Welcome to the step by step blog on how to apply adhesive vinyl. We are going to show you the basics of prepping the vinyl, Taping, and applying it to your project. For this project we are going to be focusing on our Gold Chrome Metalized Adhesive Vinyl.

So lets get you started.

To begin adding our personal message to our family frame, we need a fun font. There are several to choose from in the Silhouette Design Store as well as on other formats.

Lets choose something whimsically, like Magnolia Sky, it gives a fun flair to any project.

Sizing your image or font to the desired size is simple. You can either manually set the dimensions by height and width, or just click and drag from the bottom right-hand box until it measures to your desired size.

When it comes to any text or image that will over lap, you will want to perform what is called a WELD, this will conjoin overlapping images so that when the blade cuts it does not cut one into another.

To perform this action, simply select your image, right click and scroll down to weld.

Apply your Adhesive Vinyl to the sticky mat, by lining the edge of the vinyl with the top of the grid on the cutting mat, with the color-side up.

Then smooth down the whole piece of vinyl, making sure there are no air bubbles to get in the way of your blade.

You are now ready to load into your machine.

Now that you have your mat prepared and loaded into the machine. Star by selecting your Tool, we are working with a Silhouette Premium Blade in Tool 1, so we need to make sure and change it from its default (Auto-blade) to Ratchet Blade.

You will then select your action: You wan to cut this, and when cut is selected the image will highlight in Red.

Then select your cut settings. Silhouette will have some pre-set settings, but that is for their product and does not work well with ours, so we have already done the work for you, just check out our cut settings chart, for further information on cutting and test cuts. Make sure that your mat is turned on since we are using a mat with this cut.

We are using our Silhouette Cameo today and recommend... Blade: 2   Force:7 Speed: 5

(TIP:For smaller intricate cuts, slow your speed down)

To load the mat, line up the left hand side of the mat with the grey arrows/line. While holding the mat up to the rollers select the load option.

This may appear different depending upon the machine you are working with. We are working with the Silhouette Cameo 3 today so the load and unload icons are located on the digital LCD Touch panel, and will glow when the machine is turned on.

Apply your Adhesive Vinyl to the sticky mat, by lining the edge of the vinyl with the top of the grid on the cutting mat, with the color-side up.

Then smooth down the whole piece of vinyl, making sure there are no air bubbles to get in the way of your blade.

You are now ready to load into your machine.

Once your image has successfully cut out and you've unload the mat from your cutting machine, you will then want to remove the vinyl from the sticky mat.

To safely do so, without rippling or curling your vinyl, simply flip the mat over, and peel your mat away from your vinyl.

This is probably the funnest part. You are now going to weed away the excess vinyl that you do not need.

We like to use our Siser weeding tools, they have a nice sharp point and a rubber grip handle which makes weeding a breeze and it wont cramp your hand up. If you do not have one yet, using your exact-o knife or box knife will work as well

Starting from the corner and work your way over slowly until all the unwanted pieces are gone, showing your fun image.

Now that you have all the excess pieces weeded away, you are going to apply your transfer tape. We are using our Paper Blue-Grid Transfer Tape for this project, but we have several other Transfer Tapes to choose from.

Start by cutting a piece to the size of your image and begin with one side of the vinyl and rub the Transfer Tape until it is all down and smooth.

(TIP: Transfer Tape is only needed for Adhesive Vinyl projects)

Now that the vinyl has been burnished; slowly peel up the transfer tape to lift and expose the adhesive on the backside of the vinyl.

(TIP: If your Transfer Tape does not want to lift up the vinyl, rub it some more, and try flipping the vinyl over and remove the paper backing)

Start by positioning the vinyl in your desired location on your frame. The Grid Transfer Tape is a great way to visually line images up straight.

(TIP: Before applying adhesive vinyl, clean the surface of your mug with soapy water and or rubbing alcohol)

Now that your vinyl has had a burnishing to adhere the vinyl to the glass surface, simply remove the Transfer Tape to expose your finished work of art.

(TIP: If the vinyl wants to lift with the tape, give is a little more rubbing to really adhere the adhesive to the glass surface)

See how simple and easy applying Adhesive Vinyl to a fun project can be, now let your creative mind run wild and check out all of our other fun adhesive vinyls in Permanents and Removables and some fun finishes as well.