King George Coffee Mug for Hamilton Fans
Here in our house, we are huge Hamil-fans. The boys and I listen to the Hamilton soundtrack on repeat, and I wish you could hear Little Crafter rapping along with Lafayette’s fastest lyrics! All of us agree that one of our favorite characters is King George, so we decided to create these fun mugs featuring his silhouette and his famous refrain, “da da da dat da…” (Sorry, not sorry, for putting it in your head!)
Unlike the mugs I’ve made with my Cricut machine and vinyl in the past, these mugs are made with Infusible Ink, which means that instead of sitting on top of the mug, the ink actually infuses down into the surface and becomes part of it. They are fade-proof, peel and flake-proof, and even dishwasher and microwave safe! Here’s a quick look at how I made them and you can too.
You’ll need:
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12 oz white mug blank (must be a sublimation mug)
Cricut Explore Air 2, Maker, or Joy cutting machine
weeding tool (optional)
Making your King George Mug
Step 1: Open the mug design in your Design Space app.
Select “Make it” in the bottom right corner, and you’ll be taken to this screen. (It may look slightly different if you are using your phone instead of a computer, but it will contain the same information.) Make sure to select “MIRROR” here, because we need the design to cut backwards!
The design is already sized to be a perfect fit on a 12 oz mug, so you won’t need to make any changes.
Step 2: Load your machine and send the design to cut.
Place your favorite design/color Infusible Ink Transfer Sheet on a cutting mat and load it into your machine. Make sure to set the material to Infusible Ink in the app, then press Go to begin the cut.
Step 3: Weed your design.
Because we want the ink as a background and our design to be white, we want to weed so that we’re left with the negative image. That means removing each letter and the King George silhouette, and leaving the rest, including the centers of the “A”s and “D”s in place on the adhesive backing. It’s definitely helpful to use a weeding tool for this part, because the letters are small!
Step 4: Wrap your design around the mug and secure with heat resistant tape.
Make sure your mug is completely clean and free from dust, fingerprints, etc. Place the side with the ink right against the mug and wrap tightly. The design will not go all the way to the handle, but it is sized for the maximum area the mug press can heat.
Step 5: Place your mug in the press and let it work its magic!
First, you’ll need to plug in and preheat the mug press so that the light is green. Then, slide the mug in on the left and press down the lever on the top right side of the machine. The heating process will begin (and end) automatically. Wait for all of the lights at the top to be lit and for a beep to sound, which typically takes 5-6 minutes. Carefully remove the mug by the handle (do not touch any other part of it yet!) and sit it on a heat resistant surface to cool. I use the EasyPress mat.
Important: The mug will be VERY hot. Let it cool before attempting to remove the tape and paper or handling it.
Step 6: Remove the tape and paper, and enjoy your new mug!
Isn’t it fabulous the way the ink infuses right into the surface of the mug itself?
This process can be done with any design you like, so you can make all kinds of fun and personalized mugs that say anything at all! If you don’t have the mug press yet, you can still use the King George file with vinyl or other materials. What do you think? Are you ready to create this for yourself or a Hamil-fan in your life?
Make it here
I can’t wait to see how yours turns out and what other fun mugs you’ll create using the new Cricut Mug Press! Be sure to share your photos in the Amy Latta & Friends Facebook Group so we can all be inspired together. See you there!
Love these…King George is my favorite too…sooo funny!!!