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If you’ve been having a hard time finding the perfect Father’s Day gift this year, look no further than this FREE Super Dad SVG File to help you make something he will love to get.
Today I’m going to share with you how you can make this Super Dad mug gift for a Father’s Day gift, but know that you can use this design on so many other things as well and he will love those too!
WANT TO SAVE THIS FREE SUPER DAD SVG FILE FOR LATER? SAVE IT TO YOUR FAVORITE BOARD ON PINTEREST.
Putting vinyl on mugs is very easy, and because mugs are not very big, you will not need a lot of vinyl for this project. So feel free to to dig into your vinyl scraps stash for this one.
Also know that this design can be resized and sit it can go on many more things besides mugs. I think this design would be great on a shirt that dad can wear on Father’s Day.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO MAKE THIS FATHER’S DAY MUG
1. A Blank Mug. I usually pick up my mugs at the Dollar Tree since they have lots of mug types available for around a $1, but this mug that you see in the photo is called a “camper mug”. You can find mugs like this on Amazon.
2. Black Permanent Vinyl. I like to use the Oracal 651 brand of vinyl, and you’ll really only need a very small amount, so if you have some in your scraps stash, feel free to use that. Otherwise I usually will pick up a sheet of vinyl at Michaels for very cheap.
3. Clear Transfer Tape. You’ll want to make sure that it’s not too sticky to ensure that it released the vinyl onto the mug without much work on your end. I like to use leftover transfer tape from previous projects.
4. Rubbing Alcohol and a cotton ball. In order for permanent vinyl to really adhere itself to the mug you’ll want to make sure to rub it with alcohol all over and allowing it to dry before you begin. This will remove any debris that might prevent the vinyl from sticking to it long term. Don’t skip this.
5. Your Cricut cutting machine with Design Space readily available.
6. This FREE Super Dad Svg File which you can download at the bottom of this post.
LET’S MAKE A DIY FATHER’S DAY MUG WITH CRICUT
Before we begin cutting the vinyl quote, you’ll want to make sure to measure the length and width of the spot on your mug where you’ll be placing the design.
Doing this will allow you to not cut the design too big that it wraps around, or even worse doesn’t fit the mug at all height wise. Ideally you want it to be shown clearly on a single side with some space to spare on both the top and bottom.
To measure I like to use a measuring tape or even just hovering a Cricut mat over the hammer will work. Just count how many “squares” from your mat you’ll need to size your design to be.
STEP 1
Let’s get started!
Go ahead and upload the FREE Super Dad Svg File to Design Space.
Then you will resize it according to the measurements for your mug. To do this just select the design and then enter the length and width you got when you measured the mug area for the design.
Once you’ve got the design measured out correctly, you’ll want to make sure that you “attach” it together. This will make it so that it cuts out in the same way that it is meant to be applied.
If you don’t do this, you’ll end up with all the pieces or elements of this design being spread out on your mat in a way to help you save the most vinyl, according to Cricut.
STEP 2
Let’s cut it now.
Since you’re working with permanent vinyl you do not have to mirror your design when you send it to cut.
I usually like to use the premium vinyl material setting to get a good cut on my vinyl.
Once your machine has finished cutting the design, you will want to cut around the letters closely, and weed out the excess vinyl leaving just the design itself to apply to your mug.
STEP 3
And now we can apply transfer tape to our design and place it on the mug.
If you’re having a hard time getting the design to curve to the shape of the mug, a trick I learned was to cut slits using your scissors around the edges of the transfer paper to help it be more flexible.
Go slow and start from the middle and then go outwards when applying it.
And viola, you’ve completed this super easy Father’s Day mug gift for dad!
MORE TIPS FOR APPLYING VINYL TO MUGS
1. Make sure you don’t leave any air bubbles after applying your vinyl to the mug. Not only does this look ugly, but it’s a super easy fix that will prevent the vinyl from lifting later. To fix air bubbles just apply some heat to the vinyl and press it down well. When this happens to me I usually just turn on my hair dryer and point it to the spot where I have the air bubbles and this will help them come out easily.
2. Let the vinyl cure on the mugs for at least 24 hours before touching it or washing it. This will allow the vinyl to really set and adhere permanently. To “cure” the vinyl all you literally need to do is set the mug somewhere and don’t touch it at all. Easy right? Seriously, don’t skip this step.
3. Never wash your mugs in the dishwasher and try to avoid using harsh sponges on the outside when you wash them in the sink. Although you’re working with “permanent vinyl”, and washing your mug in a dishwasher might not be the end of it, it certainly will shorten it’s life; trust me on this one.
I HAVE MORE FATHER’S DAY FREEBIES FOR YOU!
Download even more FREE Father’s Day SVG Files Here.
QUICK NOTE
You can use this design for personal and commercial use. If you’d like to share it with your friends (I’d LOVE THIS!), I do ask that you just link them to this post and help support my website. Also, please don’t upload it to a print on demand (POD) website, or send it for mass production.
I have a quick favor to ask. Before you download this freebie, please JOIN the Facebook Group (CLICK HERE), and if you can, please PIN one of the images above.
Thank you so much for your support, and if you make anything with this design, tag me @PerfectStylishCuts, I love seeing your makes.
DOWNLOAD THE FREE SUPER DAD SVG CUT FILE HERE