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I’m super excited to share a new product tutorial with you today! Chemica recently sent me a sample of their Magic Flex heat transfer material to share with Cutting for Business readers! Magic Flex has been available overseas, but is now being stocked in the USA. The material is a heat transfer that puffs up during application for a raised, 3D look. Let’s get to the tutorial.
Magic Flex Heat Transfer Tutorial:
- Create your design and do not mirror it. This bears repeating: Do NOT mirror your Magic Flex material. After cutting the design, you’ll weed it. I had no problems weeding the material. If you are using a Silhouette Cameo 3, I used my autoblade with the standard heat transfer vinyl setting (smooth) and I double cut the material. Here’s what it looks like weeded:
- You’l notice that there is no carrier sheet to transfer the vinyl to your apparel. Instead, you’ll need to use a heat resistant tape or paper like this one. Apply the tape.
- Now, remove the plastic backing so that your design is on the transfer tape or paper.
- You are ready to press using your heat press. I pressed for 30 seconds at 330 degrees using light pressure. You’ll want to be sure to peel the design while it is hot. In the photo below, you’ll see the Magic Flex on the left and regular heat transfer vinyl on the right.
- Here’s some photos of how the Magic Flex looks once applied:
- Here is the same design in regular heat transfer vinyl:
- Here is a side view so that you can see the puffiness:
Magic Flex by Chemica is available in white or black and can be purchased through any Chemica distributor. Special thanks to Amy from Chemica US for sending over a sample so that I can show everyone!
Do you dislike the snow, too? Download the SVG I created for this tutorial at this link. As always, feel free to use the file for commercial use, but you cannot sell the digital file. The font I used in the design can be found here.
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Hey Christine,
Thanks for the intro on this product. I was wondering how it holds up on laundering?
Have you tested? just curious.
I am going to order this and give it a try.
Looks promising. 🙂
I’ve washed another shirt with Magic Flex 3 or 4 times and it has held up fine. I hang dry rather than dry in the dryer. Hope that helps!
Hi, I have purchased a sample and want to give it a try. But, I do not have a heat press. Can I use a iron to heat up the transfer.
Hello! I’ll be honest, I’m not sure how well this will work with an iron. You need even pressure or it will puff more in certain places. If you want to try it with your iron, I would make the design smaller than your iron and press with light pressure (while not moving your iron around). Let me know if it works!
Super cool! I didn’t even know about Magic Flex. Now I need to get some!
Awesome!
Do you put the smooth side or the rough side down on the mat?
Put the plastic backing against the mat.
Christine,
Could you tell us what the settings would be for a Cameo 2?
Thanks in advance!!!
They’d probably be the same – smooth heat transfer material, double cut.
Do you know if you can layer Magic Flex with regular vinyl? I want to make a shirt with Jack Skellington wearing a graduuation cap. I thought the Magic Flex would be perfect for Jack’s image, but I’m not sure how the flat black vinyl would work layered on top.
No, you wouldn’t be able to layer anything on top of the Magic Flex. It’s a 3D material.