DIY Tips

How to Create a DIY Mouse Pad with Cricut Infusible Ink

Posted on by Andrew Chen
10
Jun

Are you tired of using a plain and boring mouse pad? With Cricut Infusible Ink, you can easily create a one-of-a-kind DIY mouse pad that reflects your personal style. Whether you want to add a pop of color, a unique pattern, or even a personalized design, this step-by-step guide will show you how to unleash your creativity and make a mouse pad that is not only functional but also a statement piece for your workspace. Get ready to upgrade your mouse pad game and make a lasting impression with this fun and easy DIY project.

Supplies You’ll Need To Get Started

  • Cricut machine
  • Cricuit Infusible Ink
  • Mouse pad (rated for sublimation like these)
  • Cricut EasyPress
  • EasyPress mat 
  • Butcher paper
  • White card stock
  • Heat resistant tape
  • Tweezers
  • Cricut cut file 

Instructions

Step 1

First, cut a design from an Infusible Ink sheet. A few things to keep in mind:

  • Place the sheet liner side down on the mat.
  • Mirror your image before cutting. 
  • Be sure that your hands are clean and dry before handling Infusible Ink.
  • You will want to locate your cut so that you have enough of the sheet to cover your entire mouse pad and the design will be in the center.

Step 2

Once cut, you will need to weed away the excess sticker material.

  • Crack the piece by bending several times before weeding.
  • Remember not to use traditional weeding tools with Infusible Ink. If you have issues with any of the pieces, just use tweezers to lift.
  • I used a reverse weeding technique on this project where I left the background but removed the letters themselves. In this case, you will want to leave the centers of the letters in place.

Step 3

  • Now, you can add your Cricut Invisible Sheet to your mouse pad. First, start by covering the EasyPress mat with white card stock. Next, lay it on your mouse pad and put the weeded sheet into place. You will need to tape this down really well. I found that taping to my card stock worked best as the tape did not stick well to the mouse pad itself.

Step 4

  • Next, cover your design with butcher paper and press with Cricut EasyPress according to the instructions in the Cricut heat guide. Pick a substrate close to the mouse pad like a tote bag. I used my large EasyPress so I could do this all in one press. I have made projects like this Infusible Ink blanket where I pressed more than one so a smaller size EasyPress will definitely work in this case.

Step 5

  • Allow your project to cool completely as it will be really hot. Next, peel away your design from the DIY mouse pad to reveal the magic!

NOTE: Remember to discard the card stock as it will have some excess ink on it and you do not want that to get on other projects you make.

Andrew Chen