Bonded Fabric and Your Cricut
With my new Cricut Maker, I can now cut fabric. One great way of incorporating fabric into your project is by turning it into bonded fabric.
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Cutting fabric with your Cricut opens up a whole new world of possibilities. But cutting fabric on your Cricut can be tricky – even with the new Cricut Maker which cuts fabric. Bonded fabric is perhaps the easiest way to cut fabric.
Thnk of bonded fabric as patterned HTV. Now you can purchase patterned HTV. I have a post all about patterned HTV. But sometimes you can’t find or get the exact pattern you want. Bonded fabric is a no-sew application of fabric to your project.
With the help of my Maker, I can cut pretty much any shape and then apply it to another surface, just like HTV. Only, it doesn’t require any sewing or glueing by hand. It’s really easy to do and there are just so many applications. You can turn any fabric into an applique.
What is it?
Bonded fabric is a fabric that has a double-sided adhesive attached to it. One side is attached to the fabric and the other side also has adhesive and will attach to something else. Bonded fabric allows you to attach fabric to other fabric without sewing or glueing.
How do you Make Bonded Fabric?
Virtually any fabric can be made into bonded fabric. I’ve tried various kinds of cotton (flannels and quilting fabrics) with great success. Bonded Fabric can easily be achieved with a product such as Heat and Bond.
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Heat & Bond
Heat and Bond comes in a package with a rubbery adhesive side on one side and paper backing on the other.
Using good a piece of the Heat and Bond that is slightly larger than your graphic. This will allow you for some wiggle room in case of error.
Put the rubbery adhesive side on the WRONG side of the fabric. Press according to the manufacturer’s directions – generally just a few seconds. It can either be pressed with an iron, a Cricut Easy Press or even your heat press.
Once fused, it will be 1 piece. This will make it easier to cut – you don’t have to worry about 2 separate pieces now.
Remove the paper backing so that it can now be cut to the specific shape that you want on your Cricut. You will see the plasticky, shiny bond stuff on it.
How to Cut Bonded Fabric on the Cricut
The Cricut Explore Air 2 has a bonded fabric setting. I haven’t personally used it, but I have read about others who have had good results. Be sure to place the fabric good side up (the adhesive side or the Heat and Bond side down – touching the mat).
The Cricut Maker has a bonded fabric setting as well. The Cricut Maker even has a special bonded fabric cutting blade. It is sold as an extra blade, but I found that I didn’t need it. I used the rotary blade that came with my machine instead and it worked fine.
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Similarly, on the Cricut Maker, place the fabric with the good side up. I used my pink mat, intended for fabric. I bet a green, medium grip mat would work too. Load your rotary blade into the Cricut if it’s not there already. Once you give the Maker the go-ahead to cut, it’ll stop and ask you for the bonded fabric blade – you can choose another blade instead. As mentioned, I used the rotary blade.
Once cut, weed off all the excess fabric and carefully lift off your cut graphic. The letter ‘y’ is with the fabric face up. The letter ‘o’ is with the bonded side up – you can kind of see the shiny Heat and Bond.
Applying the Bonded Fabric
Apply the cut graphic according to the manufacturer’s instructions – generally around 5-6 seconds. Again this can be done with a home iron, the Cricut Easy Press or your heat press. When in doubt, err on the side of too little time (just a couple of seconds) as you can always press again. You don’t want to burn your fabric.
Be careful of patterns on your fabric in terms of alignment. Do you see how my buffalo plaid has those lines? Well, in the first round of making this banner I had the letter ‘o’ and the letter ‘y’ placed crookedly! Oops – lesson learned….crafting fail. Learn from my mistake!
What Are the Applications?
So what can you do with bonded fabric? I have seen many applications for applying fabric to other types of fabric – shirts, pillows and banners. Basically, anything that one might use patterned HTV on, could potentially be made with this type of fabric.
As mentioned, this of this as patterned HTV. I did the exact same Christmas banner – one in patterned HTV and the other using bonded fabric. Check out that post here. I must say that I prefer the bonded fabric over the patterned HTV as the colours are more vibrant. For my bonded fabric I used flannel, it also has that nice soft feel to it.
Just in terms of banners alone, I can think of so many applications – banners for special occasions like baby showers or wedding showers and banners for holidays other than Christmas. I can’t wait to try some more.
I love how perfectly my Cricut Maker cut the letters and how it’s stuck on so nicely and securely. Did I mention – the ends won’t fray either! The bonding adhesive keeps everything down. I can’t wait to make more things with bonded fabric.
Other Cricut Projects Involving Fabric
Be sure to check out these other great sewing patterns!
what type bonding paper do i use?
Hi. I use HeatnBond UltraHold Iron-On Adhesive.
https://amzn.to/2S3KvKg
Big help! My Maker said to “mirror” and cut bonded up; disaster! Def do not think the bonded needle works better. Rotary for sure. I did have to set for a heavier fabric to get the cuts, cotton bonded did not work. Used denim/canvas bonded. I personally like the lighter bonding. THX for this info!!!
Yes – I cut with the bonded side down on the mat. The rotary cutter was perfectly fine. Glad this helped you.
Do you take the backing paper off before cutting?
Hello! Apply the Heat and Bond to your fabric. BEFORE cutting the desired shape with your Cricut, remove the white paper.
Sorry – I believe I told you the opposite previously. Sorry for the confusion.
Hi! You mention that you remove the paper backing so it is ready for the Cricut Maker. But in your reply to Eleanor Matthews above, you say that you leave your backing paper on until ready to apply. That would mean you cut through the fabric and paper backing with the Maker first, then peel off the paper after cutting when you are ready to apply it to fabric. I am confused. Please clarify.
Hello! Sorry for the confusion. That is my error – thank you for catching that. Once the Heat and Bond is applied to the fabric, and BEFORE you cut it with the Cricut, remove the white, paper backing. Then you cut it and then you apply. I’ll fix that response right now.
That said, if you sent it thru your Cricut with the white paper on, it wouldn’t harm it. It may or may not cut all the way through. If I Had forgotten, I could remove the white paper after cutting out the shape with the Cricut.
Thanks for this! I found out the hard way (before reading this) that if you leave the paper on it wants to stay in the mat. Was a pain to peel off!
Thank you for this detailed post. I have been contemplating buying an easy press but want it more for appliqueing fabric of my choice on fabric but didn’t know if i could use it for that. Your article tells me all I need to know. Thanks again!
That’s great. I can see the Easy Press being very helpful for applique.
Thank you for your post. I cut felt shapes for appliques, but I forgot to add the heat and bond. Can I cut the heat and bond separately? If yes, what setting, and blade should I use with my Cricut Maker?
I think it may be best to trace your shapes on to the heat and bond and then cut them out with scissors. I’ve never cut the heat and bond on its own. It’s quite thin. You could try a vinyl setting.