DIY Mugs with Initials Using Cricut Mug Press

Learn how to create fun, personalized DIY mugs with initials using the Cricut Mug Press!

DIY Monogrammed Mugs with Cricut Mug Press

A huge thanks to Cricut for sponsoring this post! My favorable opinion of genius crafting tools that are easy to use and create beautiful end products is 100% my own. This post includes affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here.

I have always been close with my family. I just have one sister, Brittany, and she and I are fortunate to have wonderful parents that we adore.

Until about 4 months ago, Brittany (and her husband and two sweet little girls) had lived next door to my parents, only a little over an hour away from us, and we saw them all the time.

But Brittany’s talented sports writer husband got a job in Tampa, Florida, and they moved there with their girls in December. They have been enjoying the endless sunshine while the rest of us freeze in the snow up here in Pennsylvania. Their life is rough. 😉

Though we text and FaceTime often, we definitely miss seeing each other frequently. So when I had the opportunity to try out Cricut’s brand new Mug Press (which officially goes on sale today– woohoo!), I decided to make Brittany, my mom, and myself coordinating mugs with initials so we could all grab our favorite hot beverage and “hang out” from afar while feeling just a little bit closer together.

(Dad, I love you too, but I didn’t think you’d appreciate this very girly mug design. I will make you your own very manly mug sometime soon, I promise. 😉 )

How to Make DIY Monogrammed Mugs with Cricut Mug Press

Step 1- Gather your supplies.

Here’s what I used to create my DIY mugs:

Supplies for creating DIY mugs with initials using Cricut Mug Press

Cricut Explore Cutting Machine (A Cricut Maker or Cricut Joy would also work.)
EasyPress Mat
Cricut Mug Press
Infusible Ink Transfer Sheets (Perfectly sized for Mug Press projects!)
Cutting Mat
Cricut Mugs (I used 15 ounce mugs.)
Lint Roller
Weeding Tool

Step 2- Create your design for mugs with initials in Cricut Design space.

When coming up with my design, I found it easiest to start with Design Space image #M1AA0BE8D to ensure that my pieces would fit perfectly onto the mug. (You can also use Design Space image #M167B83B5 for Cricut’s 12 ounce mugs.)

Template for 15 ounce mug in Cricut Design Space

If you are a Cricut user, you can get the exact design I used in Design Space here.

Design for mugs with initials in Cricut Design Space

Before I cut the design, I make sure to highlight all of the elements of my mug design (including the template), right click, and choose “Attach.” This makes all of the elements remain together when I go to cut the design, so their positioning will stay the way I have it set up in Design Space.

Using the Attach feature in Cricut Design Space

Step 3- Cut the monogram design.

Once my design is ready to go, I click “Make It” in Design Space.

In the cut screen, I hit the “Mirror” button. This will reverse the design, so it will be cut out backwards. But when I put it on my mug, it will be facing the correct way, I promise!

Using the Mirror feature in Cricut Design Space

On my Cricut Explore machine, I turn the dial to “Custom,” which opens up some new settings on my screen. I want to choose “Infusible Ink Transfer Sheet” as my material.

Choosing the base material in Cricut Design Space

I make sure my transfer sheet is perfectly positioned on my cutting mat…

Cricut Infusible Ink Transfer Sheet on cutting mat

Load the mat into the machine…

Cricut Infusible Ink Transfer Sheet on cutting mat going into Cricut Explore

And then I push the button with the Cricut logo to tell the machine to start cutting out my design.

Step 4- Weed the design for mugs with initials.

Once my design is cut, I want to weed it, removing any of the Infusible Ink transfer sheet that I don’t want as part of my design.

When I’m finished weeding, my design looks like this:

I know it still looks backwards, but it will end up facing the correct way once applied to the mug!

Step 5- Remove any lint and debris from the mug.

This is an important step! I use a lint roller over the entire outer surface of the mug to make sure any dust or lint has been removed.

If there is dust or any kind of debris on the mug when I apply the Infusible Ink, it will not stick to that part of the surface, and I will be left with a hole or mark in my design.

Note: I am using Cricut brand mug blanks for this project. The Mug Press requires a straight-walled mug that is between 11 and 16 ounces in size. The mug also needs to have a special coating that will allow the Infusible Ink to adhere to it. Cricut’s mugs are guaranteed to work correctly with Infusible Ink, so they are the best choice for these types of projects.

Step 6- Place Infusible Ink transfer sheet on the mug.

When I’m sure my mug is lint free, I can wrap the Infusible Ink design around the outside of the mug. I try to make it as straight and as flat as possible!

Cricut infusible ink design wrapped around white mug

If the transfer sheet is having trouble sticking to the mug, I will use heat resistant tape to help it. The stickiness of the transfer sheet was enough for this project, so I didn’t end up needing the tape.

Step 7- Place the mug into the Mug Press!

Now for the fun part– the Mug Press!

I was blown away by how easy the Mug Press was to use. I simply put the mug into the pre-heated machine and press down on the button on the top right. The Mug Press automatically regulates the temperature and time itself, so I don’t need to mess with any settings!

Note: The Mug Press won’t work the first time you use it until you’ve registered your machine by using the included USB cord to hook it up to your computer and go through the registration process. So if the machine doesn’t seem to be working the first time, you probably haven’t registered it yet!

The average time it takes to press a mug is about six minutes. The Mug Press beeps to let me know when it’s finished. I can then flip up the button and remove the mug by the handle. (Be careful. The other parts of the mug will be hot.) I then set the mug on the EasyPress mat to cool.

Note: The outer plastic shell of the Mug Press will stay cool and safe to touch, even when the press is working on a mug! You’ll just want to make sure you don’t touch the mint/silver heat plates– that is the part that will be hot. The machine also has an auto shut off feature for safety, in case you would forget to turn it off when you’re finished pressing the mug.

Step 8- Remove the Infusible Ink Transfer Sheet.

After the mug has cooled down (about 10-15 minutes), it is safe to remove the transfer sheet and reveal our beautiful design!

Peeling infusible ink transfer sheet off of monogrammed mug

With Infusible Ink, the design always ends up looking much more saturated and colorful once the heat has been applied– gorgeous!

One of the HUGE benefits of using the Infusible Ink/Mug Press combo rather than vinyl is that the Infusible Ink actually becomes part of the mug. Vinyl sits on top of the mug’s surface and can therefore be prone to peeling or cracking. Since Infusible Ink becomes part of the mug, it doesn’t have those issues, AND it is dishwasher safe! Woot!

Step 9- Enjoy your stunning new mugs with initials!

I always feel intimidated by new projects, but the Mug Press process was seriously SO easy! They truly make it incredibly safe, simple, and so much fun!

DIY mugs with initials, made using the Cricut Mug Press

I’m really looking forward to having virtual coffee dates (well, hot chocolate for me!) with my mom and sister so that we can connect and stay in touch. And I may or may not be addicted and now want to make custom mugs with initials for everybody in my life! 🙂