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Two jars with two BBQ labels in front of a yellow background with barbecue utensil
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TWO WAYS TO MAKE BARBRQUE LABELS

Have a special barbecue sauce or rub? Make a label for it! Here are two ways to use the same file to make barbecue labels—perfect for organizing you own kitchen or giving as gifts!
Keyword: BBQ, Labels
Author: Cori George

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Instructions will show two ways to use the same SVG to make barbecue labels. The first is using Print then Cut to make a single sticker label, and the second is how to cut the label from vinyl and adhere it to your jar. There's a version for both sauce and rub and mom and dad!
    Print then cut only works on Cricut Maker 3, Cricut Explore 3, Cricut Maker, Cricut Explore Air 2, or other Cricut Explore machine. If you want to make the printable version, you'll need one of those machines. You can cut the vinyl label, however on Cricut Joy. Need help using your Cricut? Check out my Cricut Basics eBook!
    Print then Cut Barbecue Label Instructions
    Let's start with the Print then Cut version of this file. This one is a lot easier to make and apply to the jar, but it feels a little less fancy than the vinyl.
    Upload the Barbecue Label SVG File to Cricut Design Space
    We will start by uploading the SVG file to Cricut Design Space (see Uploading SVG Files to Cricut Design Space if you need help). There are four labels in the file, so choose the one you want and hide or delete the rest.
    Cricut Design Space: Only Mom's BBQ Rub image on Canvas
  • Insert a circle onto the Canvas using the Shapes Tool on the left.
    Cricut Design Space: Circle added using the Shapes Tool.
  • Resize and place the circle behind your label image, and recolor it white. You can use the Align > Send to Back tool so that it's behind your image. Also resize to fit your jar.
    Closeup of Send to Back function
  • Cricut Design Space: Circle colored white and placed behind image.
  • To make it printable, select the label and the circle and click Flatten in the lower right.
    All right! Click Make It in the upper right.
    Cricut Design Space: Flattened barbecue label
  • Print and Cut Your Label
    If you have a Cricut Maker 3 or Cricut Explore 3, you'll see a Mat Selection window. Because we are cutting on printable vinyl, choose On Mat. If you do not have one of these newer machines, you won't see this screen.
    Cricut Design Space: Mat Selection screen
  • In the Prepare Screen, you'll see a rendering of the label on a piece of printable vinyl on a Cricut mat. Click continue.
    Before we can get to actually cutting the label, we need to print it first. Click Send to Printer and your computer will open up the Print setup menu. Select your printer and click Print.
    Once you have your printed label, place the sheet on your mat's upper left corner as shown.
    Cricut Design Space: Prepare screen with Print then Cut image on mat
  • Cut Your Barbecue Label
    On the Make Screen, set your material to Cricut Printable Vinyl. Make sure you have your fine point blade in your machine, insert your mat, and your Cricut will cut around the edge of your label!
    Cricut with mat and printable vinyl with BBQ label
  • Then you can just peel off the label like you would any other sticker and apply it to your jar!
    Hands placing sticker decal on jar
  • Vinyl Barbecue Label Instructions
    Now let's make the vinyl version of this label. This one takes a bit more time, but it's great for custom jars for gifts!
    Upload the Barbecue Label SVG File to Cricut Design Space
    Start with the same file used above, hiding or deleting the labels you don't want to make. Change the black outline to white if you'd like (I think it's easier to read on a glass jar) and resize to fit your jar.
    Cricut Design Space: BBQ rub image on Canvas
  • Cut Your Vinyl for Your Jar
    If you have a Cricut Maker 3 or Cricut Explore 3, you'll see a Mat Selection window. On Mat was used for this project because vinyl scraps were used.
    Cricut Design Space: Mat Selection screen
  • On the next Prepare Screen, you'll see all of your images laid out on their respective mats (or just on the material if using Smart Vinyl).
    Cricut Design Space: Prepare screen with image layers on mats.
  • On the Make Screen, you'll set your material to vinyl. Make sure you have your fine point blade in your machine and place your vinyl colored side up. Insert your mat or material and your Cricut will cut your project!
    Cricut Maker cutting red vinyl
  • Weed Your Vinyl
    Next we're going to "weed" the negative space from around each image. There is an extensive post about Weeding Adhesive Vinyl, which you'll want to read—tons of tips and tricks to making it easier.
    Hands weeding adhesive vinyl
  • Use Transfer Tape to Adhere Your Vinyl
    Once all of your decals are weeded, it’s time to use transfer tape to adhere them to your jars. You can see an in-depth tutorial about Using Transfer Tape if you need it (plus troubleshooting tips if you’re struggling!).
    Start by cutting a piece of transfer tape the same size as your final decal. Peel off the backing sheet from the transfer tape and place the sticky side of the transfer tape down on your decal. Use a scraper to burnish the transfer tape to the decal.
    Hands using scraper to burnish transfer tape to decal.
  • Then flip it over, and peel the backing sheet away from the transfer tape. Your decal should stick to the transfer tape—you can use your fingernail to catch anything that isn’t sticking cleanly. Then, instead of putting it directly on the jar, place the transfer tape on top of the red BBQ RUB decal and burnish. Now you have both decals on a single piece of transfer tape!
    Hands placing transfer tape on second decal.
  • Press the decal onto your jar, starting in the center and moving toward the edges.
    Hands placing transfer tape and decal on jar.
  • Use your fingers to burnish the vinyl into the jar—hands work a lot better than a scraper on curved surfaces
    Hands burnishing label to the jar
  • Then peel back the transfer tape and your vinyl should stick!
    Hands peeling back transfer tape.
  • Instead of using transfer tape on the fire pieces, you can pick those up like stickers and place them by hand.
    Hands placing fire decals
  • Then fill the jars with your favorite BBQ rub or sauce!
    Two jars with two BBQ labels in front of a yellow background