How to Make Faux Leather Christmas Cowboy Boot Christmas Earrings with a Cricut
This project is part of my 12 Days of Christmas Crafts Event where I’m sharing a new holiday faux leather Cricut craft every day for 12 days.
Want all 12 days worth of SVG templates, tutorials INSTANTLY? You can get it in the Event VIP PASS – plus bonuses like a 60+ page printable workshop, bonus holiday SVGs, and more.
Learn how to make Faux Leather Cowboy Christmas Earrings with a Cricut
This project is Day 7 of The 12 Days of Christmas Crafts Event!
I’m Amy Romeu, and in this tutorial I’ll be showing you how to make these pretty Christmas Cowboy Boot earrings with faux leather and a Cricut.
Add a festive twist to your style with these faux leather cowboy boot earrings in trendy Christmas colors and themes! This beginner-friendly Cricut tutorial shows you how to create unique, holiday-inspired earrings that bring a little western flair to your holiday wardrobe.
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Follow along with this written tutorial including all the materials, SVG files, and tips you need.
Ready to get started with this beginner friendly holiday Cricut faux leather earrings tutorial?
Let’s dive into the materials and steps!
Want to watch a video tutorial instead? Check it out below!
See the full step by step video tutorial
Click the image below to watch the video on my YouTube channel, or click here.
How to make Faux Leather Christmas Cowboy Earrings with a Cricut Step by Step
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Materials you’ll need to make Faux Leather Christmas Cowboy Earrings with a Cricut
🛒 To shop many of these supplies below in my Amazon storefront, click here. 🛒
Get the SVG in my Shop
Personal or Small Commercial Use Available
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Starting with a blank canvas in Cricut Design Space, click on Upload, then Upload Image. There are three separate files for these Cowboy Boot Earrings. Upload all three of the designs one at a time if you’d like, or just upload one.
Browse to where the ALREADY UNZIPPED SVG files for this project are saved on your device.
Click on the first SVG to select it and follow the prompts to upload it. Continue with uploading the other two earring SVG if desired.
When the designs have all loaded on the canvas, click UNGROUP in the top left of the layers panel.
There are two versions of each design. One with pre-made earring holes and one without.
Use the with holes version to cut the earrings as I’ve sized them (recommended).
Use the without holes version if you want to resize the earrings to be much smaller or much larger, or if you want to use the SVG to create a different kind of project like decals, a t-shirt design, etc.
TIP: If you are resizing the earrings and want to re-make the earring hole again using Cricut Design Space, this video will help.
Choose one pair of earrings to make and delete the rest.
Click the MAKE IT button.
Choose “on a mat” for how the layers will cut.
STEP 2: Click on each mat on the left hand side and toggle the Mirror toggle ON. That’s because faux leather and heat transfer vinyl cut in reverse.
NOTE: If you want to cut the vinyl layers from permanent vinyl instead of HTV, you can do that. Just don’t mirror the vinyl mats in that case.
After all the mats are mirrored, go back through each one and drag the shapes apart from the edges (and from each other if there is more than one shape on the mat).
Click the CONTINUE button.
When the material selection screen loads, click on the faux leather mat and then select the Faux Leather (Paper Thin) setting.
If you don’t have that setting bookmarked as a favorite like I do, you can click on Browse All Materials and search for it. (If you are using the Explore Air 2, you’ll need to turn your dial to Custom before you can find that setting in search.)
Then choose “More” from the dropdown Pressure menu.
For the vinyl mats, you’ll choose the recommended cut setting for your brand/type of vinyl.
Step 3: Cut a piece of faux leather just slightly larger than the two earring shapes will cut from. This piece will be large enough to cut out the earring back shapes without a lot of excess.
💡TIP: Before you cut the faux leather earring shapes, you can add some heat transfer vinyl to the back of the faux leather. This is an optional step that will make the earrings firmer without adding bulk. It will also give your earrings a finished back.
To do this, cut a piece of foil HTV slightly smaller than the faux leather piece, place them back to back, and position the faux leather pretty side down on your heat pressing pad.
Press with the EasyPress Mini on low heat, using firm pressure for 10 seconds on each area. Peel back the carrier sheet carefully.
If any areas lift, press again. Trim any overhanging HTV to avoid wrinkles, then give the back one more press for a smooth finish. Let it cool flat for a minute.
Your HTV should be perfectly flat all over with no bubbles or wrinkles. You should also be able to see the texture of the faux leather backing just slightly.
📺To watch a video tutorial on putting a back on faux leather earrings, click here.
Place the faux leather pretty side down (HTV side up if you did that step) on a purple strong grip cutting mat.
Place blue painter’s tape around all sides of the faux leather. Load the mat into the Cricut and begin the cut.
When the cut is complete, before unloading the mat, lift a small edge of the cut to ensure the cut went through. Repeat the cut if needed by pressing the cut button again.
Once the shapes are cut through, remove the shapes from the mat.
Use your sharp weeding tool to poke out the earring hole. Make the hole complete if necessary using a 1/16″ hole punch.
Return to Design Space and cut and weed all of the heat transfer vinyl mats.
Step 4: When all the vinyl layers are cut and weeded, gather your heat press (Easy Press Mini, EasyPress, or traditional heat press), heat pressing pad, and cover sheet like a Teflon sheet, butcher paper, or parchment paper.
Refer to the Layering Guide below for the order to press the vinyl layers.
Place the faux leather earring shapes on the heat pressing pad.
Place the first vinyl layer in place on the earring base. Be sure to line up the bottom and side edges with the earring edges.
Set the EasyPress Mini to the Low setting (the first green line) or another heat press to 265 degrees.
Place the first heat transfer vinyl layer on the faux leather shape. Cover with the cover sheet and press for 7-10 seconds.
Repeat pressing all the other vinyl layers in order.
When finished, place the warm pressed faux leather earring shape underneath the heat pressing pad for about a minute so it can cool flat.
Repeat pressing the layers onto the second earring.
Step 5: Punch earring holes if necessary with a 1/16″ hole punch.
Step 5: Using flat nose jewelry making pliers and 6mm jump rings, attach the earring hooks.
Start by turning the bottom loop on the earring hooks so they face forward. This will make your earrings hang forward.
For a complete step by step tutorial on this technique in more detail, watch this video.
Then use a 6mm jump ring to connect the earring hook and the earring shape. Repeat for the second earring.
That’s it! Your Cricut Christmas Cowboy Faux Leather Earrings are complete. Here’s another look at all three earring designs together. Which one is your favorite – the Stars, the Snowflakes, or the Holly?
Answers to your questions about making Faux Leather Christmas Cowboy Earrings 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 (with the 12 inch long mat).
Q: What do I need to press heat transfer vinyl onto faux leather?
A: To press heat transfer vinyl onto faux leather you’ll need a traditional heat press, Cricut EasyPress, or my favorite, the Cricut EasyPress Mini.
Q: How do I get the SVG template for this project?
A: Get the SVG file from my SVG Shop here. For even more holiday faux leather crafts project from my 12 Days of Christmas Crafts Event, click here.
Get the SVG in my Shop
Personal or Small Commercial Use Available
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Until next time… and happy creating!
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