1. Is it slowly loading, freezing, crashing, or not opening at all?

   When this happens, it’s so frustrating because you just want to continue with the idea, right? I know what that like, and I’ll give you a few suggestions in this segment on what to do with these space design problems.

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   Project Space is mostly an excellent app.

   Sure; we would like to see a few additional features added (it was great recently to receive a curved text feature), but overall, it fits well for most projects. The biggest problem is to crash, slow load, freeze, or not open. Let’s look at what you could do to solve these problems.

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   Slow Internet Connection

   Slow internet connection is the leading cause of problems with Design Space. The program needs excellent and consistent speeds for upload and download. An inconsistent connection with spikes and dips can also cause software problems.

   If your computer is closer to your modem, you will possibly have a more stable link. Sites like YouTube need good download speeds, and slower upload speeds are available. But Cricut Design Space requires good to download and download speeds, as you are always sending and receiving information while you are working on your design.

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   Run a Speed Test

   Cricut sets out the following Design Space requirements to operate correctly:

   • Broadband connection minimum 2-3 Mbps Download

   • Minimum 1-2 Mbps Upload

   If your results are inferior and you feel that they will cause or lead to your problems, contact your internet service provider.

   You may need a new modem to provide the speeds you need. A year or two ago, that was my problem. A new modem solved my problems completely– a couple of days to wait!

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   Your Computer

   The problem may be your computer, laptop or mobile device if it is not your internet speed. There are recommended minimum construction space specifications to operate well.

   Windows Computers
   The basics are as follows:

   Windows
   The Windows computer must have:

   • Be running Windows 8 or later

   • On an Intel Core series or AMD processor

   • Large 4 GB of RAM

   • At least 50 MB of free drive space—the more

   • Bluetooth connection or free USB port

   Apple Computers
   Mac computer requires for Design Space to work the following:

   • A CPU of 1.83 GHz

   • Mac OS X 10.12 or something else

   • Have 50MB free space

   • An available USB port or Bluetooth capabilities

   • Have 4GB RAM

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   Background Programs

   Do you simultaneously watch Netflix, talk on Twitter, miss your mum, download your new Vlog to YouTube last season, try designing a tee in Design Space?

   Okay, besides deserving of a medal for doing so much at once, you will have to close specific programs to make DS work smoothly.

   But it could be the problem in all seriousness, even if you don’t do all that.

   Often simply closing things that you don’t use can speed up things.

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   Other Things That Might Help

   Here are some other things you might want to do or complete:

   • To check what your anti-virus software does and updating if necessary

   • Update drivers (for Windows)

   • Clearing your cache and history

   • To defragment your hard disk

   • To run a malware check

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   Your Browser

   Your Design Space issues could also be due to your browser.

   Cricut specifies that you must use any particular browser’s latest version. Make sure it’s up to date whether you’re using Chrome, Mozilla, Firefox, or Edge.

   If a browser doesn’t work, test whether it works for another browser.
   Sometimes this can solve the problem for unknown reasons.

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   Call Cricut

   If everything else fails, you may need to call Cricut to discuss your specific problem.

   I know there will be many issues here, which remain unaddressed, so please leave a comment on what your battle is, and perhaps someone else will help you.

Let it be known, and you’re incredible at making decals. Your plans are novel, you’ve aced aptitudes with your shaper, and you’ve chosen to do it. It’s an ideal opportunity to make the past stride specialist and start a business with your Cricut or Silhouette vinyl shaper.

Congrats, this could be the initial step to working for yourself, budgetary self-sufficiency, or some additional going through money every month. Regardless, it’s an outstanding choice. Pause for a minute, pat yourself on the back, and apparatus up for another arrangement of difficulties.

The Most Effective Method to Start a Vinyl Business

Where do you start?

When I chose to begin a decal business in 2013, the genuine inquiries began to sneak in. Who do I offer to? What would it be advisable for me to sell? Where would I be able to sell it? How would I discover leads? What sort of promoting will pay the best yield for my endeavors?

These are genuine inquiries that must be replied if you want to turn a benefit. The inquiries aren’t that intense when you handle them individually. I’ve done it, thus have others with fewer abilities and ambition than you.

The main thing you have to take on is your business procedure. You have to figure out what sort of item you’re going to sell, the kind of clients you’re attempting to reach, and how to discover them.

Who and Where Are My Clients?

There are two spots where you can sell your vinyl items: locally and on the web. Except if you’ve chosen to stop your all-day employment, and you have the cash to enlist staff, you’ll need to pick only one to start. Your objective ought to be to do a profitable business at the earliest opportunity; that way, you can reinvest those benefits in your future development.

As far as I can tell, numerous new entrepreneurs dismiss the intensity of profit. The majority of us don’t have the advantage of getting financing from a bank or investment firm when we start.

If you can begin getting profitable deals rapidly, the benefit can be piped into development openings like new apparatus, product offerings, or showcasing—the benefit is top dog.

By separating the different gatherings we can offer to and understanding the spots to discover them for both neighborhood and web-based deals, you can measure where to invest your significant time and energy best. A touch of strategy now can spare you from sitting around, cash, vinyl, and stamina not far off.

Conclusion

Cricut machines are fantastic gadgets to own because they do not only boost creativity and productivity; they can also be used to create crafts for business. With Design Space, crafters can create almost anything, and even customize their products to bear their imprints.

All over the world, people use these machines to make gift items, t-shirts, interior décor, and many other crafts, to beautify their homes, share with friends and family during holidays, and even sell, etc.

There are two types of Cricut machines: the Cricut Explore and the Cricut Maker. Both machines are highly efficient in their rights, and experts in the crafting world make use of them to create a plethora of items, either as a hobby or for business.

Both machines are similar in many ways, i.e., the Cricut Maker and the Explore Air 2, but the Cricut Maker is somewhat of a more advanced machine because it comes with some advanced features, as compared to the Explore Air 2.

One distinct feature about the Maker that sets it apart from the Explore Air is the fact that it can cut thicker materials. With the Maker, the possibilities are limitless, and crafters can embark on projects that were never possible with Cricut machines before the release of the Maker.

Although both machines have several dissimilarities, there are also areas where they are completely inseparable. Take, for example, the designing of projects in Cricut Design Space.

Cricut Design Space is the software where all the magnificent designs are made before they are sent to be cut. It is one of the most critical aspects in the creation of crafts in the Cricut setup. However, when it comes to Cricut Maker and the Explore Air 2, there is nothing to separate them in this regard, because both machines use the same software for project design.

As a crafter, without proper knowledge of Design Space, you’re not only going to cut out inferior products, you will also make little or no in-road in your quest to find success.

Understanding Design Space is valuable because it empowers crafters with enormous tools and materials to create generalized and custom products. It is a potent tool that just cannot be overlooked by anyone that intends to follow this path.

Thus, the understanding of Design Space is a MUST for people that intend to do business out of Cricut machines or even utilize it as a hobby. With the software, crafters can create their designs from scratch or use already-made designs on the Cricut platform. Those that have an active subscription on Cricut Access have access to thousands of images, projects, and fonts. They can cut out their products using these images or projects, and they can also edit them to suit their style and taste before cutting.

Commercial users of Cricut machines design and cut out items to sell for profit and the machines have proven to be a blast.

One of the reasons why people can sell items made from the Cricut machine is because they have the option of creating custom and unique products that cannot be found anywhere else.

Cricut machines are fantastic tools that should be on everybody’s radar, especially people that love crafts.

1. Cricut Basic

It is a program or software designed to help the new user get a smooth start on designing new crafts and DIY projects. This system will help you with image selection to cutting with the least amount of time spent in the design stages.

You can locate your image, pre-set projector font, and immediately print, cut, score, and align with tools that are found within the program.

You can use this program on the iOS 7.1.2 or later systems as well as iPad and several of the iPhones from the Mini to the 5th generation iPod touch. Since it is also a cloud-based service, you can start in one device and finish from another.

2. Design Space

Design Space is for any Explore machine with a high-speed, broadband Internet connection that is connected to a computer or an iOS device. This more advanced software allows full creative control for users with Cricut machines.

3. Cricut Design Studio

This program allows you to connect with your software and provides you with much more functionality as far as shapes and fonts are concerned. There are various options for tools that provide you with resources for designing more creative images.

You will be able to flip, rotate, weld, or slant the images and fonts. However, you will still be limited in the amounts or types of fonts that you can use based on the ones on the cartridges. There is a higher level of software features that allow for customization.

4. Craft Room

Some machines, such as the Explore and Explore Air, cannot use Craft Room, but many other models can. Craft Room users also have access to a free digital cartridge, which offers images that all Cricut machines can cut.

Moving on to Creating Your Project Template

On the home page, select “New Project,” which will be followed by a page with a blank canvas that looks like the grid on your Cricut mats.

To any artist, the words “empty canvas” is a nightmare in itself so please just bear with me since we will fill that bad boy up in a second. But first, let’s go through the menu options.

Menu Tabs:

New, Templates, Projects, Images, Text, Shapes, and Upload.
These are the things that you will see on your left-hand side when you have the canvas open on the screen.

New

New means that you will start a new project, and clicking the tab will redirect you to a blank canvas. Be sure to save all changes on your current project before you go to the new canvas. Otherwise, you will lose all of the progress you have already made on that design.

Templates

Clicking on Templates will allow you to set a template to help you visualize and work with sizing. It is convenient for someone who is not familiar with Cricut Design Space and doesn’t know what sizes to set.

If you are cutting out wearable items on fabric, you can change the size of the template to fit whoever will be wearing it. I’m sure you can agree that this feature is especially beneficial for the seamstresses out there.

Projects

Projects, meanwhile, will lead you to the ready-to-make projects so that you can start cutting right away. Some of the projects are not customizable, but others are when you open the template, which is pretty cool.

Many of these are not free either, which irks me to a new extent. You can choose the “Free for Cricut (whatever machine you have),” and the projects that will turn up won’t have to be paid for.

Images

Images are where you can search for thousands of photos to use for the craft. Those images with the green flag with the “A” on them are the ones that come only with Cricut Access so be aware if you do not have it.

It is sort of like a Pinterest image search engine with a lot of pictures in its database.

Text

The Text goes without saying. When you select this option, you can type whatever you want and scale it onto your canvas. You may select any font saved in your computer too; that’s why collecting those has never been more useful!

There is also an option called “multi-layered font,” which gives your text a shadow layer. If you are cutting out the letters and shadow layers, the Cricut will do them separately and combine the two later if you wish to. It can create very cool effects, so make sure you try that option out.

Furthermore, remember that when you are being paid to do a job, the font you are using might require a license to use.

Shapes

Shapes lets you add necessary forms to your canvas, which you can tweak to fit your own needs. The shapes include circle, square, rectangle, triangle, et cetera.

Upload

When you click the Upload tab, you can upload your images and transform them into cuttable pieces. It is incredible to be able to use this feature.

Subscribe to Cricut Access

If you want to get a full range of use out of both your Cricut Explore machine as well as the Cricut Maker machine, we would recommend you subscribe to Cricut Access right away.

There are two options for payment. Either you can pay $10 as you’re a monthly fee, or you can pay one time for the entire year. It works out to be slightly cheaper on a month-to-month basis.

It will give you access to thousands of different predesigned projects as well as Cricut Access exclusive fonts, that you would otherwise have to pay to use. If you are planning to use your Cricut a lot, this will save you a lot of money as opposed to buying every project an image individually.

We can all agree it is a lot easier to pay one flat rate instead of having to figure out how much you are spending on projects. Get your money’s worth out of your Cricut and subscribe to Cricut Access.

De-tack Your Cutting Mat

The Circuit Explore machine will come with a green 12”x12” Standard grip cutting mat. The Cricut Maker machine will come with a blue light grip mat.

As you already know, you will place your cutting material onto this mat before inserting it into the machine to cut. As you will come to find out, the green cutting mat is extremely sticky when it is brand new.

Keep Your Cutting Mat Covers

The cutting mats that you purchase for your projects will always come brand new with a plastic protecting sheet over it. It can be pulled off and put back on for the entire life of the mat.

You will want to keep this plastic cover as long as you have the mat. It will keep the stickiness level up on your mat, and it will make the mat more comfortable to store away when not in use.

Cleaning the Cricut Cutting Mat

It is essential to keep your cutting mat clean for it to remain sticky and be available for use over and over. Ideally, you would want to clean the mat every time after use if not at least every couple would suffice.

All you will have to do is simply wipe down a clean mat with baby wipes to keep it clean.

Adhere Your Materials to Your Mats with Painter’s or Masking Tape

You will find that, as your Cricut mats age, they will slowly lose their grip. Before completely giving up on your mat and throwing it out, considering lining the edges of your project with painter’s tape or with masking tape.

It will hold your materials in place while they’re being cut and will save you the expense of a new mat for some time.

Command Hooks from 3M to Hang Your Cutting Mats When Not in Use

Utilizing your wall space for storage can be invaluable when you’re storing something delicate and prone to bending, like your Cricut craft mat.

Using Command hooks will ensure that your walls won’t be damaged by the adhesive and your mats will always be within arm’s reach and will never be hidden from you with this method!

Keep the Clear Plastic Sheet That Comes with Your Cricut Mats

When you buy a new Cricut mat, you will notice a semi-rigid sheet of plastic that comes stuck to the grip. After you complete each project, readhere this sheet to the front of your mat before hanging them up or putting them away!

It will keep the grip from getting ruined by dust, hair, rogue glitter, or animal fur in the air! It will help to extend the life of your mats, give you more uses before the end of its life, and will keep unnecessary scratches and debris from forming.

Take Care of Your Mat

Many mats have met their ends in my care, and there are multiple reasons for this. If the material doesn’t stick to it, the paper, vinyl, and others will all move around while the blade is trying to cut through, and it will end in a disaster.

Don’t Be Lazy

Test those projects first! Testing is key to mastering the Cricut even when you feel like you’ve already gotten the hang of it. It never hurts to assess your projects before doing the final cut or print.

Test before you cut. Make it a habit of yours. It should come without a thought. It might just save you a lot of time and material too. Instead of doing the whole project at once, do a small element of it first.

If it doesn’t work, you won’t need to wait for it to finish before you can fix the settings and cut the new design. It will also save you the pain of losing the material you wanted to use for the project itself.

Try Different Markers

Don’t feel limited by the Cricut markers. That’s right! When you are using your Cricut machine to write or draw on your project, any marker that will fit will work correctly.

Not only are there cheaper options, but the colors and variety of styles are virtually endless. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can only use the markers from the Cricut brand. Even though they are of better quality and made for the machine, you are not limited to using them.

Just make sure your markers fit.

Double-Check the Settings

Just like the testers, this is annoying, but you have to make sure that all of your settings are correct and that you have selected the right material option.

If you are not using the Cricut Design Space, this is easy to forget. When you utilize the software, there is a broad selection of tools. However, when you are only using a cartridge, the materials are limited.

Still, regardless of what setup you wish to handle the design, you should check your settings twice.

Keep Your Blades in a Good Condition

Preferably, get one for every material that you are going to cut. In the list of materials that are available to add to your Cricut purchase, you may see different kinds of blades available.

Make sure that you have the right edge for a particular item and that it is sharp at all times. A dull blade is never a good thing, and it will ruin your project as easily as a sharp one will cut it entirely.

Extend Your Markers’ Shelf Life

Keep your markers upside down with the cap-covered tip facing down when you are not using them. It will ensure that they stay nice and inky for the most extended period.

Do not leave them in your Cricut when you are not using them. Secure the cap and put them away afterward.

Blades Getting Dull Too Soon? Run Foil Through Your Cricut!

A trendy Cricut trick in use is to stick a clean, fresh piece of foil to your Cricut mat, and run it through with the blade you wish to sharpen.

Running the blades through the thin metal helps to revitalize their edges and give them a little extra staying power until it’s time to buy replacements.

TREASURE CHEST JEWELRY BOX

Turn a simple wooden box into a treasure chest! It is a cute project for yourself or your child. Choose the type of wooden box you like best. You can find one with flat or rounded lids and in all different sizes.

You could get one that’s already in the color you like, a light color to stain or paint yourself, or even an older box that looks like it could be a treasure chest. White vinyl is an excellent basic that will show up on any wood, but you could change the color depending on how you want your box to look. Scale this up to create a toy or storage box.

MOTIVATIONAL WATER BOTTLE

Everyone needs a motivational boost to keep their workouts going. Turn a boring water bottle into your cheerleader! Choose the type of water bottle that you like the best, whether it’s a plastic, glass, or metal one. It could also work on a reusable tumbler if you prefer to have a straw.

The glitter vinyl will give a fun accent to your necessary hydration, but you can change it to a natural color if you want to be a bit less flashy. Use one of the suggested quotes or one of your own. The important thing is that it motivates you to keep moving!

CUSTOMIZED MAKEUP BAG

Bathroom counter a mess from all your makeup? Make yourself a cute bag to store it in! This can be any size bag or pouch you’d like, from one that holds a few items to a train case. The only requirement is enough blank space for the design.

Pink and purple create a classic, feminine look, but you can use whatever color combination suits you best. It is the first project using heat transfer vinyl, so you’ll need a Cricut Easy Press or iron to transfer the design onto the bag.

PERPETUAL CALENDAR

Woodblock calendars are a cute addition to any décor. Many teachers use them on their desks, or they fit in anywhere in your home.

You can find unfinished block calendars online or at most craft stores. They’ll usually have two wooden cubes for the numbers, two longer blocks for the months, and a stand to hold them. Painting the wood will give you the color of your choice, but you could also stain it or look around for calendars made of different types of wood.

WOODEN GIFT TAGS

Dress up your gifts with unique wooden tags! Balsa wood is light and easy to cut. The wood tags with gold names will give all of your gifts a shabby chic charm.

Change up the color of the vinyl as you see fit; you can even use different colors for different gift recipients. People will be able to keep these tags and use them for something else, as well.

An alternative to balsa wood is chipboard, though it won’t have the same look. The Cricut Maker is the best choice for this project, though the Cricut Explore One and Cricut Explore Air 2 can get by using the Deep Cut Blade.

PET MUG

Show your love for your pet every morning when you have your coffee! A cute silhouette of a cat or dog with some paw prints is a simple but classy design.

You’re not limited to those two animals, either. Use a bird with bird footprints, a fish with water drops, or whatever pet you might have! You can add your pet’s name or a quote to the design as well.

You have the freedom here to arrange the aspects of the design however you’d like. You could put the animal in the center surrounded by the paw prints, scatter the prints all around the mug, place the animal next to its name and paw prints along the top, or whatever else you can imagine.

Think of this as a tribute to your favorite pet or dedication to your favorite animal, and decorate accordingly.

ORGANIZED TOY BINS

How much of a mess is your kids’ room? We already know the answer to that.

Grab some plastic bins and label them with different toy categories, and teach your child to sort! You can use the type of bins that suit your child or their room best. Many people like to use the ones that look like giant buckets with handles on the sides. There are also more simple square ones.

You could even use cheaper laundry baskets or plastic totes with or without the lids. Once your child is old enough to read the labels, it will be easier for them to put away toys and find them again to play.

You can add images to the designs as well—whatever will make your child like them best! You can use the Cricut Explore One, Cricut Explore Air 2, or Cricut Maker for this project.

FROGGY RAIN GEAR

Kids love to play outside in the rain. It can be hard to get them to dress appropriately for it, though.

Decorate a raincoat and rain boots with a cute froggy design that will have them asking to wear them! A simple raincoat and boots that you can find at any store for a reasonable price become custom pieces with this project.

The outdoor vinyl is made to withstand the elements and last for ages. You can customize this even more by adding your child’s name or change up the theme completely with different images.

SNOWY WREATH

Wreaths are a popular decoration year-round. This one is perfect for winter.

You can buy premade grapevine wreaths at almost any store, or you can get crafty and assemble one yourself. The berry stems can be found in the floral segment of craft stores.

Silver will fit the snowy theme well, but you could also use red for a holiday-themed look or an entirely different color. You can also change up the whole project to theme it toward your winter holiday of choice.

PAW PRINT SOCKS

Socks are the ultimate cozy item. No warm pajamas are complete without a pair! Add a cute, hidden accent to the bottom of your or your child’s socks with little paw prints. Show off your love for your pet or animals, in general, every time you cuddle up!

You can do this with almost any small design or even use text to add a quote to the bottom of your feet. You can use any type of socks you find comfortable.

For the most natural read, make sure the sock color and vinyl color contrast. Either, make them in the same color for a hidden design! The shine of the vinyl will stand out from the cloth in individual lights. Since this uses heat transfer vinyl, you’ll need your Cricut Easy Press or iron.

CLUTCH PURSE

Clutches are an incredibly useful thing to have around. It is smaller than a regular purse yet big enough to hold what you need, and you can use them for any occasion.

Create a few of these in different colors and patterns to match different outfits! This clutch is inspired by a project that Cricut has in the Design Space. It is the most advanced of the fabric projects in this book, and it uses the most sewing.

UNICORN WINE GLASS

Who doesn’t love unicorns? Who doesn’t love wine? Bring them together with these glittery wine glasses!

The outdoor vinyl will hold up to use and washing, and the Mod Podge will keep the glitter in place for years to come. Customize it even more with your quote.

You could use a different magical creature as well—mermaids go fabulous with glitter too! Customize this to suit your tastes or to create gifts for your friends and family.

Consider using these for a party and letting the guests take them home as favors!

The “Weld,” “Contour,” and “Slice” functionalities:

These three tools will be activated at the bottom of the screen for designs that allow for these changes.

The “Weld” tool will allow you to merge two different designs to obtain one composite design, without any leftover seams and cut lines that might be present on the individual designs. It helps you in obtaining a single continuous cut for your design, so you do not need to glue and assemble multiple pieces to obtain the final design, for example, the creation of cake toppers, gift tags, and other decorations.

The “Contour” tool can be used to activate or deactivate any cut lines in any cut files, and thereby, allowing you to customize the image in various ways. So, imagine you have an image of a flower. You want to remove the details of the design and obtain more of an outline of the flower. You can do so by clicking on the “Contour” button at the bottom of the screen and selecting the different elements of the image that you want to turn on or off from the contour pop-up window.

The “Slice” tool can be used to slice a design from an image by cutting out or removing elements of the image, as shown in the picture below.

Use your search keywords wisely.

The search functionality within the “Design Space” is not very dynamic, so your choice of keywords will make a big difference in the designs and projects that will be displayed to you.

For example, if you search for images containing dotted designs and search with keyword “Dots,” you would be given around 120 images, but if you search with the term “Dot,” you would see almost twice as many images. You should also search with synonyms and closely related terms of your target project idea.

For instance, if you wanted to create a Halloween project, you can search with terms like pumpkin, costumes, and trick or treat, among others. It will ensure you are viewing any images of your project.

The “Cartridge” image sets.

It is likely that during your search, you like design more than any other made available to you, but it is not exactly how you want it to be. Well, simply click on the small information circle (i) at the bottom of the image, and you will be able to view the entire image set or “cartridge” of images similar to your selected image within the “Design Space Image Library.”

A treasure trove of free fonts and images.

As a beginner, you would want to utilize a large number of free fonts and images to get your hands-on experience with your “Cricut” device. It is a great way to spend less money and still be able to create stunning craft projects.

Within the “Design Space” application, you can click on the “Filter” icon next to the search bar (available within the images, fonts, and project tabs) and select “Free” to only view free resources within each category.

Use synchronized colors to save time and money.

It is a great tool when you have designs that are either a composite of multiple images or inherently contain different hues of the same color. Instead of using five different shades of the same color, you can synchronize the colors, so you need to use only one colored sheet.

To do this, simply click on the “Color Sync” tab on the “Layers Panel” on the top right corner of the screen. Then drag and drop the desired layer(s) of the design to your target color layer, and the moved layer will immediately be modified to have the same color as the target color.

Use the “Hide” tool to cut images from the Canvas selectively.

When you are looking to turn your imagination into a work of art, you may want to view and take inspiration from multiple images while you work on your design. But once you obtain your desired design, you would not want to cut every other image on your canvas.

It is where the “Hide” tool comes in handy, so you do not need to delete the images on the Canvas to avoid cutting them along with your project design. To hide the image, you just need to click on the “eye” symbol next to those specific image layers on the “Layers Panel.” The hidden images will not be deleted from the Canvas but would not appear on the cutting mat when you click the “Make It” button to cut your project.

Ability to change the design lines to be cut, scored, or drawn.

With the latest version of the “Design Space” application, you can simply change the “Linotype” of design from its the predefined type to your desired action, instead of looking for designs that have predefined line type meeting your project need.

For example, if your selected design is set at “Linotype” Cut, but you want the design to be “Linotype” Score, you can easily change the “Linotype” by clicking on the “Linotype” drop-down and making your selection.

The power of the “Pattern” tool.

As you have learned from the last project of this book, “Personalized Fridge Magnets,” you can use your own uploaded images to be used as pattern fill for your designs.

Moreover, you will also be able to edit the image pattern and the patterns that already exist within the “Design Space” application to create your own unique and customized patterns. The “Edit Pattern” window allows you to adjust the resolution and positioning of the pattern on your design and much more. (Remember, to use the “Pattern” feature, you must use the “Print then Cut” approach for your project, with access to a printer).

Utilize the standard “keyboard shortcuts.”

The “Design Space” application does have all the required tools and buttons to allow you to edit the images and fonts. Still, if you prefer to use your keyboard shortcuts to edit the image quickly, the “Design Space” application will support that.

Some of the keyboard shortcuts you can use include “Copy (Control + C),”; “Paste (Control + V),”; “Delete (Delete key),”; “Copy (Control + Z).”

You can utilize the “Slice” tool to crop the image.

The “Design Space” application still lacks the “Crop” functionality, so if you need to crop an image, you will need to get creative. A good tip is to use the “Slice” tool along with the “Shapes” to get your desired image.

Change the position of the design on the Cutting mat.

When you are ready to cut your design and click on the “Make It” button, you will notice that your design will be aligned on the top left corner of the mat. Now, if you are using a material that was cut at its top left corner, you can simply drag and move the image on the “Design Space” mat to meet the positioning of your cutting material. You will be able to cut the image anywhere on the mat by moving the design on that specific position on the mat.

Moving design from one mat to the other.

Yes! You can not only move the design over the mat itself, but you can also move the design from one mat to another by simply clicking on the three dots (…) on top of the mat and select “Move to another mat.” You will then view a pop-up window where you can select from the existing mats for your project to be used as the new mat for your selected design.

Save cut materials as Favorites for quick access.

Instead of spending time filtering and searching for your cut material on the “Design Space” application over and over, just save your frequently used material by clicking on the star next to the “Cricut” logo on the “Design Space” application to save them under the “Favorites” tab next to the default “All Materials” tab.

When you are getting ready to cut your project, under the “Set Material” tab, your “Favorites” material will be displayed on the screen, as shown in the picture below.

You can store the most frequently used cut materials on the “Cricut Maker.”

Unlike the “Cricut Explore” series which has dial settings for a variety of commonly used cut materials, the “Cricut Maker” requires you to use a “Custom Materials” menu within the “Design Space” application that can be accessed using the button on the machine bearing “Cricut” logo, since there is no dial to choose the material you want to cut.

Choose to repeat the cut of the same mat or skip a mat from being cut altogether.

By following the instructions on the “Design Space” and feeding the right color and size of the material to the machine, you will be able to get your design perfectly cut. You can change the order in which the mats are cut, repeat the cut of your desired mat, and even skip cutting a mat if needed. You can do this easily by simply clicking on and selecting the mat you would like to cut.

You can edit the cut settings of your materials.

You might notice that even when you have selected the default settings to cut the desired material, the material may not cut as desired.

To help with this, “Design Space” allows you to adjust the cut settings for all the materials such as the depth of the cut, the cutting blade, and the number of the passes to be made by the “Cricut” device.

Since this may not be as intuitive to most beginners, here’s a step-by-step walkthrough of this process:

• When using the “Cricut Maker,” select “Materials” on the cut screen, and if using the “Cricut Explore” series, set the dial to “Custom.”

• Click on “Browse All Materials” from the top of the menu.

• From the bottom of the screen, select “Material Settings.”

• The pop-up window for the “Custom Materials” will be displayed, as shown in the picture below, where you can make the required adjustments.

Adjust the pressure with which the material can be cut.

You may want just to adjust the pressure with which the cut is made to obtain a clean and neat cut of the material, without needing to go through the process described above to adjust the cut setting of the material.

On the cut screen, once you have selected the cut material, a drop-down option with the “Default” setting will be displayed.

Simply click on the drop-down button and adjust the pressure to “More” or “Less.”

“Cricut Access Membership”

At a monthly fee of around $8 or an annual membership fee, you will be able to use a wider variety of fonts and imaged for free. You will be able to use more than 30K images, over 370 fonts freely, and thousands of projects, saving a lot of money in the long run, depending on your usage.

What Is the Cricut Design Space Menu?

First, open up the Cricut account by signing in with your Cricut ID or make a new account by clicking the sign-up.

The Design Space menu will open up; it is the screen where anyone can manage their setup. You can browse the menu. Clicking on the home button will bring the Home page up. By clicking, the current project is not lost.

By clicking on Canvas, the site takes you to the Canvas window. Here you can design a new project. If you are working on a design, it will directly open to it.

• There is an option for Print Then Cut calibration for accurate cutting of images.

• A new machine can be set up by clicking on the New Machine Setup button.

• If the machine needs an update on its firmware, you can click Update Firmware.

• Account Details can be seen by clicking on its link.

• There is an option for Link Cartridges; you can install a cartridge using this window.

• If you buy a Cricut Access subscription, you can access it through the Cricut Access link.

• The Settings option is for adjusting keyboard shortcuts, measurements, and turning the grid on and off.

• The Legal option is to inform you about the policies and terms of use, etc., of the device.

• The Help button is for whenever you are stuck. You can watch helpful videos and read guidelines to help you.

• Country Select link helps in managing the purchase and setting the correct currency.

• The Sign Out link is for signing out of your account.

How to Create and Customize a Ready-To-Make Project?

Select a project of your choice, which is in the Project tab of the home screen. Once you open the project, its details will be shown. The photo, difficulty level, the time required, materials required, finished size, and instructions are all given.

• If you want the project to be the same, then click on the green Make It button.

• If you want to customize the image, click Customize. You will be taken to Canvas.

• Once the changes are done, click on the Preview.

• When satisfied, click on the Make it icon.

How to Start a New Project?

From the home screen, click on the New Project button. You will be directed to an empty Canvas page. You can also access through Design Space Home Screen by clicking on the New Project tile. Editing and adding photos, images, and text are all done here.

• You can browse from different projects in the Projects tab.

• You can browse and insert from Cricut’s image library or uploads by clicking Images.

• You can basically shape like circles and squares by the Shape option.

• You can upload your image by clicking on the Upload option.

• My Projects link allows you to open prior projects.

• The Save option is for saving the current project.

• When done, cut your project by clicking on the Make it icon.

Edit Bar Options

On the Edit bar, there are many functions to choose from:
Undo, Redo, Select All/Deselect, Edit (Cut, Copy, Paste), Align, Arrange, Flip, Size, Rotate, and Position.

Text Edit Bar Features

On the Text Edit Bar:

• Fonts displays a large variety of types, and you can browse it by search too.

• Also includes: Style, Letter Space, Line Space, Alignment, and Advanced options.

• The Advanced option enables you to group different texts.

Layers Panel

On the right, there will be a Layers Panel. Image features are given in this area like Contour, Slice, etc. Layers are controlled from here.
You can Duplicate, Delete, Group/Ungroup, define line layer, or color.

How to Use the Cricut Image Library?

A most important aspect of designing is the use of the proper image that you have in mind. Cricut Design Space provides thousands and thousands of beautiful and fresh images to choose from its library. The number grows every day as new images are added.

The Design Space allows the use of the image before purchasing it so that when you purchase it, you don’t have any regrets. Some images may not be available based on your residency.

How to Insert the Necessary Images?

First, open Images which are on the left side of the Canvas in the Design Panel. A new window will pop up, showing all the images in the library and also the uploaded ones.

At the top of the screen, three links appear:

• Images (default view)

• Categories – Search through 50+ categories.

• Cartridges – In alphabetical order, different cartridge images are shown.

You can also search an image by typing the name or tag in the search box and filter your search by Ownership, Layer, and Type.

• Image information can be seen by clicking the icon at the lower right corner of the image (name, number, cartridge set, access level).

• Images with intricate designs and an option for Print and Cut have a printer icon in the bottom right of the preview image.

• Image Tray temporarily stores selected images.

• Click Insert Images to place the image on the Canvas.

• Cancel button takes you back to the Canvas without any images selected.

How to Upload an Image?

There are many images to choose from in the library, but it also encourages the use of your own images.

Images are categorized into two types:

1. Image

2. Pattern

About Images

Images also have two types:

• Basic

• Vector

Common image types like JPG, GIF, PNG are uploaded as one layer. The software guides through the uploading steps.

There are two ways to use the image:

1. Print and Cut – Print the image and calibrate Cricut to cut around it.

2. Cut only – Cuts the outer edges directly.

Vector files (e.g., SVG) are not uploaded as a single layer but as multiple layers.

Uploaded images can be searched by name/tag or filtered by “Uploaded”.

About Pattern

Uploaded patterns can be seen in the Layers Attributes Panel under the Pattern option. File types supported include: .jpg, .png, .gif, .bmp.

When uploading, choose appropriate tags and name for easy searching. You can also access this by clicking Uploaded in the Patterns filter.

How to Upload an Image from Photoshop?

Cricut Design Space does not allow you to make changes to the images you want to use. Use external software like Adobe Photoshop first.

Photoshop does not save vector files, so multi-layered images will be compressed into one. JPG is the recommended format.

Steps:

1. Make required changes using Photoshop.

2. Save the file in JPG format and name it.

How to Upload an Image from Adobe Illustrator?

Adobe Illustrator is mainly vector software that can save files in SVG and DXF formats. It can also save in JPG and others.

For SVG files:

• After design completion, click Save As → select AutoCAD Interchange File.

For DXF/other files:

• Click Export → Export As → select AutoCAD Interchange File.

How to Upload an Image from CorelDraw?

CorelDraw also supports SVG and DXF, as well as JPG and other formats.

For Vector Files:

• After making changes, click Save As → select AutoCAD Interchange File.

For Essential Files:

• Click Export → Export As → choose JPG, GIF, PNG, or BMP.

• Use JPG for best results.

How to Select an Image?

There are four methods:

1. Select inside Canvas – The image appears in the Layers Panel with a bounding box.

2. Select from Layers Panel – Highlights the image on Canvas.

3. Draw a Box – Draw around the image; it turns blue to indicate selection.

4. Select All – Selects all images (useful for multiple selections).

Working with Uploaded Photos

Uploading is simple. Two options:

1. Upload as Image

2. Upload as Pattern

Steps for Uploading Image:

• Go to Upload Image

• Browse and select the photo.

• Choose Complex Image if needed.

• Use Print and Cut (default) and click Save.

• Back on the upload screen, click the photo, then Insert.

Editing Tools:

• Use Slice tool to cut sections out.

• Use Flatten to insert images onto photos.

Patterns

Steps for Uploading Patterns:

• Go to Upload Pattern

• Browse and select the photo.

• Add a name and tags.

• Click Save – a confirmation screen appears.

To use as a pattern:

• Insert a shape into the Canvas.

• Open Layers Attributes Panel → Image Layers → Line Types → Patterns.

• Select the desired photo.

Edit using tools: Rotate, Scale, Pan, Mirror.

When you have a Cricut machine, there are a few tools that you would need, which would make your crafting project easier and manageable.

All these different tools help with cutting materials. The tools that you would need are:

Cricut Cutting Mat

For every Cricut Machine you have, the must-have item every crafter need is a cutting mat. This cutting mat enables you to hold any material you use while the machine goes through cutting it. These mats come in different grip strength and varying sizes. You can differentiate it by the colors it comes in based on the grip, so you do not confuse them. Some projects would require you to use the sturdy grip mat, whereas some projects work better using a mat suitable based on the materials you are using, such as fabric.

The outcome of your project depends on the kind of mat you use, so choosing the right mat is imperative. The different types of mats available are the Light Grip Mat, Standard Grip Mat, Strong Grip Mat, and the Fabric Grip Mat.

Cricut Bright Pad

This Bright Pad includes a five-brightness setting adjustable LED light. It makes your crafting easier, and it aids in illuminating fine lines for tracing. It is advantageous when you are weeding so if you do find that weeding is a challenge, then the Cricut Bright Pad will solve this issue for you as it makes this process easier.

Cricut Pens

Cricut Pens come in different colors and a variety of sets that make DIY projects such as gift tags, cards, invitations, and banners so much more creative and beautiful. Crafters usually use these pens when they need to Write and Cut. You can get the Metallic pens, Candy Shop pens, the Classic set, Gold set, and even one called the Seaside set.

Lint Roller

Yes, you read that right, get yourself a lint roller. It is useful for removing any unwanted pet hairs, dust or excess materials from your mats. Animal hairs are big problems as they stick to the adhesive mats like there is no tomorrow, but a lint roller works great if you want to get rid of them.

Scoring Stylus

Add a scoring stylus to your cart as soon as possible if you are a paper crafter. The tool is excellent for making paper baskets and boxes. It gives the products the professional, store-bought finish and makes them so easy to fold as the stylus already creates the grooves for folding your paper projects.

Easy Press

Invest in an Easy Press. It is perfect if you are interested in printing T-shirts or customizing pillowcases. Anything you want to have printed; you are going to need one of these bad boys to do it.

There are lots of bundles available on the Cricut website, and they can range from $119.99 (only the Easy Press) to $389.99 for a large bundle with everything you need to get started on your printing journey and so much more. The prices change depending on the size of the Easy Press, as well as the size of the bundle you wish to take.

Complete Starter Kit

The Complete Starter Kit is great if you don’t feel like purchasing tools individually or if you’d instead follow protocol and purchase what you need. The kit comes with all the essential items; that’s why it is an excellent purchase.

However, if you’re tight on cash, buying the bare necessities will be best. It includes the materials you may require starting crafting, so you don’t have to worry about any list of items that need to be bought.

Cartridge

Cartridges are designed to help with the keyboard overlay that is needed for designs. The Design Studio that is downloadable on the computer will help with developing the design that you are finding.

Each cartridge is designed to have a booklet to help you with how to use it. Each cartridge will only work for that specific overlay; however, a company called Provo Craft designed a universal overlay cartridge that will help with this single-use overlay issue.

It allows the DIY crafter to only must learn one keyboard overlay instead of multiple, giving them a much better chance of being able to learn the Cricut machine quickly.

Each Cricut, whether a cake version or a paper version, has a specific set of parameters that will be set to use for cutting. It makes each one of the Cricut machines specific to their use and a unique tool to have.

Sharpies

Sharpies – you will not be sorry that you have them. Yes, the Cricut pens are cool, but they are overpriced. Purchasing some extra Sharpies–or any form of pens that can be manipulated into fitting into the pen holder–will work correctly. You will have a variety of colors and save a couple of bucks in the process.

Doors

The door on your Cricut Cutter machine protects the machine when not in use. On many Cricut Cutter machines in various models, there is a compartment on the inside of the door to place any needed tools for crafting.

If the doors on your Cricut cutter machine are not staying shut, make sure that you have taken out or unloaded any accessories in the machine’s accessory clamp which can cause the doors to remain open.

Spatula

For lifting a cut piece of papers from the cutting mat, a spatula is used. Other related things like some stuffed card can be used. But, as spatula is not expensive and specially designed tool, so its use is recommended. It does not harm your cutting mat. Removing gross and sticky material from spatula is easy.

Adhesives

Glue, gums are adhesives, choose adhesive of your choice from any wellknown brand. Adhesive material like adhesives should not be the ordinary, purpose of sticking two things together must be fulfilled through your selected adhesive.

Different sizes of glue coffee cups are available. Select any jumbo pack or coffee cup or according to your requirement. The drying time of glue also matters, so go for some excellent adhesive.

Tapes

Without tape completing a task is almost impossible. Consideration Points for selecting tape are it should be chemical or acid-free, and it should be very sticky. Glue is alternate for tape, but sometimes glue also does not work like tape.

Scissors

Keep a pair of sharp scissors with you. Sharp Enough to cut cards, ribbons and papers. Must buy a cover for scissors. Place it above the reach of children and in a place where humidity does not affect it. Neat paper or card cutting affect your decorative work.

Tweezers

Sometimes you need to deal with very tiny papers. Tweezers work efficiently in holding that small piece of papers which usually turns, curves and tear during use.

Sometimes further use of glue sticks, two papers which are difficult to get separate tweezers are perfect helper at that time. Keep it while doing the crafting you will need it.

Trimmers

Blades and trimmers are an essential thing it helps in cutting papers very neatly and in the desired shape without putting additional effort to create a neat effect.

The stock of paper and cards

Card is comparatively thicker than paper. They are different things. Buying a stock makes you tension free, either you do test cuttings or throw it in making unusual shapes for the trail. They should be enough for until your whole tasks get complete.

Blades

The blades are designed to cut specific textiles when using the Cricut. Every single Cricut machine that you can buy comes with your specific blade for that machine.

You can purchase other blades that would be even more useful for specific textiles. Many of them come with a German fine point carbide blade. It is a useful blade for all projects.

However, you may want to invest in a deep cut blade eventually. This one provides an effortless cutting of a much thicker textile such as leather and wood. There is an individual housing that will be used for this specific blade that is different from the one that comes with your machine, so keep that in mind.

There is also an option or a fabric blade that is bonded. It is used to cut fabrics that are already stabilized with some sort of heat-pressed bonding. In the Cricut Maker, you will get a knife blade and a rotary as well. These do not work in other Cricut machines though.

Keypad

The keypad allows you to input phrases and words to tell the Cricut what to cut out using the font in the cartridge.

Buttons

For the most part, all buttons are self-explanatory the on button turns the machine on, the Cut button tells the machine to Cut once the design is already in place.

The Stop button tells the Cricut machine to stop cutting once the design has been entirely cut. It is essential not to try to Cut or press the Cut button without a cutting mat in place and without a design and cartridge ready to go.

Select the STOP button if you’ve made a mistake during the cutting process, the blade will stop cutting, and from there you can correct your mistake. The Off button turns the machine off.

Roller Bar

The roller bar piece of the Cricut Cutter machine has wheels called star wheels. Star wheels allow materials not to shift when cutting.

However, when cutting thick materials like felt and foam, the star wheels can leave marks and indents in the material. To avoid this marking from the star wheels moves the star wheels to the right side of the rubber bar one by one.

If the cartridge is in the way of this man oeuvre turn your Cricut Cutter Machine off by selecting the OFF button and gently move the cartridge over to either side.

To make sure that the material still is not passed over by the star wheels make sure the material has at least one inch away from the right side of the rubber bar where the star wheels are now located.

Display Screen

The display screen on your Cricut Cutter machine shows the design in which the machine will be cutting. The design can be edited on the display screen.

Settings for your Cricut machine are also accessible through the display screen, such as: calibrating the screen and resetting the machine.

A few common problems with the Display Screen include the LCD being unresponsive, the screen stuck on the End User License Agreement, the display screen being pixelated, and the screen stuck on the Tap to Zoom message.

If you have any of these issues, turn your machine off, then perform a hard reset. It is essential to take care of your Display Screen as it is a vital part of your Cricut Cutter machine.

How to Design

To get started and test the machine, once you have connected the Cricut Maker to your PC or smart device, you will be taken to the ‘You’re only a cutaway’ screen. It will be the start of your first mini project on the Cricut Maker where you will be making a greeting card.

Directions:

• Click ‘Continue’ and accept the project to make the card.

• Follow the instructions on the screen and click the ‘Make it’ button.

• The next screen is the ‘Prepare mat’ screen. Read the instructions and follow them by clicking ‘Continue.’

• On the panel on the left-hand side of the ‘Prepare mat’ screen, the image of the board has the words ‘Draw’ and ‘Cut.’ It means that the project is going to use both a pen and a blade tool.

• The next step is to set up the material for the machine to cut. The Maker does not have a dial, so this will be done through the Design Space software. Choose the material that the screen is prompting you to choose—Medium Cardstock – 80 lb.

• The next step takes you through installing the accessories into the accessory clamp.

Using the Cricut Maker Accessory Clamp A:

The first accessory to install will be the black pen that comes with the Maker. On the pen, there is an arrow. Make sure that the arrow is facing you. Open the gray flap on clamp A. Position the pen into the slot gently pushing it down until the arrow disappears. Once the pen is in position, close the gray clamp flap to secure the accessory in place. When the pen is loaded, press ‘Continue.’

The next step will be to load the cutting mat.

Using Cutting Mats with the Cricut Maker:

Using the white cardstock material, stick it onto the top left-hand corner of the Light Grip cutting mat (follow the onscreen example).

Slide the cutting mat with the cardstock in place through the mat guides and up to the material feeder guide bar. The mat should be positioned just under the feeder rollers.

You will notice that the load/unload button is blinking. It indicates that the machine is ready for you to load the cutting mat with the material. Push the load/unload button to load the cutting mat.

The Maker will load the cutting mat and position it. When it is ready, the screen on your PC will change, prompting you to click go.

When the cutting mat has been loaded, the go button (Cricut C) button will start to flash to indicate that the machine is now ready to start cutting. Press the ‘Go’ button, and the Maker will start to draw the design. It will take a few minutes.

When the drawing process is finished, the Design Space screen will change to ‘Detecting blade.’ If it cannot detect a blade, it will prompt for one to be loaded. Depending on the material that has been selected, the software will prompt the blade that is best suited to the project.

As the Fine Point blade is preloaded with the Maker, it will not prompt for a blade change for this project. The Maker will start to cut out the image.

When the Maker is finished cutting out the design, you will be prompted onscreen to use the load/unload button to unload the cutting mat.

The load/unload button will flash until it has been pressed and the cutting mat has been unloaded from the machine.

The screen will prompt for the pen accessory to be removed from the clamp. Remove the pen by opening the flap on the clamp. Pull out the pen and then close the flap.

Pull the excess card stock off of the cutting mat, leaving behind the cut-out design.

You can use the weeding tool to pull out bits on the card and then pull the card from the cutting mat.

Fold the card in half.

Place the blue insert into the card by inserting each of the corners into the slots on the card as indicated by the on-screen prompt.

Your first Cricut Maker project is done!

Cleaning and Care

The Cricut Cutter machine needs to be kept intact in a variety of ways: the blade must be replaced, the cutting mats must be taken care of, and the machine, in general, must be kept clean.

Cutting Blade

Every single blade you use might get up to fifteen thousand individual cuts before replacement. To prolong this number of individual cuts, place the aluminum foil onto the cutting mat and cut out a few designs. This process keeps the blade extra sharp and lengthens the life of the blade.

This number of cuts can be determined based on the materials that have been cut by the blade. If you are doing many projects in which thick materials need to be cut, the blade will deteriorate quickly; the blade can also deteriorate if you are cutting many materials on high pressure.

An excellent way to know if your blade needs to be replaced is if the quality of your cuts starts to decrease significantly. If this happens, it’s best to replace the cutting blade.

When replacing the blade, it is always best to get blades that are the Cricut brand. Generic blades are often not the best quality and will cause you to replace your cutting blade regularly.

To install the new blade once you’ve ordered the correct one, you need to unplug your Cricut Cutter machine first. Always unplug the machine before installing anything in your Cricut cutter.

Next, you must remove the old, dull cutting blade from your Cricut Cutter machine. The process of how to do this has been mentioned many times in this book.

Once the cutting blade assembly has been separated, it is now time to eject the blade. Find the small silver button above the adjustment knob and press the button down; this will eject the cutting blade.

Be very careful when doing this as the blade is extremely sharp and can easily cut through the skin. Keep all blades away from children and pets.

To put in the new blade, insert the blade on the end of the blade assembly opposite of the blade release button. The blade will then be pulled up into the assembly. Place the assembly back into the machine by reversing the process.

Cutting Mat

The Cutting mat, in addition to the cutting blade, needs to be taken care of. One cutting mat can have a life of anywhere from twenty-five to forty cuts.

The life of the cutting mat can vary from this amount depending on the pressure and speed at which the cuts have been made and the type of materials that have been cut on the mat.

To prolong the life of your cutting mat, remove any debris from the mat after a cut and always avoid scraping the mat. If you scrape the mat, it can push any debris further into the mat.

After each craft, it is best to run lukewarm water over the mat and dab it dry with a towel afterward. When a material does not adhere to the cutting mat any longer, then it is time to replace the mat.

It is recommended to get many cutting mats and rotate between them to prolong the life of all the cutting mats. It extends the life of the mats because one cutting mat will not be cut on for many projects in a small amount of time.

It is also recommended that you keep all of your cutting mats and all of your cartridges and blades in a very organized manner. Throwing the components off can destroy and deteriorate them, so it is best to keep them in a very orderly fashion.

A benefit of keeping your Cricut Cutter components organized is that you won’t lose or damage the costly items that are necessary for several projects.

Cricut Machine

The final thing to keep clean is the actual Cricut Cutter machine.

The machine needs to be wiped down with a damp cloth. Wipe down the external panels of the machine and with the machine unplugged. Always wipe down the machine with a dry cloth after cleaning the outside of the machine.

Never clean the Cricut Cutter machine with abrasive cleaners such as acetone, benzene, and all other alcohol-based cleaners. Abrasive cleaning tools should never be used on the Cricut Cutter machine, either.

Also, never submerge any component of the machine or the Cricut Cutter machine into the water as it can damage the machine.

Always keep the Cricut Cutter machine away from all foods, liquids, pets, and children. Keep the Cricut Cutter machine in a dry and dust-free environment.

Finally, do not put the Cricut Cutter machine in excessive heat, excessive cold, sunlight, or any area where the plastic or any other components on the Cricut Cutter machine can melt.

Materials

Cricut boasts being compatible with over 100 different materials. This part will lay out all of those materials so you have a reference for any materials you might want to use for your die-cutting projects!

• Adhesive Cardstock

• Adhesive Foil

• Adhesive Vinyl

• Adhesive Wood

• Aluminum Foil

• Aluminum Sheets

• Balsa Wood

• Birch Wood

• Burlap

• Canvas

• Cardboard

• Cardstock

• Chalkboard Vinyl

• Chipboard

• Construction Paper

• Contact Paper

• Copy Paper

• Corkboard

• Corrugated Paper

• Cotton Fabric

• Craft Foam

• Craft Paper

• Denim

• Dry Erase Vinyl

• Duck Cloth

• Duct Tape

• Embossable Foil

• Faux Leather

• Faux Suede

• Felt

• Flannel

• Flocked Cardstock

• Flocked Iron-On

• Flocked Paper

• Foil Acetate

• Foil Embossed Paper

• Foil Iron-On

• Foil Poster Board

• Freezer Paper

• Glitter Cardstock

• Glitter Foam

• Glitter Iron-On

• Glitter Paper

• Glitter Vinyl

• Glossy Iron-On

• Glossy Vinyl

• Holographic Iron-On

• Holographic Vinyl

• Leather

• Linen

• Magnet Sheets

• Matte Iron-On

• Matte Vinyl

• Metallic Leather

• Metallic Cardstock

• Metallic Iron-On

• Metallic Paper

• Metallic Poster Board

• Metallic Vellum

• Metallic Vinyl

• Neon Iron-On

• Notebook Paper

• Oil Cloth

• Outdoor Vinyl

• Paint Chips

• Paper Board

• Paper Grocery Bags

• Parchment Paper

• Peal Cardstock

• Pearl Paper

• Permanent Adhesive Vinyl

• Photo Framing Mat

• Photographs

• Plastic Packaging

• Polyester

• Post Its

• Poster Board

• Printable Fabric

• Printable Iron-On

• Printable Magnet Sheets

• Printable Sticker Paper

• Printable Vinyl

• Removable Adhesive Vinyl

• Rice Paper

• Scrapbook Paper

• Shimmer Paper

• Shrink Plastic

• Silk

• Solid Core Cardstock

• Stencil Material

• Stencil Vinyl

• Temporary Tattoo Paper

• Tissue Paper

• Transparency Film

• Vellum

• Washi Sheets

• Washi Tape

• Window Cling

• Wood Veneer

• Wool Felt

• Wrapping Paper

Cutting Mats

Cutting mats are of three types, which are a firm grip, grip standard, and grip light. You can also buy any sizes that come in, and it’s either 12 inches by 24 inches or 12 inches by 12 inches mat.

Sturdy grip mat is ideal when cutting the stiff fabric, glitter cardboard, chipboard, cardboard specialty, and other coarse materials. For more delicate materials such as cardboard or embossed cardstock standard, vinyl, paper pattern, or iron-on, we recommend the mat grip standard. For lighter materials, carpet grip light is needed. Light lightweight materials include cardboard, office paper, vellum, or other materials.

A newly purchased Cricut machine includes cutting in the box, so you do not have to buy a carpet separately. After a while, you lose its grip mat, and either can apply glue to keep or buy a new one.

Also, when considering your project, you should get the right carpet. If your carpet is a lightweight grip and tries to cut a thick fabric, it could end up ruining the whole project because the material will remain on the transfer of the mat.

Cutting Blades

The cutting blades are essential accessories needed when used Cricut. After all, they cannot be cut without a knife.

The cutting blades also come in three types. First, we have the standard sheet that usually accompanies the Cricut machine. The knife is sharp and durable, but after a while, you have to change the blade when it becomes blunt. Therefore, you should have additional sheets on hand just in case.

Then we have the German carbide blade. You can buy this from Cricut too. It is sharper than the standard sword, which is created by cutting materials medium weight. The sheet also lasts for a longer time and is not quickly broken.

Finally, designed for very thick materials, we gash sheet. The sheet is cut too deep elements that go with the secure base cut cutting grip. You can also use cut sheet material as the seal material, magnet, and some other tissues.

Spatula and Scraper

Not many people bother with buying a spatula and scraper when they want to use your Cricut machine. However, these tools are useful when it comes to taking materials cutting mat.

For the spatula, it can be used to remove material from the mat without damaging the material. It provides accuracy.

In the case of the scraper, you need to keep the rug for cleaning. This tool is handy with scraping leftover materials on the mat and clean. It prevents the machine from durable and will last a long time. Also, when you want to start a new project, you can quickly use the carpet without having to clean it.

Apart from these essential tools for certain types of projects, some devices are crucial when working on these projects.

Vinyl or Iron-On

For example, when working in plastic or iron-on projects, both using the same type of tools because they are somewhat similar. Iron-on project plans are vinyl heat transfer more or less.

It can be used for vinyl decorating glasses, cups, or mugs; create labels for frames or walls and other projects. Iron-on is used to decorate fabric as adding t-shirt designs.

Transfer Belt

Circuit also makes this tool and is entirely transparent. In this way, the transferor vinyl places your project, and you can easily view and manage more carefully.

Steps

When carried out vinyl or iron in the project, a weeder is crucial as it can be used to highlight small parts in their project as vinyl pieces that are not being used from the carrier sheet.

Paper

Apart from the project’s vinyl, paper projects are probably the most famous craftsmen carried out. In the use of Cricut, most people start.

Paper projects because they are lightweight and relatively more comfortable to do.

You can use paper to create shapes, numbers, letters, cards, envelopes, posters, decorations, stickers, and more.

For paper projects, there are two general tools you will need.

Feathers

In the use of any Cricut machines Explore, you can quickly write their designs. When you want to draw, Cricut offers some free sources and sources that can be purchased from Cricut access. Also, if you have fonts on your computer, you can use that too.

You can buy Cricut different pens that are compatible with any of the scan machines. Their types of pens include calligraphy pens, fine tip pens, gold, feathers, metallic pen, pens, and a wide range of colors. Although you can use other pens, Cricut machines work best with feathers Cricut.

Two slots provide a great thing about Cricut machines so you can use the pen and sheet simultaneously. It allows you to design quickly and cut instantly.

Scoring Tool

It is also called pencil marks and is used for lines of boxes, envelopes, cards, or other folded paper. In the same way, you can design or draw and cut to the same time, and you can also install the scoring tool on the machine when the blade is already installed. It makes the process quick and comfortable design.

Additional Tools

In addition to the usual design tools, you can also buy some tools that facilitate the use of a more suitable Cricut machine. Depending on the project you are using, these tools can be useful.

Tools Kit

Instead of buying the tools one at a time, some people go through economic options and buy a toolkit instead. A standard toolkit should include scissors, weeder, scrapers, spatulas, and tongs. If you’re in the iron-on vinyl or projects, then you probably should buy this type of toolkit.

Some advanced toolsets add a paper cutter and pencil marks. This toolkit is excellent for those interested in paper projects.