Etching glass is a craft project that might seem intimidating at first, but once you try it, you’ll see how easy and satisfying it can be. With the help of a Cricut stencil, you can create custom designs that add a personal touch to everyday glassware or make unique glass art pieces. In this tutorial, we’ll walk you through how to etch glass using Cricut Design Space to create your stencil and etching cream to bring your design to life.
Whether you’re new to glass etching or a seasoned DIYer, this guide will help you add that vintage, etched-glass look to any project you can dream up.
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When our dear friends bought their first home, I wanted to give them a thoughtful and practical housewarming gift that they would actually use. I remembered how one of the biggest expenses Tim and I faced when we moved into our first house was buying storage and organizational items for closets, pantries, and cleaning spaces. Those costs can really add up quickly!
I discovered a beautiful and affordable trio of glass canisters at Walmart, perfect for our friends to store anything from food to cleaning supplies and more. To add a personal touch, I designed a custom monogram with the initial of their last name and etched it onto each jar. These etched glass canisters are not only stylish enough to display on the kitchen counter but also functional, giving them complete flexibility in how they use them in their home!
To make the canisters an even more special gift, I filled one with some of my favorite cleaning supplies, another with dog treats for their pup, and the last one with cookies. I added a ribbon to each handle and attached a handwritten “Welcome Home” tag for a personal touch.
Can you Use Etching Cream On Any Type Of Glass?
The short answer is no. Certain types of glass are not suitable for etching cream. Here’s a quick list:
- Tempered Glass: Etching tempered glass can be tricky since it may shatter easily during the process.
- Some Pyrex Bakeware: Due to the heat treatment during manufacturing, some Pyrex bakeware is too strong for etching cream to be effective.
- Ovenware with a Plastic Coating: Etching cream cannot penetrate through the plastic coating found on some ovenware.
How to Create a Stencil Using Cricut Design Maker
Materials
- Computer or Smart Device with Cricut Design Maker program
- Cricut Cutting Machine – I’m using a Cricut Joy Xtra
- Cricut Flexible Stencil Film
- Cricut Transfer Tape
- weeding tool
- Cricut Strong Grip Mat
How to make it
NOTE: you can make ANY design you wish, but I’m going to walk you through exactly how I made my monogram design for these glass canisters.
Step 1:
Open Cricut Design Space: Start by opening the program and click on “New Project.”
Step 2:
Choose Your Design: Explore the image library and select your design. I used the Victorian Frame by SVG Garage (#M505A1048). Once you’ve selected it, click “Add to Canvas” and exit the window.
Step 3
Add Text: Click the text button and input the initial you want. For this project, I used the Folk Art Festival font.
Step 4
Center Your Letter: Align your letter within the frame. Resize as necessary to fit it perfectly.
Step 5
Combine the Images: Select both the frame and letter, then click “Combine” followed by “Weld” to create a unified image.
Step 6
Create the Outer Stencil Frame: Click on “Shapes” and add a square to your canvas. Resize the square to 5.25 inches.
Step 7
Position the Monogram: Place the monogram on top of the square, resizing it so that there is at least a ¼-inch border around the edges. NOTE: If the monogram gets hidden, right-click and select “Send to Back” for the square.
Step 8
Slice the Stencil: Select both the square and monogram image, then click “Slice.” This will separate your monogram from the square, leaving behind your stencil shape.
Step 9
Clean Up the Design: Remove the two extra cutout shapes from the slicing process, leaving only the monogram stencil shape behind.
Step 10
Prepare to Cut: Click “Make” in Cricut Design Space and follow the on-screen prompts. Make sure to select “Flexible Stencil Film” as your material.
Step 11
Weeding the Design: After cutting the stencil, use your weeding tool to carefully remove any excess film from the stencil, leaving only the intended cutout design.
Step 12
Apply Transfer Tape: Lay a piece of Cricut Transfer Tape over your stencil and press firmly to remove any air bubbles. Carefully peel the transfer tape along with the stencil from the backing paper.
Step 13
Apply the Stencil to Glass: Align your stencil onto the glass surface, pressing out any bubbles or wrinkles. Slowly remove the transfer tape, leaving the stencil on the glass. NOTE: do this carefully and place onto its original backing to use again for another project.
How to use Etching Cream to Create a Design on Glass
Materials
- Stencil of your choice (congratulations on making your own custom design in the tutorial above!)
- Glass piece of your choice – make sure to read the above list of types of glass to NOT use for this project! I used THESE CANISTERS
- Armour Etch etching cream
- small, firm bristle paint brush
- rubber gloves and protective eyewear
How to make it
Step 1
Apply the Stencil: Start by applying your custom stencil to a clean, dry glass surface. Make sure the stencil is firmly pressed down with no air bubbles or loose areas, especially around the cut design, as this can cause the etching cream to bleed.
Step 2
Safety First: Put on gloves and protective eyewear before opening the etching cream. It’s caustic, so be cautious and follow the safety instructions provided on the bottle.
Step 3
Apply Etching Cream: Use a firm-bristle brush to dab a thick layer of etching cream over the exposed design. Avoid brushing—dab for best results. Let it sit for 3–5 minutes (longer than the suggested 1–3 minutes for a better result).
Step 4
Rinse and Reveal: Rinse off the cream thoroughly with water, then carefully remove the stencil. Let the glass dry, and enjoy your new etched design!
Other Ideas for using etching cream
There are probably infinite ways to use etching cream to customize glass, but here are a few of my favorite ideas! These projects also make for thoughtful, personalized gifts:
- Etched Drinking Tumblers: I can’t wait to make my own set of drinking tumblers with a delicate floral design etched on them.
- Customized Bakeware: Add a personalized design to the bottom of etch-safe bakeware. Think about etching your last name or a sweet message like “made with love.”
- Holiday Glass Plate: Etch a holiday-themed design onto a glass plate, fill it with treats, and gift it to someone special.
- Labeled Glass Bottles: Use etching cream to create custom labels on glass bottles for soap, lotion, or other household items.
- Thrift Store Finds: Head to your local thrift store to find affordable glass pieces to customize. It’s a sustainable and budget-friendly way to create one-of-a-kind gifts!
Explore Other DIY Gift Ideas
Looking for more inspiration? Check out some of my favorite easy-to-make gifts from the archives:
Stovetop Simmer Potpourri Bags
Mini Frame Ornaments
Patterned Candles
Display Frame
DIY Flower Art
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xoxo, L
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