Cricut UV Color Changing Iron on HTV will take your summer from fun to fantastic. The Iron On vinyl is great if you’re a fan of hats and want to add a unique twist to your headwear collection! In this tutorial, you will learn how to create a UV activated color-changing hat using Cricut UV Activated Color Changing Iron-on (HTV). This innovative material is magical as it changes colors when exposed to UV light (the sun!). It is perfect for summer crafting!
In 2023, Cricut released a new line of super fun color-changing vinyl:
- Heat Activated Color Changing Permanent Vinyl
- Cold Activated Color Changing Permanent Vinyl
- UV-Activated Color Changing Iron-On
The UV-Activated Color Changing Iron-On is white when not in the sun. When UV light hits the Iron-on, it changes colors. The UV Activated Iron-on is available in a variety of colors, including pink, violet, blue, and yellow.
The color-changing HTV would be fun on many summer projects like can koozies and beach bags. We put it to the test by making a cute beach hat that will magically turn colors!
UV Color Changing Beach Hat
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The UV Activated Iron-On comes wrapped in black plastic in a white tube to protect it from UV rays.
The iron-on is white when it is inactivated. It will turn colors when it is in UV light or sunlight. It did start to change to a light shade of color from the sunlight coming through the windows. But it needs to be in direct UV light to get the full effect. That’s when the magic happens!
How to Use UV Activated Cricut Color Changing Iron-On
To make a hat using the UV Activated Color Changing Iron-on, you will need the following:
- Cricut UV Activated Color-Changing Iron-On in the color of your choice
- Hat of your choice
- Cricut cutting machine (such as a Cricut Joy or Cricut Explore Air)
- Cricut StandardGrip Mat
- Weeding tools
- Cricut Hat Press
- UV light source (can be a UV flashlight or natural sunlight)
Design Your Hat and Cut the UV Activated Vinyl
The first step is to choose a design for your hat. We used a design in Cricut Design Space. You can find this entire project in Design Space under my profile (Camille Gabel) or search for Beach Hat with Cricut UV Activated Color Changing Iron-On. Click “Make It” on the project.
Choose to load the vinyl on a mat. On the next screen, make sure to mirror the design. Click continue and on the next screen, click, “Browse all materials” and choose the UV Activated Color Changing Iron-On.
Trim the iron-on to the size you need to cut the design. Put the iron-on shiny side down onto a standard grip mat.
Load the mat into the Cricut machine and cut. Once the machine is done, unload the mat and weed the design.
Apply UV Activated Color Changing Iron-On to Your Hat
You will need a heat press to adhere the UV activated color changing HTV to the hat. We used the Cricut Hat Press to apply the color-changing vinyl onto the hat. We used a Cricut hat blank in a Cotton/Poly blend. Follow the directions here on How to Use the Cricut Hat Press. If you are not using a hat press, follow the directions for your heat press.
Activate the Color Changing Vinyl
Once the Iron-On is securely on your hat, it’s time to see it in action. In the total shade, the vinyl will be white. Here it is sitting next to a window, so it is a very pale pink.
Put it in bright sunshine, and the vinyl changes to a vibrant pink. Creating a color-changing hat using Cricut UV Activated Color Changing Iron-On will make heads turn all summer.