I am so happy that I get the opportunity to tell you guys about the EasyPress 2! I am so thankful to Cricut for sending me the newest addition to the Cricut family! They recently released the EasyPress 2 in the MINT color. You guys have no idea how excited I am to share with you what I think of the EasyPress 2!
Before we get started on our iron-on project, let's talk about the EasyPress 2. This is not my first EasyPress. When Cricut released the first EasyPress, I knew I had to get it! I bought the first EasyPress and I loved it, however, now that I have gotten the chance to work with the new EasyPress 2, I have a new love. Don't get me wrong, they are both great but Cricut definitely made the second one even better!
EasyPress vs. EasyPress 2
Different Sizes: The first thing I noticed when I saw the release of the EasyPress 2, was that it came in three different sizes! The first EasyPress only came in one size equal to the 9x9 EasyPress 2. The new EasyPress 2 comes in the following three different sizes:
12x10
9x9
6x7
Heat Temperature: The new EasyPress 2 can heat up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit! The older model, the first EasyPress could only heat up to 360 degrees Fahrenheit. It's a huge difference. Cricut has definitely advanced the effectiveness of the new EasyPress 2 by increasing the temperature.
Control Panel: The control panel on the new EasyPress 2 is slightly different. The original EasyPress had the words TEMP and TIMER. The EasyPress 2 has the graphic image for both Temp and Timer rather than the words. Another thing that I noticed is that the control panel on the EasyPress 2 is a little brighter compared to the first one.
Advanced Heat Plate: The biggest improvement for the EasyPress 2 is that it can heat up super fast. The heat plate makes sure that the temperature is evenly distributed among the ceramic coat which makes for the perfect iron-on transfer. It will only take you 60 seconds for you to finish your project! Don't forget to add a little pressure by pushing down on the Cricut EasyPress 2 handle.
Safety Base: The new safety base is thinner compared to the old model. The design on the base for the older model was a bit bigger and felt bulkier. The new safety base has holes surrounding the base along with ridges stemming from each corner. The prior design had the ridges in the middle rather than in the corners. The older model also had lines surrounding the base. The new design is great especially for those crafters on the go, it is not heavy and it is compact making it easy to travel with. The safe base is also designed to help protect your craft table or flat surface.
USB Port: This is definitely a new feature that the original EasyPress did not have. The USB port will help your machine stay up to date with the latest firmware updates.
EasyPress 2 Mat: All of the EasyPresses have mats designed for their specific size. The Cricut EasyPress mat has 5 layers of heat resistance material which will help with your iron-on projects!
Overall, I love all the functions available with the EasyPress 2! If you're in the market for a heat press machine, I strongly recommend getting the EasyPress 2. You will be able to create your projects in 60 seconds. Cricut offers so many types of iron-on vinyl for you to choose from, the selection of iron-on vinyl is amazing. If you're looking for glitter iron-on, they have it! How about patterned iron-on? They also carry that! They recently came out with the Natalie Malan patterned iron-on as well as vinyl. They are beautiful watercolor designs that you will absolutely want to get your hands on! Like Cricut has stated, the EasyPress2 has the power of a heat press but the convenience of an iron. Unlike an iron, the ceramic coated base heats up evenly whereas an iron does not. On top of that, you are able to travel with the EasyPress 2 anywhere you imagine since they are so compact. Also, Cricut now offers traveling bags specifically designed for the entire EasyPress family!
Now, let's get started with a small project using the 6x7 EasyPress 2 in the Mint color! I love how tiny the 6x7 EasyPress is! It's so petite, it's perfect for those baby onesies, pencil pouch, backpack, and even hats!
Today, I will be showing you how to adhere glitter iron-on to my pencil pouch. You will need the following items:
6x7 EasyPress 2
Cricut Portable Trimmer
Pencil Pouch
Weeding Tools
Glitter Iron-on
Cricut 6x7 Mat
Cricut Maker
To begin, we will need to open up design space and look for the "Line Floral Watercolor Tote." Once you find the image in design space, click on customize. I am making sure that my design is 6x9 because that's a little less than the size of my pencil pouch. After that, I will click on "Make It." By clicking "Make It," you are sending the image to your Cricut Machine.
Here you will see the image below, make sure that you select "Mirror." You'll know that the "Mirror" option is on because it will appear in green (see pic below).
After that, you will click on continue and select the type of iron-on that you are using. In this case, I am using glitter iron-on. Set your material to "Glitter Vinyl."
Next, we will adhere the glitter iron-on to the mat and have the Cricut Maker cut it! It is important to note that you should place the shiny side of the iron-on down first on the Cricut Mat as that is the side of the iron-on that will be facing you when your project is complete.
The Cricut Maker cut the image so now we will remove the glitter iron-on from the mat. I strongly recommend pulling the iron-on vinyl from a corner and gently pulling it away from you (see below).
In this step, you will use your Cricut portable trimmer to cut the iron-on vinyl. You are cutting the piece where your design is. The extra iron-on vinyl, I keep for later projects. (see below)
You will need your weeding tools to weed out the unused vinyl (see pic below).
We have finished weeding all the unnecessary iron-on vinyl (see pic below). Now, we can transfer the iron-on vinyl onto the pencil pouch.
Before we transfer the image onto the pencil pouch. Cricut recommends to iron the material that you'll be using for 5 seconds. This removes any moisture and wrinkles for a better transfer. I am using the Cricut EasyPress Mat to protect my crafting surface (see pic below).
Now, we will adhere the glitter iron-on vinyl to the pencil pouch (see pic below).
I have set the temperature on my EasyPress 2 to 320 degrees Fahrenheit and the timer to 30 seconds. Next, you will click on the Cricut button and it will turn green. The timer will start to count down. Don't forget to add a little pressure by pushing down on the EasyPress 2 handle. Since this image is a little bigger than I had imagined, I had to heat-press the top part as well ( see pic below).
Next, you will pull the heat resistant liner. Again, I pick a corner and carefully peel it off.
And, we are done! Super cute pencil pouch using the 6x7 Cricut EasyPress 2! This EasyPress is super handy for petite projects like the one we just did!
I hope you guys enjoyed this comparison and project post! Thank you so much Cricut for sending me the Mint EasyPress 2! I LOVE IT!
In the comment section below, tell me what projects you're thinking of making with the EasyPress 2! If you do not have an EasyPress 2, which one would you purchase?
Thank you so much for reading!
Keep on crafting!
Cristina
Hey Cristina! This sounds amazing, thank you for the detailed instructions.