How to Make Flexible ✨ Iridescent ✨ Sheet Material

In this tutorial, I'll show you how to make iridescent (aka dichroic) material that you can cut on a Cricut, Silhouette, or similar cutting machine. This unique material is flexible but doesn’t tear. It’s both transparent and reflective—and casts beautiful rainbow shadows and reflections in the sunlight.  ✨🌈✨

It helps to make a batch of it ahead of time so that it's ready to use when your creativity is flowing.

Note: You can use this same technique to laminate clear acrylic with iridescent window film for laser cutting!

I'll also share an interlocking flower design and instructions on how to assemble the flower and curl the petals by heat bending them!

Full Video Tutorial: https://youtu.be/xrwK-w3A3tc

(contains affiliate links)

• Clear Duralar (I’m using a 9x12 pad of .005 inch thickness) (https://amzn.to/3q1W3gw)
• Adhesive iridescent window film (https://amzn.to/3KvAQoI)
• Bottled water
• Baby shampoo
• Spray bottle
• Plastic scraper (https://amzn.to/3RpBMxm)
• Scotch tape
• Scissors
• Microfiber cloth

To make the slip solution, take 1 cup of water and mix in a quarter teaspoon of baby shampoo. Pour this mixture into a spray bottle.

Cut the iridescent window film a couple of inches larger than the Duralar to allow for a margin of error during the application.

Take two pieces of scotch tape and firmly press them against both sides of a corner. One piece of tape should stick to the backing and the other to the film. Peel them apart slightly and then fold the tape over the backing so that it’s easy to peel when you’re in the process of applying it to the Duralar. Remove the scotch tape from the top of the film and set aside.

Lay the Duralar on a flat surface and spray it with a generous amount of slip solution.

Peel the backing off of the window film. Give it a shake so that the sticky side is curved downward. To apply the film, I like to place it in the middle first and carefully let the sides fall down.

Spray the top of the film with slip solution, this helps the scraper glide more easily over the film.

Starting from the middle where you placed it, press down firmly with the scraper and pull towards the sides, overlapping each pass as you go. Then do the same thing in the other direction.

Dry the material with a microfiber cloth. Then trim any excess window film off the sides and set it on another surface to dry flat overnight.

You can download my Interlocking Flower SVG here:

https://cuttle.xyz/@mokey/Interlocking-Flower-fXZXkLcNtwl6

In Cuttle, click the big blue "Download SVG" button.

To cut this material on your Cricut, make sure you have a fresh, sharp blade. Choose the “Metallic Poster Board” setting.

If you're following along with the "Interlocking Flower" tutorial, cut 5 pieces.

For the assembly, I’m demonstrating with cardstock because it’s easier to see what’s going on.

Note: When I assemble my flowers with iridescent material, I like to use gloves to avoid fingerprints.

As noted in the previous step, you will need 5 pieces in order to assemble this interlocking flower.

Stack your pieces so that they’re facing the same way and in the same orientation as the image above. Take note of the areas where the pieces hook together. The front “hook” is on the left, beneath the small petal. The back “tab” is on the bottom left. The back “hook” is on the bottom right.

Hold your first piece in your left hand. Take your second piece and hook the two front hooks together. Then spin it around and hook the back tab on the second piece into the back hook of the first piece.

Take your third piece and place the small petal under and to the left of the last piece that you placed. Spin it around until it sits next the previous piece. Then hook the back pieces together.

Each new piece that is placed should be placed to the left of the previous piece.

Make sure everything is hooked together in the back and that’s it for the assembly!

Place a heat gun or hair dryer on its lowest setting. Curl the petals upward while applying a bit of heat.

Work slowly and don’t leave the heat gun or hair dryer near the petals for more than a couple of seconds at a time.

Whew! That was a lot of steps but I hope you find this material as beautiful and magical as I do!