FEBRUARY 2024 - NEW WEB-STORE! Browse both my old (Etsy) store and new store here!
How to use a Cricut cutting machine - basic Cricut for beginners tips and techniques to help you get started with a new machine and a new hobby!
I love my Cricut - but when I got it, I was just confused and a little bit lost with what to do with it - how does a Cricut work, and what can a Cricut do..?
I still haven't worked out all the techniques or tried out all the material types that you can cut (let me tell you, there's hundreds!) but I'm very much enjoying exploring its capabilities and learning all about it.
That's what I want to share with you, now - all the things I've learned about how to use my Cricut, and everything I'm discovering as I try things out with my trusty cutting machine always at my side...
Shall we get started with some basics that all beginner Cricut users really need to know..?
On this page we'll look at:
Using digital files on your Cricut
Getting started with your Cricut
A Cricut is a cutting machine - to be precise it's a digital die cutting machine.
Do you remember craft dies, like little metal templates that you could put in a machine and it would cut out the shape for you? These still exist, by the way, and are great!
Well, this is what a Cricut can do for you, only you don't need the little metal template - the Cricut holds the template digitally for you, but can still cut it out for you.
You'll need to use a computer or tablet of some sort with your Cricut (a smart phone can also work, I believe)...
In this way, you can arrange your digital templates in the Cricut design programme (it's called Design Space) and decide where you want them to cut, what colour or size they want to be, etc.
And then send the instruction to your cutting machine which cuts it for you on whatever material you choose.
That's the other great thing about the Cricut - the materials it can cut, especially the larger machines like the Cricut Explore and Maker models. It's not just paper, a Cricut Maker can cut even very thick card, crepe paper, fabric, wood, vinyl, light metals and acetates. Each machine type has a list of which materials it's suitable for, so do check that out first.
So the Cricut can help you with all kinds of crafts, it can cut paper for papercrafts, vinyl for home decor projects and HTV for iron-on projects on T-shirts or other fabrics, it can score, and engrave, and lots more (you will need different blades for this).
Because the Cricut machine uses a digital die cutting template or 'cut file', this means that you can have lots more choices of design, as no-one needs to manufacture the die, it's all done digitally.
There are lots of designs on the official Cricut programme, 'Design Space', and there are also independent designers, like me, who enjoy creating designs especially for the Cricut and other cutting machines like it, so that you can really have lots of choice when creating your crafts.
I talk about the Cricut, as I have my own Cricut 'Maker' cutting machine. There are also other Cricut machines, the 'Joy' which is a cutting machine for smaller projects, and the 'Explore' which is similar to the Maker but the Maker does cut a slightly larger selection of materials.
We are now on the new generation of Cricut machines, so as of 2021/22, we have the new Maker 3 and Explore 3 machines, still currently alongside the older Maker and Explore machines (presumably just for a short while).
There are also other very similar digital die cutting machines, too, such as Silhouette, ScanNCut, Sure Cuts a Lot and more. These work in a similar way and also use the same digital files as templates.
The digital die cutting files need to be in certain formats so that the Cricut (or other cutting machine) can read it properly. This is often in SVG format. This means that the file ends with .svg. Other file types that are sometimes used are DXF files (.dxf), EPS (.eps) and PNG (.png) or JPG (.jpg).
SVG are the most popular, which is why you will often hear people talk about SVG files, or SVG cut files - and I've got all my designs listed on my site and store as SVG files.
Most designers, including myself, will also include other formats in their files so that most cutting machine users can use the file, and it also works for people who would prefer to print the file or cut it by hand. I include SVG, PNG, DXF and EPS formats in my files.
I explain more about the file types and how to get the file into your cutting machine programme over on this page...
Based on my Cricut Maker cutting machine - different models may be slightly different, but only very slightly - this is the basic process you need to follow for all your Cricut projects!
How to use a Cricut mat...
If you have one of the older machines, you'll need to use a sticky mat when you cut - the newer range of Cricut cutting machines (Joy, Maker 3 and Explore 3) don't need the mat to cut, but you may need to get different materials...
Look out for 'smart materials' including vinyls and even a smart, sticky-backed paper. You can still use a mat for cutting non-smart materials with your newer Cricut, as in the older machine range. (I don't have a newer machine, so my info includes all about mats, but not about smart materials used without mats).
Always use the correct mat for your cutting project. The mat has a sticky side where you place your material ready to cut. You need the mat to keep your material from sliding about when the machine cuts – just use a mat that’s lost it’s sticky and you’ll see why it’s a good idea to use a sticky mat!
It’s not quite just as simple as that though, as you need the right amount of sticky – not sticky enough and your material slides around under the blade causing chaos… Too sticky and your material sticks too hard to the mat, you struggle to get it off and it could tear or break as you try to remove it or leave half of itself behind, ruining your project.
Cricut has cleverly got over this problem by introducing four different mats, all with different stickiness. They’re also colour coded to help us!
Once your mat loses a little of its stickiness, you will likely be able to use lighter-weight items on it. I can use my older green mats that have lost stickiness with light cardstock with no issue.
Treat your mat with respect – stickiness is not guaranteed! Keep pet hairs and fluffy jumpers away, else your mat will get covered with fluff and lose its stickiness.
When you try to lift a paper or card from the sticky mat, it has a tendency to curl up. You could flatten it under a book, but try this easy hack instead…
Cover your cut project and the mat with the clear plastic sheet that’s included with the mat (keep it, don’t throw it away) – turn everything upside down and then carefully peel the mat away from your material (paper, card, etc), helping keep the material flat with your hand as you go. The mat is flexible and will bend gently back.
Go slow, and watch out for the delicate parts of the cut. You can just gently ease them off the mat as you go – your spatula tool can help with this.
Wash your mat when it loses stickiness and you can bring the stickiness back – scrape gently first to remove tiny bits, then wash it in warm water and mild dish-soap (washing-up liquid) with a lint-free cloth (I use a micro-fiber cloth). Let it air dry thoroughly before you use it again.
You may be able to apply a spray adhesive to your mat to resurface the stickiness – do some research before you start and look for a good quality 'repositionable' adhesive. Give your mat a good clean first (wash it as above) and mask off the edges so that the sticky stays in the right place!
I used 3M 'Re Mount' temporary adhesive spray on mine - I gave a light spray covering on the green mat and found that this worked really well to recover the stickiness. Holding up well so far, including after washes, and I intend to respray again when necessary.
If all else fails, you may need to buy a new mat. Cricut expect their mats to last between 20-40 cuts.
I take you through a basic vinyl project here...
And then help you understand all the vinyl types, including the best vinyls to use for your Cricut project, vinyl crafting terms and techniques - all on this page...
I take a look at my best tips and tricks for cutting cardstock with a Cricut, including weeding, intricate cuts, what to look out for when choosing cardstock and my personal best choices of cardstock for Cricut - take a look here....
Of course, one of the best things to make with cardstock is, of course, greetings cards - I have a range of SVG card templates for making cards with your Cricut here - with an essential tutorial for how to create the score line with your Cricut, (or manually) here - plus, once you've cut and scored your greeting card with your machine, here's how to fold and assemble your greeting card.
Some people seem scared of using the 'print then cut' function in Cricut - I used to be one of them! This is a real shame as it's such a useful function which combines your home printer and your cutting machine, so that you can have your Cricut cut out a printed image neatly for you! How good is that!
Take a look at how to print and cut on your Cricut here - I used it to make these lovely (& easy) print then cut cards!
And I do a test of which cardstock or paper to print onto here....
Felt is a fun material to try with your Cricut - you can use it to make felt pictures or 3D felt projects, like flowers, or toys.
Once you know what you're doing with using felt with your Cricut, it's quite easy to do, but you do need to know a few essentials first, like using the right blade and mat - and knowing if your Cricut is suitable for felt at all (most are, but not all)...
If you've got lots of creative ideas, you'll probably wonder how to start creating your own SVG files - there's certainly an art to it and I can recommend a very good course that helped me get started designing SVG files, too - take a look at my recommendation for how to design SVG files here...
Are you a keen crafter? Then you might like Creative Fabrica's All Access Pass which allows you to save money by using thousands of designs, fonts, and PNGs for hobby and commercial crafts.
If you sign up to Creative Fabrica after clicking on my links above, I will receive a small referral fee. This helps me to be able to keep producing my own designs for you. The price you pay is always the same.
Sign up below for my free email newsletter...
My newsletter is usually sent out once a month (at the start of the month) and you can unsubscribe any time...
Sign up below...!
Dec 05, 24 09:48 AM
Dec 04, 24 05:52 AM
Nov 29, 24 05:32 AM