solid blue layer is the infusible ink layer, and it will become the color/pattern of whatever infusible ink product you choose to use in your project.

-The ‘Group’ option allows you to size and move multiple design elements simultaneously, and it’s excellent for keeping proportions.

-Attach combines different layers into one cut.

-Make sure to wash and dry your hands before beginning your project. This helps prevent infusible ink from sticking to your skin.

-To weed/remove your infusible ink cutouts, you will want to use Cricut tweezers or your hands.

-Mirroring your design before cutting is crucial. Read on to find out how to do it.

Cut Your Design

1. Once you’ve finished designing, click ‘Make It’ and mirror your design. You can find instructions for mirroring your Cricut design here.
2. Place your infusible ink transfer sheet shiny side down on your Cricut mat. The ink/matte side should be facing up.
3. Continue to follow the Design Space prompts to start cutting your design.

Assemble Your Design

1. Use the Cricut tweezers or your hands to remove the parts of infusible ink that shouldn’t be in your design. For mugs with little details (like the Christmas mug above), I recommend using the tweezers.
2. Use a lint roller or cloth to clean your mug blank off. This will ensure the infusible ink design properly adheres to your mug.
3. Add your design to the Cricut mug blank. You can secure it in place with some heat resistant tape or carefully press down so it adheres to the mug long enough to get it into the Cricut Mug Press. The shiny side should be facing out and the infusible ink side should be facing in towards your mug blank.
4. Turn your Cricut Mug Press on by hitting the power button. This button will be static orange color until it is fully heated up. You can expect to wait 5 minutes or so.
5. Once your Cricut has sounded its ready beep, you can place your mug inside of it.
6. The Cricut Mug Press will make a beeping noise when it has finished. You can now remove your mug. I recommend keeping an oven mit under the mug until you can get it to a heat-resistant surface. It will be very hot so please be careful!

It should take around 15-30 minutes for your new Cricut mug design to finish cooling off. Until then, avoid touching it.

FAQ About Making Cricut Mugs

What is infusible ink?

Infusible ink is a collection of Cricut DIY supplies used in heat transfer craft projects. To create custom designs, you can use infusible ink on t-shirts, tote bags, mugs, etc.

Compared to vinyl transfers, the end result of infusible ink is a smooth transfer that doesn’t peel, flake, crack, or wrinkle. It blends seamlessly into your craft project, giving it a professional look.

Are the infusible ink mugs dishwasher safe?

Yes!

How long does it take to press the mugs?

Around 3 minutes.

What temperature is the Cricut mug press?

392 degrees Fahrenheit.

Is Cricut infusible ink microwave safe?

Yes.

Final Thoughts

I hope you enjoyed this DIY Christmas mug tutorial! I absolutely love making DIY mugs with the Cricut Mug Press, especially for gifts. It’s a quick and easy way to personalize presents, and everyone goes nuts for custom mugs!

I have been so impressed with how crisp and vibrant my infusible ink mugs have turned out. It’s also a ton of fun to check out all the fun designs other people come up with.

Have you used the Cricut Mug Press before? If so, please share a link to your design space projects in the comments below. Thanks for reading!