First Cricut Shirt / Elegant Lettering, Blunt Message

IMPORTANT GUIDANCE

1. Released artwork: the existing final SVG includes the enlarged smiley, outlined lettering, and welded overlaps. It has no background rectangle and needs no installed font. Its default size is 10 × 11.21 inches; resize proportionally for the actual shirt. Great Vibes supplies the lettering shapes, with reinforced strokes, a custom layout, and underline. The font license is included. The saved export was checked digitally; the photographs do not establish exact final cut settings or the identity of the file sent to the cutter.
2. Cut preparation: mirror the design in Design Space and load the shiny carrier side down. The lettering remains on its clear carrier while the unwanted black material is removed.
3. Starting the weed: with the black side up, catch a tiny flap just inside a waste corner, outside the design. Hold the clear carrier flat and peel the excess back slowly. The reported difficulty was starting that first flap, rather than a confirmed problem with the cut depth.
4. Pressing guidance: approximately 315°F / 157°C for 30 seconds was suggested as a test starting point for an adjustable flat handheld press on cotton, based on Cricut EasyPress guidance. The discussion also covered a 5-second preheat, light steady pressure, 15 seconds from the back, and cooling before peeling. These are preparation notes, not verified settings for the particular PlanetFlame model or a measured log of this shirt.
5. Layer order: a thin Teflon cover sheet goes over the clear carrier and design; a heat-resistant pressing pad goes beneath the cotton. The conversation discussed this arrangement but did not confirm which cover was used for the photographed result.
6. What the photos show: the final large smiley, complete lettering, and underline on the shirt. The low contrast comes from black transfer material against black fabric, with the design becoming more visible in reflected light. A wash test is the next useful result to record.