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Learn how to make this Flower Badge Reel using faux leather and your Cricut!

This flower badge reel is the perfect accessory for any work uniform this Spring!

You can make this project with any of the Cricut Maker, Explore, or Joy machines with just the regular fine point blade.

The SVG file is available in my shop if you want to make this project!

Ready to get started with this beginner friendly Spring Cricut craft tutorial?

Let’s dive into the materials and steps!

Step 1: Get the SVG Template

Step 2: Shop the Supplies

This page contains some affiliate links (which means if you make a purchase after clicking a link, I will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you). Read my full disclosure policy here.

Compatible Machines✅: Cricut Maker, Cricut Maker 3, Cricut Maker 4, Cricut Explore Air 2, Cricut Explore 3, Cricut Explore 4, Cricut Explore 5, Cricut Joy Xtra, Cricut Joy
Not Compatible Machines❌: none
Blade Used: Standard Fine Point Blade
Cut Setting Used✂️: Faux Leather (Paper Thin) with “More” pressure

• Faux Leather & Heat Transfer Vinyl
  • You can use any faux leather and HTV you’d like! I bought 9×12 inch size, Portrait Orientation, Regular Scaling for all prints below.
    • Large Polka Dot Prints: Purple Watercolor Dots, Pink Watercolor Dots, Blue Watercolor Dots
    • Small Polka Dot Prints: Purple Dots, Pink Dots, Blue Dots
    • Solids: Lavender, Pink, Light Blue
    • Flower Centers: I used Siser Glitter HTV in Lemon Sugar but you could also use faux leather for the center. I recommend this faux leather for a yellow flower center: Banana Light Yellow Solid
• Other Project Supplies
  • Fast drying gel super glue – I used Gorilla Super Glue Gel XL but you could also use Loctite Super Glue Ultra Gel Control
  • Badge Reel blanks like these in White or these in Clear
  • Blue Painters Tape
  • Small Curved Scissors
• Other Cricut Supplies
  • Purple Strong Grip Mat
  • Green Standard Grip Mat
  • Cricut EasyPress Mini
  • Cricut EasyPress mat, 8×10 size
  • Weeding Tool like a Pin Pen or like the one in the Cricut Basic Tool Set

🛒 To shop many of these supplies below in my Amazon storefront, click here. 🛒

Step 3: Make the Project

Set Up Your Design

1. Open a new canvas in Cricut Design Space.
2. Upload the SVG file for the Flower Badge Reel to your canvas.
3. Select all the petal shapes and make them the same color if you want to cut all of the faux leather shapes at the same time on the same mat.

Prepare to Cut

1. Click Make It.
2. Mirror your mat since you’ll be cutting the faux leather face down.
3. Drag the each pair of shapes to different areas of your mat to make it easier to cut the shapes from different pieces of faux leather.
4. Choose the Faux Leather (Paper Thin) material setting with More pressure for the faux leather mat.
5. Trim three pieces of faux leather to sizes just larger than the sizes shown in the mat preview screen for each shape.

Cut the Faux Leather

1. Place the faux leathers pretty side down on a Strong Grip (purple) mat.
2. Secure all edges with blue painter’s tape.
3. Load the mat into your Cricut.
4. Press the C button to begin cutting.
5. When the cut is complete, without unloading the mat, use a sharp tool to gently lift the edge and check the cut.
6. Repeat the cut if necessary by pressing the cut button again.
7. Once the cut is complete, unload the mat and remove the shapes.

Cut the Faux Heat Transfer Vinyl Flower Center

1. Cut the heat transfer vinyl mat using the manufacturer’s recommended cut settings for your type and brand of HTV.
2. Use a weeding tool weed away the excess vinyl.

Press the Heat Transfer Vinyl Flower Center

1. Preheat an Easy Press to 265 degrees or set an Easy Press Mini to the Low setting.
2. Place the smallest faux leather flower petal layer on a heat pressing pad.
3. Layer the heat transfer vinyl flower center layer on top of the faux leather. Cover with a Teflon sheet or cover sheet and press for 5-7 seconds at a time.
4. Remove the Teflon sheet and try to peel away the clear vinyl cover sheet. If the vinyl lifts up with the cover sheet, place it back down and press again.
5. After pressing, use your fingers to gently lift the petals up while the shape is still warm. Set aside.

Glue the Flower to the Badge Reel

1. Apply gel formula super glue to the petal centers and glue the layers together. Don’t glue the petals down so the petals have some lift and dimension.
2. Glue the layered flower to the badge reel blank. Allow to dry.

Your Faux Leather Flower Badge Reel is complete!

If you make this project – what color will you make your flower? Let me know in the comments!

Answers to your questions about making a Faux Leather Flower Badge Reel with a Cricut

Q: Which Cricut machines will cut faux leather?
A: You can cut faux leather with any of the current Cricut machines because they all cut faux leather with the standard fine point blade included with each machine. For this project you can use the Cricut Maker, Cricut Maker 3, Cricut Explore 3, Cricut Explore Air 2, the Cricut Joy Xtra, or the Cricut Joy.

Q: What glue do I use with faux leather?
A: I generally use Beacon Fabri-Tac for gluing faux leather because it spreads thinly and evenly without clumps and it doesn’t absorb into the faux leather. However for this project where the badge reel will be heavily used and touched, a gel formula super glue like Gorilla Super Glue Gel XL or Loctite Super Glue Ultra Gel Control will last longer. I suggest gel formula so the glue doesn’t run.

Q: How do I get the SVG template for this project?
A: Get the SVG file from my SVG Shop here.

Until next time… and happy creating!

Want to remember this project? Save this tutorial to your favorite Pinterest board!

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