So I guess shrinking plastic is an oldie but a goodie craft, but I myself have never used it let alone heard of it until Silhouette created their own brand of Shrink Plastic Sheets. I guess I’ve been living under a rock or something because this stuff is amazing!
Supplies Needed
- Silhouette CAMEO®
- Silhouette Shrink Plastic Sheets (white)
- Printer
- Oven
- Metal Baking Sheet
- Wax Paper
- Embroidery Hoop
- Various Yarns And Trims
- Scissors
- Hot Glue Gun
First off, I had to choose my designs for my boho baby mobile and lucky for me Silhouette Studio® has thousands of beautiful “Print & Cut” files. So to keep with the hippie vibe I picked a cute feather by American Crafts (Design ID #183178) and of course some adorable cactus tags by Amy Robison (Design ID #181693).
Remember these will shrink significantly ,so you want them to be large so it’s okay to use multiple sheets to spread out the designs. Don’t forget to turn on your registration marks before you print the sheets on your printer.
If you’re new to the “Print & Cut” feature you can also click here for a step by step instructions.
Once you have your shrink plastic sheets printed, place it onto your cutting mat, and load it onto your Silhouette CAMEO®.
Shrink plastic should be on your material list on your Cut Settings and if you don’t see it then it’s time to update your software. I also ‘Double Cut’ my design. (Actually, I double cut every project I run through my Silhouette machine, just to make sure.)
The instructions say to preheat your oven at 325 degrees. Although it doesn’t say you have to put wax paper on your baking pan, it was my personal preference. It really does not take long for them to shrink so make sure you stay and watch so you don’t burn your design. You can find all the baking instructions on the Silhouette Shrink Plastic package.
Once it shrinks down to size, the graphics are much sharper and the colors are more vibrant. I guarantee you will not be disappointed.
What do you want to make with the new Silhouette Shrink Plastic?
Kelly Wayment
April 27, 2017
This is such a clever way to use shrink plastic, Kathi! I’ve made a few mobiles in my day, and now I know what material I want to use for my next one. 😀
Kathi Arbiso
May 25, 2017
You’re so sweet, Kelly! Thank you
A
June 21, 2017
The instructions say to be sure to print on the right side, but doesn’t say which side is the right side. And I don’t have “Shrink Plastic” as a material option, but when I try to update it says there are no updates available. So frustrating!
Sierra Dungan
June 22, 2017
If you are using the clear shrink plastic, print on the smooth side. For the white shrink plastic, print on the non-glossy side. If you have Version 4 of Silhouette Studio (which you can download here: https://www.silhouetteamerica.com/software), you should have a Shrink Plastic option for material, but I’ve found that a setting that works for me is Blade 5, Speed 1, Thickness 33 + double cut.