DIY Motivational Soft Shell Jacket with EasyReflective® Heat Transfer Vinyl

Can you believe we’re halfway through January 2018?! Have you stayed strong on your New Years resolution? Or maybe your one of those whose motivation is fizzling. Either way this quick craft is sure to get you back on track! Especially if your resolution involves outdoor activity.

The sooner we get started the sooner you can keep crushing your new goals! Start by placing a sheet of EasyReflective® HTV on  the cutting mat. The shiny reflective side goes face down, so the duller gray side is face up. Load the cutting mat and make sure to mirror the artwork before sending it to cut. Our recommended cut settings for EasyReflective can be found here. However, keep in mind that the age and condition of your blade will effect your ideal cut settings, so don’t be afraid to make adjustments if necessary. A test cut can help you judge your settings without wasting a lot of vinyl. Click here for how to test cut on Cricut, here for Silhouette, and here for Brother machines.

After cutting, use your Siser® Weeder to peel away the excess vinyl around the artwork. EasyReflective is the only reflective HTV that comes on a pressure sensitive carrier (just like EasyWeed®!) So weeding is easy, and the little dots over the “i” are never lost!

After weeding, cut the clear carrier to separate the transfers and position them on the sleeve, so the message will lay across your wrists. Ensure you’re pressing on a smooth, flat area by positioning the transfer away from any seams or cuffs.

When using an iron to apply HTV, we usually recommend the “Cotton” setting which lingers around 300°F and is suitable for most Siser materials. However, sometimes fabric can be heat sensitive and react negatively to a high temperature. Don’t worry! You can still decorate those fabrics with a lower heat setting and longer pressing time. That’s exactly what I did after observing the shiny heat mark that was left behind after test pressing the inside cuff on the “Cotton” setting. I lowered the setting and continued test pressing until the iron produced no ill effects.

Once I found the ideal setting (Polyester) for this 100% polyester soft shell jacket, it’s time I get my EasyReflective on! Cover the sleeve and HTV with a heat transfer cover sheet then press for 10 seconds.

Use firm pressure and do your best to avoid pressing on top of seams which will prevent you from achieving proper pressure.

The “Cotton” iron setting left a heat mark behind during a test press on the inside cuff of this soft shell jacket.

Let the HTV rest for a moment and the carrier will peel off easily. If any portion lifts with the carrier instead of sticking to the fabric then re-cover and press for 5 seconds.

Now whenever you look down on your run, walk, bike ride, etc you’ll be reminded to keep going forward towards your goals.

Don’t give up on your goals or on reflective HTV! If you’ve tried other reflective heat transfer vinyl in the past, you may have been tripped up by the removable liner and static carrier, but EasyReflective has neither of those and is so simple I couldn’t resist adding a bit more to my jacket!

Is it just me, or do cute work out clothes make you want to work out more? Combine cute with motivational plus extra safety and I’d call that more than just a win-win! Keep moving forward closer to your goals whether they be fitness, business, or craft related!

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Have you made anything with EasyReflective? We’d love to see it! Tag us on social media with #SiserNA and we just might give you a shout out!