How to Use the Gemini Foilpress Machine -Crafters Companion UK

Give your crafts a luxury look and help your makes shine even brighter with the Gemini Foilpress Machine! If you’ve ever spotted foiled cards and crafts and wondered how you could create the same eye catchingly shimmering look – we have the answer…

With the Gemini FoilPress you can use hot press technology to add stunning metallic images and patterns to your crafts.With this clever and easy-to-use machine you can add the most luxe look to cardmaking creations, invites, party decorations, home decor, gifts and much much more!

What is Foiling?

Foiling is a great way to give your crafts a glamorous and professional effect by adding a shimmering foiled image, background or sentiment. But what is foiling and how does it work? Well sit back, relax and let us lay it all out for you!

Foiling is a craft technique that uses heat and pressure to add metallic designs to a whole host of materials, from paper and card to fabric and more!

Today we’ll be focussing on using the Gemini Foilpress machine to achieve professional and beautiful looking foilcraft designs.

What is the Gemini Foilpress?

The Gemini Foilpress is an innovative hot foiling machine that creates crisp, clean foiled images and is so simple to use! Its hot press technique has been designed to work with other members of the Gemini brand die-cutting and embossing machines. With a 7” x 5” foiling platform it’s the perfect size to run through the Gemini Junior machine and will also work with the original Gemini machine with the Top Plate Extender.

This machine works perfectly with a multitude of materials so you can get glamorous with your crafts, from cards and wedding stationery to accessories and home decor!

And, the best part is you don’t need to be a crafting expert to achieve professional-looking results! The Gemini Foilpress machine comes with full instructions plus a whole raft of helpful features designed with the crafter in mind, to make creating beautiful foiled designs a breeze!

Amazing Features of the Gemini Foilpress:

Super fast heating time – so you can start crafting almost immediately
It’s the only foiling machine with temperature control, so you can change the heat level according to which material you are foiling!
A Material Matrix in the instruction manual lists the different timings and temperatures for a whole host of different materials and applications
An LCD timer counts down the time in minutes and seconds, so you can work with precision and accuracy
An indicator light on the display shows red or green to indicate when the machine is ready to use.

The Foilpress is super safe to use, it cannot overheat and has a built in ‘Cool Down’ feature which automatically switches on if the machine has been in use for a long period
For even more peace of mind, the Gemini Foilpress has a built-in ‘Auto Shut off’ feature – which will turn off the machine automatically if it has been used for 25 minutes

What tools and supplies do I need to use a Gemini Foilpress?

To help you get started straight away and make sure you stay safe when crafting, the Gemini Foilpress comes with a stack of handy tools and supplies. Let’s open up the box and take a look inside!

Tools:

FoilPress Base, Foiling Plate, Metal Shim and Plate Cover so you can create the right plate combination to run through your Gemini die cutting and embossing machine
Silicone Finger Grips – these must be worn to protect your fingers when handling the Foiling Platform and Metal Shim
Silicone Cooling Mat – to protect your work surface from the metal shims and Foil Stamp Dies after they’ve been used
Magnetic Tweezers – these must be used when picking up and moving the dies when they’ve heated up
Instruction Manual
Power Cord

Supplies:

So you can get started on your fabulous FoilPress creations with no delay, you’ll also receive some beautiful foiling supplies!

1 roll of Papercraft Foil
2 Foil Stamp ‘N’ Cut Dies
3 Foil Stamp Dies

Gemini FoilPress Dies:

The eagle eyed among you may have spotted a few new names in the last section. Foil Stamp Dies and Foil Stamp ‘N’ Cut dies have been designed specifically to be used with the Gemini Foilpress machine, to create beautiful sentiments, images and patterns.

Foil Stamp Dies: These dies cut through the papercraft foil to apply the design to your material – creating a beautiful debossed effect
Foil Stamp ‘N’ Cut Dies: These dies will create a gorgeous foiled design onto your material just like the Foil Stamp Die. They have the added element of a cutting die to cut out the design and create an individual embellishment or centrepiece

Foil:

Now you’ve decided on your design, it’s time to talk colour! There’s a whole rainbow of Foils to choose from all designed to be used with the Gemini Foilpress machine!

Gemini Papercraft Foil is ideal for working with paper and card creations, and Gemini Multi Surface Foil has been designed to be used with a whole host of natural materials such as cotton and leather.

Take a look at the full range of foils – with a kaleidoscope of colour and effect to choose from the possibilities are endless!

How to use a Gemini Foilpress:

We’ve mentioned a few times that the Gemini Foilpress is simple and safe to use, now it’s time to put our money where our mouth is and show you how with this step-by-step guide!

Choose your Foil Stamp Dies, foil colours and the type of material you’d like to add a foiled design to
Follow the included instruction manual to heat your machine according to the material you’re using
Put your Foil Stamp Die on to the heated platform, with the cut side facing up and wait for the timer to tell you when it is heated through
Take your foil and trim it to size
When the green light shows, place the foil coloured side down on top of the Foil Stamp Die
Place your material face down on top of the foil and place the top plate on top
Using the Silicone Finger Grips, remove the Foiling Platform with the top plate from the base and roll it through the Gemini or Gemini Junior Die-Cutting Machine
Once the platform has been rolled through, carefully remove the material and peel back the foil to reveal your beautiful foiled design!

For Foil Stamp ‘n’ Cut Dies, follow these same steps, but once your design has been foiled, use the extra die to cut the element out. You can use our sandwich menu to decide which plate combination would be best for you!

What materials work with the Gemini Foilpress?

With the Gemini Foilpress you can make those special occasions extra special with luxurious and shimmering foiled designs on birthday cards, anniversary cards, party invitations and particularly wedding stationery!

But you don’t have to stop at paper and card, with the Gemini Foilpress you can add a pop of glitz and glamour to all sorts of materials:

Vellum
Acetate
Faux Leather
Fabric
Glitter Card
Vinyl
Candles
Polythene

It’s a long list! And we guarantee, once you start adding metallic touches to your projects you can’t stop! Take a look at some of our Foilpress ideas below and start planning your next luxurious look…

What can I make with the Gemini Foilpress?

The possibilities are pretty much endless- whatever the project if you fancy making it shine that little bit brighter, you can with the Gemini Foilpress! Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Personalise your tote bag, make up bag or passport cover with a foiled monogram and travel in style!
Create stunning personalised and luxurious wedding stationery, from invitations and place settings, to thank-you cards
Decorate treat bags or party favours with personalised messages and beautiful patterns, to make those sweets taste even sweeter
Make your Christmas shine even brighter with foiled crackers, wrapping paper and of course, Christmas cards!
Glam up your gift giving by adding a personalised and shimmering foiled design to bags, t-shirts, purses and more!
Add a stunning design, or personalised message to ribbon – perfect for extra special gifts, or for wrapping up sweet bouquets!

If this guide has inspired you to have a go with this fabulous craft technique why not browse the full Gemini Foilpress range and start planning your first project? For even more help, advice and inspiration check out this library of helpful videos, all dedicated to the Foilpress.

And if you’re keen to learn more and craft along with our fabulous community of makers, why not tune into the below episode of The Craft Class on Crafter’s TV?

For a warm welcome to all sorts of craft techniques, join us for more episodes of The Craft Class on Crafter’s TV to unlock your creative potential!

If this post has helped you get started with the Gemini Foilpress we’d love to see your finished projects on social media. Share your photos with us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #crafterscompanion.