I’ve been using adhesive vinyl for over two years, but I remember when I first got my Cricut Explore. I was so confused about what Vinyl Transfer Tape is and how to use it. I’m going to show you my favorite transfer tape by Expressions Vinyl.

This post is sponsored by Expressions Vinyl. All opinions are my own. This post also contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking one of these links I will receive a commission.

It sure does make vinyl projects easier, and after you do it the first time, you’ll think, “Ooooh that makes sense!”

This video will show you how to weed your design and apply it to your surface, solving the mystery of how to use Transfer Tape.

There are different types of transfer tape that you can use with the Cricut and Silhoutte, but my favorite is Gridlined Clear Transfer Tape from Expressions Vinyl. Being able to see through the Transfer Tape is a huge bonus for getting the placement perfect on my Cricut Vinyl Projects. The grid line tape is great for lining up words.

Transfer Tape Instructions

After you cut your adhesive vinyl, it will look like this. Depending on the color, it may or may not be difficult to see the cut lines.

Weed out all of the vinyl that you don’t need. This cut was small and easy to weed, but you may need a Cricut Picking Tool or an X-acto knife to lift the vinyl from the backing. Take out the centers of any letters or designs that you don’t want on your finished project.

Here is my finished name after I have weeded all of the excess vinyl.

Cut a piece of Transfer tape so that it fits over your design. Line up your design with the grid lines on the Gridlined Transfer Tape by Expressions Vinyl. The font that I used for the name was uneven at the bottom, and I had trouble getting it lined up.

Use the scraper tool or a credit card, to go over your design so that they Transfer Tape sticks to it.

Slowly peel off the Transfer Tape, pulling the design off with it. If you have spots that stick to the backing, you may need to use your pick tool to coax it off.

Line up your design onto your surface. For this water bottle, I held it between my knees while I was sitting, so that I could line it up properly.

Use the Scraper Tool again to get your design stuck to the surface.

Slowly peel off the Transfer Tape, leaving your design attach to the surface of your project. Pulling straight back, as shown in the photo will give you better results than pulling the transfer tape toward you.

I rub my finger over my finished design to make sure everything is down and to get rid of any bubbles.

Here are some tips for using Vinyl Transfer Tape:

You only need transfer tape for adhesive vinyl NOT for Heat Transfer Vinyl.
Transfer Tape is sometimes called Application Tape or Transfer Paper.
You buy Transfer Tape on a roll.
Store Transfer Tape out of extreme temperatures.
Cut the vinyl transfer tape to the size that you need instead of using large pieces.
Depending on your project, you may be able to use a piece of transfer tape more than once.

Here are some of the Cricut Explore and Cricut Maker Projects where I’ve used Transfer Tape.