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Slide 002: Cutting, Weeding, and Preparing HTV for Pressing

Slide Visual

Cutting, Weeding, and Preparing HTV for Pressing

Slide Overview

This slide covers the complete HTV cutting workflow from design mirroring through weeding and preparation for the heat press, with emphasis on the critical differences from adhesive vinyl workflow.

Instruction Notes

HTV Cutting Workflow — Key Differences from Adhesive Vinyl

The HTV workflow differs from adhesive vinyl in three critical ways: 1. Mirror the design before cutting (adhesive vinyl: do not mirror) 2. Material orientation: Carrier sheet (shiny side) faces DOWN on the mat; blade cuts the vinyl (dull) side from the top 3. Weeding direction: Remove waste vinyl from the carrier sheet, leaving the design on the carrier (opposite of adhesive vinyl where design stays on the backing)

Step-by-Step Cutting Procedure

  1. Design preparation: Open the design in software. Enable "Mirror" or "Flip Horizontal." This is mandatory for all text and asymmetric designs. Symmetric designs (circles, centered graphics) do not technically need mirroring but should be mirrored as standard practice to build the habit.

  2. Material loading: Place the HTV on the cutting mat with the shiny carrier sheet against the mat (sticky side of mat contacts the carrier). The dull vinyl side faces up. Some HTV types (like Siser EasyWeed) have the brand name printed on the carrier side—this goes down.

  3. Cut settings: Select the HTV preset in your software, or manually set:

  4. Standard HTV: 45° blade, 120-150 gf, medium speed
  5. Glitter HTV: 60° blade, 200-250 gf, slow speed, possible double-pass

  6. Flock HTV: 45° blade, 150-180 gf, slow speed

  7. Test cut: Always test before cutting the full design. The blade should cut completely through the vinyl but NOT through the carrier sheet below. This is a kiss cut through the vinyl, stopping at the carrier.

  8. Cut the design: Send the full (mirrored) design to the cutter.

Weeding HTV

HTV weeding removes the waste vinyl, leaving only the design elements on the carrier sheet.

Technique: 1. Unload the mat. Remove the HTV sheet from the mat. 2. Begin at a corner. Use the weeding hook to lift waste vinyl from the carrier. 3. Pull waste away slowly at a low angle. 4. For intricate designs, weed inside-out: start with interior waste (letter counters, small cutouts) before removing large surrounding waste areas. 5. Use a light pad to verify all waste is removed. 6. The finished result: design elements sitting on the clear/translucent carrier sheet, ready for pressing.

Pre-Press Preparation

Before pressing, verify: - [ ] Design is mirrored (readable when looking at the vinyl side through the carrier) - [ ] All waste is weeded - [ ] Design is trimmed to size (cut the carrier sheet to remove excess) - [ ] Garment is pre-pressed (5 seconds at temperature to remove moisture and wrinkles) - [ ] Design placement is planned (use a ruler or template to center the design on the garment)

Placement Guide for Common Garments

Garment Placement Reference
Adult T-shirt (chest) 3-4" below the collar, centered Fold shirt in half to find center
Youth T-shirt (chest) 2-3" below the collar, centered Same method, smaller offset
Left chest logo 7-9" from collar, 4" from center Use HTV placement ruler
Tote bag Centered, 3" from bottom Cardboard insert inside to prevent bleed-through

Key Talking Points

  • MIRROR EVERY HTV DESIGN. Make it a checklist item, not a memory task.
  • Carrier sheet down, vinyl up—the opposite of how it looks when applied
  • Pre-press the garment—wrinkles and moisture cause adhesion failures
  • Trimming excess carrier prevents accidental adhesive marks on the garment

Learning Objectives (Concept Check)

  • Can students correctly orient HTV on the cutting mat?
  • Can students explain why mirroring is mandatory?
  • Can students weed an HTV design cleanly on the carrier sheet?

Last Updated: 2026-03-19