Some people love weeding vinyl and find it therapeutic (if you look forward to weeding a detailed mandala or zentangle design for hours, then you are definitely in this category!) and others dread this task. Weeding HTV (heat-transfer vinyl) can be a little easier as it is not sticky. It seems to be the adhesive vinyl, permanent or removable, that seems to cause the most headache.
I want to share a few tools and my favorite hack that have helped me with weeding. I’ve tried a number of different tools, but I have a few favorites.
First is this Craft Vinyl Weeding Kit from Kingfisher available on Amazon.
I love the hooked tool in the middle and the straight pin (left). The tweezers are also extremely helpful to pick out small pieces that may be difficult to grab with your hook.
Second is this set of straight pins (Piercing and Scoring Tools) from the Dollar Tree.
You get these 2 pins for $1. They are a great deal and work well. I used to only use hook tools, but have started using straight pins and have found them to be much quicker for larger pieces that need to be weeded out.
Next is a set of crafting scissors. I’ve had my favorite pair for many years so unfortunately I can’t remember where they are from, but I would recommend a pair that is 4″ in total length and has a very sharp point. You can find many options at craft store like Michael’s or JoAnn Fabrics.
While you are weeding, it’s helpful to trim larger pieces away so the parts you are removing don’t accidentally stick to the design. The fact that adhesive vinyl sticks to itself so easily can lead to tearing your final design. I have done this too many times to count, but trimming away excess as I’m weeding has been extremely helpful.
Last item I want to share, is my favorite Dollar Tree hack that has helped me weed adhesive vinyl more quickly and it’s from repurposing the Dollar Tree Silicone Travel Dressing Container. The best part is this item can be found at almost any Dollar Tree! Some of the crafting items are only available at larger stores (or stores that specifically have a Crafter’s Square section), but this is an item that is more easily available.
To repurpose this item, just take your crafting scissors and slit an “X” into the bottom of the silicone bottle. As you’re weeding, instead of peeling small pieces off your weeding tool with your hand, just put the end of your weeding tool into the “X” and the scraps will stay in the bottle and your weeding tool will come out clean. You’ll be able to weed designs out of adhesive vinyl much more quickly!
And the best part is the insanely easy cleanup. Instead of finding scrap pieces around your room, desk, or even stuck onto you and your clothes, they will all be in this little bottle! And to clean it out, just flip the bottle over, remove the lid, and take a hook took to pull out the pieces and put them into your trash.
I hope you love this hack as much as I do! I’d love to hear about your favorite weeding trick or hack too!