When Cricut launched the Cricut Hat Press, it became easier than ever to make your very own custom hat designs! And while I’ve already shown you lots of different ways to put designs on the front of a hat, today I want to show you how to create an all-over hat design with iron-on vinyl. This application isn’t complicated, but there are some tricks you need to know in order to get great results. Let me break it all down for you!

Red hat with stars all over it sitting next to Cricut Hat Press

Making Hats with Cricut Hat Press | Blog Series

This is the fourth post in my Cricut Hat Press series. Be sure to visit each tutorial in order to learn everything you need to know about making custom hats with Cricut Hat Press!

Hands using Cricut Hat Press on tan visor
Black-and-white Mom Hat made next to Cricut Hat Press
Two black trucker hats made with Cricut Hat Press & Infusible Ink Transfer Sheets
Bee You design on tan visor shown alongside Cricut Hat Press

Today’s project, an all-over hat design, takes a bit more work than the single design application. But the result is a charming pattern that can be easily customized with different designs, fabric colors, and heat transfer materials. Further, you can use this same concept on bucket hats, sun hats, visors, and other accessories for a look that is totally you!

Red hat with stars all over it

Supplies Needed

When making your own all-over hat design, here is what you will need:

Tabletop shot of supplies needed to make Cricut Hat

How to Make an All-Over Hat Design with the Cricut Hat Press

Step 1: Pick a “Decal” Design for Your Hat

Creating an “all over” design is nothing more than placing lots (and lots and lots) of the same iron-on “decal” all over a hat.

So start by creating a “New Project” in Cricut Design Space and picking a single “decal” design for your hat. You can use flowers, circles, stars, or any other cute icons, words, etc that you like.

While you can use multi-color designs, I caution you against it. The application process just for a single color can get tedious, so adding multiple colors will become quite time-consuming.

Once you select your decal shape, use a ruler on your hat to determine the best size. You can make your decals all the same size, or you can vary the sizes for a more organic look.

For my red star hat, I used solid and striped stars in three different sizes.

Step 2: Cut Out Hat Decals

Once you’ve landed on a decal design you love, next cut it out of iron-on vinyl/HTV in the color of your choice. If you need help cutting iron-on vinyl, see my comprehensive guide here: Iron-On Vinyl & Your Cricut | A Complete Guide

TIP! Not sure how many decals to cut? You can estimate by placing scraps of tape all over your hat in the arrangement you think you want. Then you can always cut more as needed once you actually start taping them in place.

Hand loading Cricut mat into Cricut Maker 3

Step 3: Prepare Hat Decals

Next, use a weeding tool to remove all the excess vinyl from around the decals. Once weeded, all the decals should still be adhered to a single clear plastic carrier sheet.

Hands weeding stars from iron-on vinyl

So that you can easily apply the decals all over your hat, cut all the decals apart from each other using a scissors. When done, you should have lots (and lots) of individual decals still adhered to their own clear plastic carrier sheet.

Stars cut from red iron-on vinyl on top of a white table

Step 5: Prepare Hat

Before applying the decals to the hat, place the included Cricut Hat Pressing Form into the hat, and adjust the strap (on the hat) so it sits perfectly smooth over the entire form and creates an ideal pressing surface. Be sure all tags, loose threads, and other debris are removed with a lint roller before proceeding.

If you need help with the hat form, see more here: All About Cricut Hat Press | Unboxing, Review & FAQs

Cricut hat form inside a red baseball cap

Step 6: Secure Decals to Hat with Tape

Next, place the decals all over the hat, including down the front, around to the back, and across the bill of the hat. I wish I could say that the clear carrier liner is sticky enough to hold the decals in place, but it is not. So once you identify their right location, you must use Strong Heat Resistant Tape, and LOTS of it, to hold each decal in place.

Trust me here when I say: you can’t use too much tape to hold each decal in place.

I recommend avoiding seams and creases whenever possible. And as you place, constantly rotate the hat around to ensure you have an even spread of decals.

Red iron-on stars taped all over a red baseball cap

Step 7: Adhere Decals to Hat with Cricut Hat Press

With your hat ready for pressing, it’s time to setup the Cricut Hat Press. Use the Cricut Heat App on your mobile device to identify the proper temperature settings for your specific hat base material and the iron-on/HTV you selected.

Hand holding iPhone using Cricut Heat App

Once the Cricut Hat Press is ready, firmly and slowly move its curved heat plate over the entire hat in a smooth, steady motion.

Hand holding Cricut Hat Press on top of red hat with iron-on design all over it

Remember when working with the Cricut Hat Press, you don’t ever want to hold it “still.” Use constant motion in all directions and with medium pressure, over and over and over, in order to fully adhere the decals to the hat.

Hand holding Cricut Hat Press on top of red hat with iron-on design all over it

It’s important to note that because of the constant motion required by the press, adhering the decals will take much longer than a usual (flat) iron-on application. For this specific application, you can ignore the precise time recommendation made by the app/press. Just keep going over and over each decal until they are fully adhered.

Important!

If you find the ceramic heat plate on the Cricut Hat Press continuously “tripping” over all the plastic edges of each decal (preventing you from getting a nice, smooth, firm press) or your decals just won’t adhere, I highly recommend covering the hat in a single sheet of butcher paper as you press.

Hand holding Cricut Hat Press on top of red hat with iron-on design all over it

Adding this extra layer will extend your heat time even more, but I found I was able to apply better, smoother, and more-even pressure once I added the paper (and I wish I had used the paper from the very beginning.)

Step 8: Remove the Clear Carrier Sheets

When the iron-on decals are fully adhered to your hat, place the press back into the safety base.

Once the decals are completely cool to the touch, you can remove each plastic carrier sheet covering the decals. If at any time, you find that a decal isn’t adhered fully, re-cover the hat with butcher paper (to protect the already-exposed HTV decals), and re-heat as needed.

Hands peeling away plastic carrier sheet off red stars on red hat

Once all the carrier sheets are removed, your adorable, custom, and totally unique hat is ready to wear!

Red hat with stars all over it sitting next to Cricut Hat Press

More Great Cricut Heat Projects!

Read to do more fun Cricut projects and crafts with heat-transfer applications? Here are some other great tutorials to try next!

DIY Memory Game with colorful animal faces and a drawstring tote bag
Blue, white, and black coasters made with Infusible Ink Transfer Sheets
Grey custom bolster pillow made with Cricut Smart Iron-on on a white bed against a blue wall
Tiny toy storage bags labeled with iron-on vinyl using a Cricut.
Split monogram mugs in blue, green and orange
Wood slice ornaments decorated with red Cricut iron-on vinyl

This red star all-over hat design might be my favorite one I’ve made with my Cricut Hat Press so far, and I can’t wait to wear it for the Fourth of July!

Now that warmer and sunnier weather is here, it’s a great time to pull our your hat press and make a fun new hat for the season! What cute decals would you put on it?

See You Soon!
Megan