The Creativity Exchange

Create Vinyl Monograms WITHOUT a Machine!

Crafts· Gift Ideas/Projects· Tutorials

For months now, I have walked by an aisle at Hobby Lobby that displays all of the fabulous vinyl papers made specifically for a Cricut and other machines and I can’t help but drool. You see, I’m Cricut-less {GASP}! I know, it’s tragic… A crafty chica like me should be chirping away on a fancy Cricut, but no, not me… I have never made the investment because I’m afraid my family would never see me again and I just know that I would go broke buying every accessory that they make. I just want to make vinyl monograms without a machine!

I have also updated this post on 12/5/15 with this latest post about where I found pre-cut vinyl sticker letters here.

I just couldn’t help myself and I decided to buy a roll of black vinyl just to play with it and see if I could make vinyl letters and monograms without a machine. Well, it worked and the possibilities are endless!

This technique involves cutting with small scissors or an exacto knife, so small intricate letters or designs would involve a little extra time. However, this technique is ideal for large letters or large monograms where the cutting is minimal. If you’re willing to cut, the sky is the limit!

So I picked up a basic black roll of vinyl paper for die cutting machines made by Paper Studio for $3.50 (it was 50% off at Hobby Lobby). The package contained two large sheets sized 12″ x 36″ each. That’s a lot of vinyl for $3.50! Here is what they look like:


I always keep a supply of full sheet labels (8.5″ x 11″) at home both in removable and permanent adhesive. I do more projects with this product than anything else. For this technique, I used the removable labels, permanent will not work:

I decided to start with a large wall monogram, just to see if I could make it work. I used the font Modern No. 20 in the largest size I could get on a page in Microsoft Word (hint, go into margins and choose “narrow” for even more space). I then printed it out onto my label paper:

I then unrolled my vinyl paper and turned it over and used a lid from one of my pots to draw a perfect circle:

I cut out my circle and cut out excess space on my label with the letter and removed the backing and attached to the vinyl:

I then started to carefully cut out my letter with small sewing scissors (small scissors give you more precision). You can use an exacto knife too if it works better for you. If you use scissors, you have to cut in from the side but don’t worry, you will not see it once you place it together on the wall or item:

When I was done cutting, I removed the white label paper from the top of the vinyl paper (save the inside of the letter because you can use that too for something else):

I then removed the vinyl backing and carefully place on my wall in my bathroom. I used the edge of a credit card to smooth it out:

Keep in mind, if you are using the vinyl on a wall, the wall must have very little to zero texture for it to look flush and good.

Next, I used the inside part of the letter that I cut out from my wall monogram and I placed it on a large metal beverage tub and smoothed out with a credit card:

You can also buy a roll of “transfer paper” (sold next to the vinyl rolls) that you rub onto your letter or monogram to help place/transfer it better on the wall or item. If I do anything more intricate, I will use the transfer paper.

The next thing I wanted to try was to monogram my husband’s Yeti. If you do not know what a Yeti is ladies, it is “supposedly” the Rolls Royce of coolers, at least that’s what hubby says. All the guys in the neighborhood freaked out and ran and picked up this cooler when it came out. I’m not sure what makes it so special I do know it’s bear proof (didn’t know we had bears in East Texas). Anyway, it is his pride and joy and I thought I would monogram it since all the guys had one now.

So I printed out hubby’s monogram as large as I could on my label paper (I clicked on orientation and switched to landscape). I again placed the label onto the vinyl and cut out the letters. I then placed each letter where I wanted it and rubbed on with a credit card:

Hubby was thrilled to see the monogram. I was a little worried if I would “de-man” it by adding the monogram but he seemed excited about it. I used the font “Batang” for the monogram in the largest size font I could get on the page (orientated to landscape).

I cannot wait to now go buy every color of the vinyl and also chalkboard vinyl to make labels too! There are so many different things that you can do with vinyl letters, monogram and images! Just look around on Pinterest and think about using the vinyl letters for personalized holiday gifts too! I love the vinyl monograms on glass large candle holders and you can’t go wrong with painting a canvas and adding a large monogram or letter and giving as a gift!

So many possibilities in getting creative without a machine! I no longer have to drool as I pass the vinyl!

Have a fantastic weekend friends and thank you again for your comments, emails and notes! It means a lot to me to hear your thoughts and feedback!

Cheers!

Comments

  3. S. Greiner says

    CHEAP, CHEAP vinyl at Expressions Vinyl…that's where I buy mine. You can buy it by the sheet in 1000 different colors (outdoor, indoor, speciality) and the shipping isn't bad…plus once you sign up for their free newsletter you start getting TONS of coupon codes! Just FYI on purchasing the vinyl.

    Reply

  4. The Exchange says

    Thank you Linda!! and I think you're pretty fabulous! Thanks ladies for the sweet comments and thank you so much for the great advice on where to buy vinyl! I'm heading there now!
    Cheers!
    Cyndy

    Reply

  5. JULIE says

    Yay! I love vinyl, but cannot buy a machine because my entire house (and my children!) would be monogrammed… Thanks for the tips!

    Reply

    • Janet says

      Pretty sure I’ve seen pre-cut vinyl lettering at office supply stores, but there would not be all the font choices like Cyndy teaches about in this article.

      Reply

  8. The Exchange says

    I see there is a bunch of us Cricket-less ladies just hanging out and waiting to share the vinyl love! So glad that you guys can use this technique! Thanks for stopping by ladies!

    Reply

  12. Anonymous says

    Great tip!! I'm excited to try this out. I started laughing when I saw the picture of your husbands "yeti". My husband had to have one, too. I became a big believer in it after our family vacation to Colorado. It kept everything frozen for days…..WOW!! It rode in the back of our truck in triple digit weather and it worked like a charm.
    ~Dana

    Reply

  13. Amy says

    Great tutorial! I have wondered about this for a long time, but was worried the vinyl would pull or stretch with cutting if it wasn't done by a machine. I'm going to try this ASAP!

    Reply

  16. Ruth says

    This is great!!! I,too, am Cricutless. I have wanted one but it's definitely not in the budget. Thanks for sharing this amazing idea.

    Ruth

    Reply

  18. InMyOwnStyle says

    I am Silhouetteless too, same thing as Cricutless I think. I like the way you think. I have been getting VAT tape from my retail display friends. It does what the large labels do to make vinyls. Using the labels is brilliant and will be much easier for me to get.
    I am going to link this post to my DIY page on my blog. It is so very clever!!
    My best- Diane

    Reply

  29. Anonymous says

    Love! I'm Cricut-less, too and I had to choose between a sewing maching and die cut machine, so passed on the die cutter. Thanks for the tip!

    Denise H.

    Reply

  39. Dorice says

    This is awesome! Do you know if this would work on a vehicle like the decals you see on car windows? I would love to try it.

    Reply

    • Rushabh says

      I have a scrapbook room and I wtnead to put all of the names of my family members on the wall. The vinyl is very sticky so I used a plastic ruler to attach the letters to until I could position them on the wall. To make the names straight, I used a level and drew a pencil line on the wall. I did not need the adhesive that is often ordered with this product. I’m not sure of the purpose of the adhesive as the vinyl went directly on the wall with no problem. I would also think the letters could easily be removed. I placed the names randomly on the wall and added scrapbook frames featuring some of my favorite pages randomly on the wall as well very pleased with the outcome!

      Reply

  41. Carissa says

    I usually admire crafty posts such as this but I could not hold it back you did an AMAZING job finding a thrifty alternative to buying a machine which is very expensive! This is so amazing I will now be following your blog and isn’t it amazing when you have a husband who is just as excited as you are when the project is done?!

    Reply

  42. kelli says

    LOVE it! I am a spoiled brat with no kids yet and have 3 diffrent types of Cricuts! I had Cricut envy for 2 years, so I have done my research! I wanted to share with you guys the cheapest places to get one thats TOTALLY affordable! I have shoped HSN, Hobby Lobby, Walmart, you name it! I found the best price for the cricut is CowBoom.com which is owned by Best Buy. You get a cricket, a gypsy, and 4 cartridges all for ONLY $79!!! Granted it is not the biggest or best out there but it does the Exact same thing my other $400.00 Cricut does! If I had gotten this set first I would havenevergotsuckered into my Expression 2!! I get all my cartridges on Ebay for $10-15 from a seller named ‘PROUD PARENT 2’ who is a licensed dealer

    Reply

  45. farraha says

    Ok,
    so can you do a tutorial on how to use your printer to do like a wall phrase Vinyl?
    I have the Vinyl intended for the cricut but I’m cricut- less lol but I also have the transfer paper also intended for same machine.(paper 12×24 inches)
    Now I get your concept but i’m wanting a whole phrase for my wall and the whole phrase as big as i want it to be is bigger than the printer paper size. now with that said I could do one letter at a time but it wont give me that connected lettering look.
    Do you have a suggestion??? lol
    PLEASE!!

    Reply

    • Star says

      Print out in banner style, page goes continous, but but is seperated per page, just fold paper edge over and tape together.

      Reply

  47. Janet says

    I’ve been wanting to put a meaningful, inspiring phrase along a wall up near the ceiling. I thought it would be great to have one of those fancy schmancy machines so I could do this, but I already have way too many craft and sewing supplies. I’m afraid of spending all that money and then never using it much. I bet there are a lot of those cricut machines in homes around the world that never even get used after the novelty wears off.

    Cyndy is my kind of girl! I’ve been kicking this idea around for a while now and still don’t have a phrase chosen. I maybe could transfer the outline and then fill in with paint. Having a pre-cut stencil would make it much easier, plus if I used a stencil brush, I could get that nice shaded effect.

    Cutting the letters out of wallpaper could also be a nice effect too. Wallpaper can also be adhered in a non-permanent way, so it would be easy to remove if I wanted a change. I used to have a stack of wallpaper sample books and did make some nice greeting cards and also wrapped small packages from the pages of those books. When I moved, I threw them away. I got them from a paint store who was happy to give me as many of the discontinued sample books as I wanted. They had a great big pile of them in their back room. There are also great deals on whole rolls of discontinued wallpaper. I’ve even seen 6″ wide blank wallpaper rolls for creating your own border.

    If Cricut machines can cut wallpaper, it would be great to find someone who already owns one and I’d pay her to cut out what I needed. So, if anyone owns a cricut machine, there’s a business idea for you!

    Thanks Cyndy for inspiring me!

    Reply

  48. Shining Star says

    print in banner style, pages with be continuous but separated per page, then fold edge over and tape together

    Reply

  49. Emily W says

    Hi! What a great idea. Is there a way to do the circle shape monogram for this?! I love it and it would save so much money.

    Reply

  50. joy joyner says

    Just found your blog on pinterest, love it. How do you get a bigger font when you print up monogram letters. My computer will not let me get the full page font. thanks!

    Reply

  51. Pam Ravenel says

    I also do this, but I put my font on “outline” so that I don’t waste all my printer ink. Just an idea for those of us without a critcut.

    Reply

  52. Olivia says

    Hi there! Would you mind if I share your blog with my myspace group?
    There’s a lot of people that I think would really appreciate your content. Please let me know. Many thanks

    Reply

  53. Jenna says

    This is great! I was hoping to find a way to monogram my boyfriend’s Yeti as well so I’m glad that I stumbled upon this… did the letters stick?

    Reply

  55. Megan says

    Just came across this post and you’ve saved my life where Christmas presents are concerned!! THANK YOU from a Cricut-less crafter!

    Reply

  58. Marilyn says

    You are the best!!! Thankyou so much for trying this out & sharing, im in the same boat & not sure about making such an investment plus I wouldn’t know which one to choose!!

    Reply

  59. Lenita says

    I am making personalized aluminum water bottles for my daughters soccer team gifts and was just about to bite the bullet and buy the machine until I found this post! LOVE IT!!!!! Absolutely saved my weekend and appreciate the tips from the other ladies in the comments. Happy Crafting!

    Reply

  62. Jo @ To a Pretty Life says

    What a great method! I like the way you transfer the printed image. It beats tracing or using carbon paper! My mom was a sign painter, and I used to help her cut out the vinyl letters she used. And I still remember the hand cramp from the scissors!

    Reply

  65. A Japanese woman says

    Thank you for sharing and showing your great job! I think you are talented and I love your ideas. I was just wondering and curious as to the meaning of the monogram for your husband’s Yeti? I don’t mean to blame or criticize your family’s private entertaining, but I was just a little sad, if it was hate-led or making fun of people, even if it is initials. However, I was lucky to find such a creative woman’s blog today, Thank you.

    Reply

    • Cyndy says

      Thank you for your note. The monogram on my husbands cooler/Yeti is his initials. I’m not going to post his full name here but it is his first, middle and last name initials. There is nothing “hate-filled” or derogatory about the monogram. In the post, you will also read that I mention that it is my husbands initials. I believe very strongly that it is not appropriate to make fun of anyone regarding race, gender or sexual orientation. Than you.

      Reply

  66. A Japanese woman says

    Thank you for your sincere message, Cyndy. I believe your heart and your policy. I am sorry if my comment made you feel bad and maybe I was sometimes too sensitive about my race/history in the U.S. (I had several times very sad/angry experiences about my race, but I also know there are very sweet/kind Americans too.)
    I will please to read your blog and I like your creativity (and your heart) very much!

    Reply

  67. Mary R. says

    Omg!!! I would love to monogram different items but I do not have a machine. Thank you for sharing. Can’t wait to start. I’m so excited. Katy ,Texas

    Reply

  68. oralia says

    hi was wondering can this be done on the vinyl for the machines?? i went and bought a bunch from micheals and wasnt aware i needed machine
    im actually wanting to put my name on my cofee tumbler

    Reply

  70. terryann says

    thank you soooo much. wanting to put vinyl lettering on glass blocks for my daughters wedding. have never worked with this before. you explained process in an easy understandable way. going to tackle this tomorrow. she will love it.. thanks

    Reply

  72. Kaysie Mosley says

    I love this little hack! I too am Cricutless , but love making shirts for my girls for football games their brother plays in! I make fabric appliques and sew them on. However I like this Idea so much better! I was wondering if you can use this method on t-shirts as well?
    Thanks,
    Kaysie

    Reply

  73. CHEREASE says

    AWESOME! AWESOME! AWESOME! THANKS FOR SHARING! I KNEW THERE HAD TO BE A WAY. IT’S A LITTLE MORE WORK BUT AT LEAST NOW I KNOW IT’S POSSIBLE.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Stay up to date with all the latest