How To Make a Spiral Betty Cushion

Spiral betty cushion with wedding photo. Can be adapted to suit any special occasion.

My Son recently got married and I wanted to make them a keepsake in memory of their special day. I recently discovered the spiral betty and I thought it would be perfect on a cushion.

Spiral betty cushion with wedding photo. Can be adapted to suit any special occasion.

If you have never heard of Spiral betty, it is free online software that allows you to turn any photo into a spiral design.  While it looks straight forward it was not something I got right the first time or even the second time.  So I am doing this post to show what errors I made so you can learn from my mistakes. For this project, you will need a vinyl cutting machine like a Cricut or Silhouette cameo just to name two.

How to make a spiral betty

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Create your Spiral Betty

To create your spiral betty you will need a photo in a digital format like jpeg and save it to your desktop. I tried a few different pictures and found close up headshots work better. Once you have your picture you can open up the spiral betty website. Click on the upload button and select your image from the desktop. The slider below the image allows you to increase and decrease the number of spirals. On my first attempt, I added the highest amount of rings because the picture was clearer.

The downside was it was very difficult to weed the fine lines because the vinyl kept snapping.  Having the slider about 3/4 works great for Iron-on vinyl. You can also play around with the other tabs to see how it affects your image look.

Spiral betty cushion with wedding photo. Can be adapted to suit any special occasion.

Next, select the black and white image from the bottom, the second one in from the left. You can now download the image to your computer.

Spiral betty cushion with wedding photo. Can be adapted to suit any special occasion.

Add your image to the Cricut design space

I have a Cricut so this image is the Cricut design space software, the silhouette cameo is very similar. Next, open up your design space and select a new project.  Add the image that you saved on your desktop.  Select the erase tool and click on the top corner where the white space is.

Spiral betty cushion with wedding photo. Can be adapted to suit any special occasion.

This will remove all the white background and create your SVG file. You will be left with just the black spiral image. Then click next.

Spiral betty cushion with wedding photo. Can be adapted to suit any special occasion.

Your next screen will look like this image below. Select the cut image and press next.

Spiral betty cushion with wedding photo. Can be adapted to suit any special occasion.

Your image will now appear with all the other images you have downloaded to design space. Select the image and click on the insert image button, this will open the image on the project screen.

Spiral betty cushion with wedding photo. Can be adapted to suit any special occasion.

My image did open up very big, but it can be resized using the resize tab at the top. My cushion was 45cm x 45cm so I made my image  30cm x 30cm, to leave space for the text at the top. Then click the make it button.

Spiral betty cushion with wedding photo. Can be adapted to suit any special occasion.

Cut your Iron-on (HTV) vinyl

Load your iron-on vinyl (HTV) on to the cutting mat with the shiny side facing down. My mats are not very sticky anymore so I use washy tape to make sure it does not move.

Spiral betty cushion with wedding photo. Can be adapted to suit any special occasion.

You need to select the mirror tab or your image will be reversed.  This is not a big issue unless you have text, which will cut in mirror image.

Spiral betty cushion with wedding photo. Can be adapted to suit any special occasion.

Next, move the dial on your Cricut to the iron-on setting and push the double arrow button to load the mat. You are now ready to cut by pushing the “C” button on your machine.

Spiral betty cushion with wedding photo. Can be adapted to suit any special occasion.

Weed your vinyl

To weed your spiral betty don’t be tempted to start with the first spiral. The one you see in the image below.  I did that on my first attempt and my image turned out wrong.  Weed from the corners furthest away from the spiral and work towards that corner. The spiral betty is a dream to weed because it is one continuous piece.

Spiral betty cushion with wedding photo. Can be adapted to suit any special occasion.

I found it very satisfying to weed this project.

Spiral betty cushion with wedding photo. Can be adapted to suit any special occasion.

Creating the text

The text is very straight forward to do.  You select a text box and type the text you want to add.  You can play around with the fonts until you find one you like.  This font is Samantha upright which is a purchased font.  You follow the same method as above for cutting.  You do need to select the mirror tab here.

Spiral betty cushion with wedding photo. Can be adapted to suit any special occasion.

Transfer your Spiral Betty

If you are lucky enough to have a heat press you can use that. I use my regular iron I have at home. Set the temperature to a high heat setting with no steam. I ironed the cushion cover first and then positioned the spiral betty in the centre. Make sure you leave space for the text.

Spiral betty cushion with wedding photo. Can be adapted to suit any special occasion.

You do need a barrier between the iron and the vinyl, I use an old pillowcase. To transfer the vinyl I push the iron down hard on each area for 10 seconds at a time, making sure to cover all the areas. I go over each area 3 times for 10 seconds and that always seems to be enough.  You can check if it is working by lifting the carrier plastic to see if the vinyl stays on the cushion cover.

Try not to iron by pushing it around like you iron your clothes.  I have found that this technique smudges the vinyl on the fabric.

Spiral betty cushion with wedding photo. Can be adapted to suit any special occasion.

Peel off the plastic and repeat the process for the text.

Add the tassels

The tassels I added to the two corners I bought from Amazon and sewed them onto the corners.

Spiral betty cushion with wedding photo. Can be adapted to suit any special occasion.

Spiral betty tips

To make a spiral betty using your regular vinyl it is a good idea to weed on the transfer paper.  I had two fail attempts because the spirals were so thin together.  If you had the slightest piece of debris on the cutting mat it did not cut all the way through.  So when you started to weed it pulled the next spiral up as well, ruining the image. Another issue I had was trying to transfer the image onto a placemat. It is a good idea to use an old piece of transfer tape. I used a new piece and it was too sticky and would not transfer.  I did try and push them back down but the spirals were all stretched because they were so thin.

Spiral betty placemat

This was done on the 3/4 spiral but I would add fewer spirals on my next one.  I would also recommend a very smooth non-porous surface.  I had to seal this placemat with some spray polyurethane to get it to stick properly. Even though I had all these issues, I still loved this project and will definitely be making more.

Spiral betty project ideas

If you are in the market to buy a Cricut I would recommend buying the Cricut maker. This is the latest model and has so many new features the explorer does not have.

More Cricut ideas

I made this memorial plaque for my Daughter in law after her beloved dog passed away.  This would make a great gift for a grieving friend or family member.

Pet memorial plaque

Your Cricut is also great for making stencils to add some character to your furniture.

How to add a mandala to a table top using a cricut vinyl cutter.

Pinterest pin

 

These spiral betty cushions make great gifts for every occasion.

Who would not loved a personalized cushion to remember their wedding day or other special days.

If you are looking for any of the items used in this project, please consider using our links. By clicking on the links we will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.  Which helps us come up with new and exciting ideas to share with you. Please feel free to share or leave a comment we would love to hear your thoughts.

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30 Comments

  • Reply
    Michele Morin
    May 2, 2021 at 9:48 pm

    A fantastic gift for your son and his bride!

  • Reply
    Marie B.
    May 3, 2021 at 5:36 am

    That’s really cool, Anita! I’ve never heard of spiral betty before. Now I’m very intrigued and want to give it a whirl, thanks to your awesome tutorial. Great gift idea, your daughter and SIL must have been thrilled with their gift.

    • Reply
      Anita Holland
      May 4, 2021 at 12:49 pm

      Shame on you Marie, you have a Cricut and a maker you could be making these. lol Maybe this will give you some inspiration to play with your machines.

  • Reply
    Deana Landers
    May 3, 2021 at 9:24 pm

    This is a sweet gift for son and daughter in law. It’s also an amazing piece of art. Your tutorial is great.

    • Reply
      Anita Holland
      May 4, 2021 at 12:49 pm

      Thank you so much Dianna, it is something different.

  • Reply
    Maria
    May 3, 2021 at 9:39 pm

    What a beautiful idea for your sons wedding. I definitely will pin this.

  • Reply
    Michelle Leslie
    May 3, 2021 at 9:48 pm

    That’s so freaky cool, Anita. Those spirals make it look like the picture is moving. Love it!!!

    • Reply
      Anita Holland
      May 4, 2021 at 12:50 pm

      Thanks, Michelle, I totally agree, they make you dizzy after a while.

  • Reply
    Nancy Sargent
    May 4, 2021 at 3:22 am

    I had never heard of the Spiral Betty! Its really cool! What a special gift you made for your son and daughter-in-law!

    • Reply
      Anita Holland
      May 4, 2021 at 12:51 pm

      Thanks Nancy, It looks like it only came out this year.

  • Reply
    Libbie@alifeunfolding
    May 4, 2021 at 3:48 am

    What a lovely keepsake gift!

  • Reply
    Lydia C. Lee
    May 4, 2021 at 6:43 am

    Wow! I had no idea you could even do that. What a lovely thoughtful gift!

    • Reply
      Anita Holland
      May 4, 2021 at 12:52 pm

      Thank you Lydia, it makes a nice personal gift.

  • Reply
    Sherry Denise Cole
    May 5, 2021 at 12:07 am

    This pillow is so unique and a keepsake. Thank you for sharing how you did it!

  • Reply
    Meegan
    May 6, 2021 at 8:39 pm

    What a unique and beautiful way to make a cherished date. Your family will certainly be impressed. The pattern is so fascinating to look at.

    • Reply
      Anita Holland
      May 9, 2021 at 11:59 am

      Thank you Meegan, it does mess with your eyes.lol

  • Reply
    Carol
    May 7, 2021 at 12:24 am

    I’ve seen these Spiral Betty projects trending but your tutorial is one of the easiest to follow! Thank you. Sharing when my link party opens. What a BEAUTIFUL project!

  • Reply
    Debbie-Dabble
    May 7, 2021 at 11:23 am

    Well, isn’t that interesting!!! Thanks so much for stopping by and for your kind words!! Stay safe, healthy and happy!!
    Hugs,
    Debbie

    • Reply
      Anita Holland
      May 9, 2021 at 12:17 pm

      Thank you so much Debbie, I always seem to be drawn to your projects.

  • Reply
    Rosemary Palmer
    May 8, 2021 at 8:28 pm

    I love this. When I first saw it, I thought it was a record. But my mind will go there as my husband is a collector. Thinking it might make a good project for his music room.

  • Reply
    Linda Primmer
    May 10, 2021 at 12:30 am

    Fantastic idea Anita. Congrats to your son. I have always been curious about cricut. Thanks for sharing. I am happy to feature your lovely creation at Love Your Creativity. Happy Mother’s Day.

  • Reply
    Linda Johnston
    May 12, 2021 at 12:14 am

    Wow Antia. what a wonderful gift for them!

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