Cricut users unite!

[MajesticallyAwkward]

I took the plunge and bought myself a cricut 😁 absolutely loving it, about 2 weeks in and have done projects with paper, card, vinyl and HTV.

Any cricuters want to share makes, tips, tricks and ideas?

Soooo many ideas I don't know where to start!

Tips I've picked up.

Calibrating for print and cut - if the square first cut is just touching the printed one... click that it's OK and then refine it.
Another print and cut one - if it's not reading the scan marks on the sheet - scotch tape over it and sharpie.

Washing your mats can re-sticky them again a lot - I've re-adhesived mine but they say you're not meant to.

I quite often use the blue painters masking tape rather than transfer tape for small projects.

Keep HTV offcuts - cut names out of them very small and use to label school uniform.

@CoffeeWithCheese ive kept loads of htv off cuts, labelling uniforms is a great idea!
Ive made an adorable baby vest for my nephew today and a delivery of new htv colours arrived this afternoon. It's all so pretty I don't want to waste a scrap haha

Ohhhhh YES! I just came over here looking for a cricut thread! I got mine last Christmas (self present) and I haven’t used it a huge amount yet but I’m enjoying it!

I’ve written vinyl on things, some HTV too. I bought some Armor etch but haven’t tried it yet! I’m thinking of asking for some fancy vinyl for Christmas.

I’m also considering using it to help decorate wrapping paper for Christmas presents, maybe people’s names in card or something? I’ve got 2 serving ‘sleighs’ from the pound shop that I want to customise but I’m unsure about the vinyl sticking to them, and how to seal it. I’ve got some resin that I’ve never used which I’d like to try maybe on the top!

I bought mine in the first lockdown and then never really used it. I made iron on brand labels for some face masks for DSs 😂

I've recently been looking at a pop up snowflake card I want to try though. I need to clear my craft space first.

I was slightly disappointed with some of the cuts mine made but I suspect it was because I was a novice/needed better paper.

@Excited101 I've seen the sleighs on a fb group and some have sealed with modge podge but I'd assume resin would do the same. If you use HTV or a permanent vinyl it might not need extra sealing. Ive not seen any in my local shops but did get a few of the light up wine bottles 😁

@SoupDragon I did the dragon pop up card from design space for my DSs birthday and it turned out really well (until 2yo DS opened it and immediately pulled the dragon out 😳)

Today I have some Harry Potter designs that I want to do T-shirt's/baby vests with and I want to try the snowglobe exploding card too- time permitting. Pesky work keeps getting in the way of my crafting!

Even my 6yo DD is obsessed with the cricut, she's been using design space to design baubles for her friends and cards for her teachers.

I’m on a few of the cricut groups on fb but I find them mildly terrifying! I also have friends on all of them… and get a bit self conscious 😬 though I did post about the sleighs recently!

I joined a resin group that kept being recommended but it has utterly terrified me to the point where I feel if I open the bottles I’m going to instantly die!

I haven’t really done much with card yet. I tried quite early on and it just didn’t cut properly and was a PITA. I need to try it again really as it could be the answer to my gift wrap ‘issue’. I’m so loving the vinyl though. Has anyone got a recommendation for a reflective self adhesive vinyl (rather than HTV)?

I love my Cricut Joy but don't use it enough and am resenting the subscription.

I've made stencils and etched loads of glass things to give as Christmas presents. I've also discovered that you don't have to buy Cricut products and cheaper bundles of non generic materials on Amazon are fab, just cut them down. Also the same goes for pens. You can use sharpies but you need to buy an attachment for them, again from Amazon or Ebay, not Cricut branded.

I only bought the branded cricut tools. Everything else was different/cheaper brands and my machine was second hand! Though annoyingly it went to the same price new, about 2 weeks after I got it! I don’t pay for the subscription

How do you find the etching? I bought the solution but I haven’t tried it yet!

I'd love to try etching. It's next on my list! Along with infusible ink, I don't really want to pay the cricut prices but haven't found any other brands of it that have good reviews.

I've been getting vinyl and htv from MDP supplies and it's good stuff. They do clothing blanks too, I have some T-shirt's and vests from them that work really well with their htv. I've found a gorgeous RBG quote design that I want to put on matching t shirts for me and DD.

Card settings can be tricky, I've made a note of which setting works for the card packs I have as it doesn't always match up.

I have one I love it. Just making some baubles at the moment.

I have been making personalised sweet jars - I find if the jar has a slight curve it is harder to apply the vinyl neatly. Anyone got any tips?

@handmademitlove I find if you don't put the whole transfer tape down and sort of lift as you go (so start at one end and lift up bit when it's attached) so it follows the curve a bit smoother

Can you use a Cricut without the subscription?
I keep eyeing up the Joy model for basic stuff, but don't want to be paying monthly/yearly to use it!

yes you can still use design space without subscribing, you just wouldn't have access to the cricut files/designs so if you're happy either making your own or downloading from elsewhere you'd be fine.

I have been debating asking for one for Christmas but I've no idea what I'd do with it. I am generally crafty and do lots of sewing, crochet, polymer clay etc . I would love to see some examples of what you have all made with yours.

@DeJaDont it's really fun, I've loved making things with mine!
Added a couple of pics of bits I've done recently, just pottering and getting to grips with it.

Tshirt- HTV onto a blank tshirt
Advent calendar- festive card pack from the range and the Jennifer maker design file
Pop up card- from cricut design space using various types of card I had lying around.

My next projects are going to be a shadow box and some T-shirt's for Xmas gifts!

You made that calendar 😮

That's amazing. Am well jealous that I don't have one now! Which one do you have? I am still on the old style big shot die cutter.

It's really pretty! And my DD is very excited to have it filled for December. Took about an hour to cut and put it all together.
I'd recommended Jennifer maker for free designs, she has loads of really good projects with tutorials.

I have the explore air 2, couldn't justify the more expensive maker but the explore does everything I want. Design space works well on the apps on my phone/tablet although for complex things I use the laptop.

Omg that dragon card is amazing!!

Ive made an adorable baby vest for my nephew today and a delivery of new htv colours arrived this afternoon

You have used the right, non toxic HTV haven’t you? I don’t want to assume that you know or don’t know, but the bog standard stuff isn’t recommended for baby’s sleep wear (and because they sleep everywhere, in reality, most of their clothes double as sleep wear) because of the toxicity. If people make it to sell, Trading Standards require it to be safety tested for this reason, along with fire etc.

Also, Armour Etch is fantastic stuff and very easy to use. If you’re only doing a small design, use masking tape over the edges of the vinyl template as sometimes the fumes can leave a line around the edge of the vinyl, which is infuriating when it’s turned out perfectly otherwise.

What do you mean about masking tape on the edges of the stencil? Do you just mean along each side of the vinyl piece?

@handmademitlove

I have been making personalised sweet jars - I find if the jar has a slight curve it is harder to apply the vinyl neatly. Anyone got any tips?

When your design is on the transfer tape, ready to be applied, use a pair of scissors to carefully snip in between the design (without cutting through the design). This lets you apply it onto the jar in different stages, smoothing down as you go, rather than trying to wrap a large piece of transfer tape onto a curved surface without getting it creased.

@Excited101

What do you mean about masking tape on the edges of the stencil? Do you just mean along each side of the vinyl piece?

Yeah, that’s it. So if your vinyl is only an inch by an inch, you could still have quite a lot of glass that is uncovered. Obviously you don’t want to waste loads of vinyl by using a massive bit for a tiny design, so if you use masking tape around the edge of the vinyl, it’s a more cost effective way of covering more glass and stopping those tiny little lines from appearing.

It doesn’t happen every time, but it has happened enough and I’ve ruined enough otherwise perfect etchings, that I always do it now.

You can use sharpies but you need to buy an attachment for them, again from Amazon or Ebay, not Cricut branded

I know I’m going to sound like a proper whinger about this, but it’s just stuff I learnt by trial and error and I wish I’d known it when I started. Some pens fit the attachments with adaptors and some fit even without, and they are so, so much cheaper than the Cricut branded pens. But they can also stretch the mechanism without you realising, and they invalidate your warranty. So if something goes wrong and they want to see your machine before replacing it, and the mechanisms and springs etc aren’t exactly where they should be, then you could have a problem.

I’m sure it would be absolutely fine and they’d sort your machine out without needing to see it, especially since Covid, but it’s something to be aware of so you can make an informed decision.