Cricut For Dummies

Introduction 1

About This Book 1

Foolish Assumptions 2

Icons Used in This Book 2

Beyond the Book 3

Where to Go from Here 3

Part 1: Getting Started with Your Cricut 5

Chapter 1: Welcome to the World of Cricut 7

Cricut 101: What It Is and What It Does 8

Making Cool Stuff with a Cricut 8

Joining the Cricut Community 9

Chapter 2: Choosing the Right Cricut for You 11

The Cricut Maker Series 12

The Cricut Maker 4 12

The Cricut Maker 3 12

The Cricut Maker 14

The Cricut Explore Series 15

The Cricut Explore 4 15

The Cricut Explore 3 15

The Cricut Explore Air 2 16

The Cricut Joy Series 17

The Cricut Joy Xtra 17

The Cricut Joy 18

The Cricut Venture 19

Where to Buy a Cricut 21

Chapter 3: Setting Up Your Cricut 23

Firing Up Your Cricut 23

Syncing Your Cricut with Your Computer 24

Connecting via USB cable 24

Connecting via Bluetooth 25

Creating Your Cricut Account 27

Getting Cricut Design Space Up and Running 28

Meeting system and internet connection requirements 29

Installing Design Space on different devices 29

Navigating the Home screen 31

Finding and adjusting your settings 32

Saving for online or offline use 33

Chapter 4: Checking Out Cricut Tools and Materials 39

Looking at Tools and Accessories for All Cricut Machines 39

Starting with the Cricut Essential Tool Set 40

Considering other essentials 40

Choosing the Right Cricut Mat 41

Distinguishing types of mats 41

Picking the right size mat for your machine 42

Surveying Smart Materials 43

Cutting with Basic Blades 43

Writing and Drawing with Pens and Markers 44

Looking at Cricut Pens and Markers 45

How to use Cricut Pens and Markers 45

Adding Accents with a Foil Transfer Kit 47

Making Lines with the Scoring Stylus 49

Staying Sharp with the Bonded-Fabric Blade 52

Trying Out Cricut Maker Series Tools 53

QuickSwap tools 53

Specialty blades 56

Picking the Right Heat Press 56

Features to look for 57

Types of heat presses 58

Heat press accessories 59

Customizing Items with Blanks 60

Chapter 5: Keeping Your Cricut in Top Shape 63

Cleaning Your Cricut Regularly 63

Changing Your Cricut Blade 64

For Cricut Explore, Maker, and Venture machines 65

For the Cricut Joy series 67

Cleaning Your Cricut Blade 67

Caring for Your Cricut Mats 68

Maintaining the Software and Firmware 69

Updating Cricut Design Space software 69

Updating your Cricut's firmware 70

Calibrating Your Cricut 71

Troubleshooting Common Issues 71

Identifying cutting problems 71

Resolving Design Space connectivity issues 72

Applying advanced troubleshooting tips 72

Part 2: Mastering Cricut Design Space 73

Chapter 6: Joining Cricut Access 75

Unlocking Exclusive Content with a Standard Cricut Access Subscription 75

Checking Out Additional Cricut Access Subscription Types 77

Considering Other Options Besides Cricut Access 77

Chapter 7: Exploring the Cricut Design Space Canvas 79

Starting a New Project and Touring the Canvas 80

Finding Inspiration: Projects and Images 81

Browsing the Projects library 81

Looking through Images 83

Chapter 8: Designing in Cricut Design Space 85

Creating Cricut Projects in Design Space: The Basics 86

Using Fonts and Designs Legally 87

Selling Cricut projects under the Cricut Angel Policy 88

Understanding personal versus commercial licenses 88

Avoiding copyright and trademark issues 89

Selling your Cricut creations safely 89

Uploading Your Own Designs 90

Filling Your Designs with Patterns 93

Applying pattern fills 93

Uploading your own patterns 93

Working with Text 94

Finding and adding text 95

Installing your own fonts 96

Finding hidden font characters 97

Customizing fonts 98

Creating monograms 99

Visualizing Your Design with Templates and Guides 100

Legacy Templates 101

Guides 103

Working with Layers 104

Discovering how to use layers 105

Mastering key tools in the Layers Panel 106

Setting the Correct Operations 113

Chapter 9: Bringing Your Designs to Life 117

Saving and Sharing Projects 117

Saving for offline use 118

Creating and managing Collections 118

Sharing your projects 118

Sending Your Design to Your Cricut 119

Introducing the Prepare screen 120

Setting up your mat 121

Checking out the Make screen 123

Part 3: Projects Using Paper and Cardstock 125

Chapter 10: Cutting Gift Tags 127

Checking Out Project Ideas Using Gift Tags 127

Picking the Right Tools and Materials for Gift Tags 129

Choosing Your Gift Tag Method 130

Method 1: Simple cut 130

Method 2: Drawing and cutting 131

Method 3: Print Then Cut 132

Creating Gift Tags: A Step-by-Step Guide 133

Chapter 11: Crafting Rolled Paper Flowers 137

Exploring Project Ideas for Paper Flowers 138

Choosing the Right Paper for Rolled Flowers 139

Exploring recommended paper types 139

Avoiding papers that don't work 139

Discovering Paper Flower Templates 140

Searching Cricut Design Space for templates 140

Browsing third-party websites for templates 141

Choosing the Right Cut Size for Your Flowers 142

Mastering Quilling Tools 143

Using manual quilling tools 143

Trying electric quilling tools 144

Testing out alternatives to quilling tools 144

Rolling Paper Flowers: A Step-by-Step Guide 144

Gathering your materials 145

Step 1: Designing your flower 145

Step 2: Cutting the flower 146

Step 3: Rolling the flower 147

Step 4: Gluing the flower 148

Adding stems, leaves, and pistils 148

Chapter 12: Making Cards 151

Starting Your Card-Making Journey 152

Celebrating all occasions 152

Building your skills 152

Choosing between Insert Cards and Cutaway Cards 153

Crafting Insert Cards 153

Creating Cutaway Cards 156

Picking the right size card 156

Gathering Materials for Card-Making 157

Starting with the basics 157

Enhancing with optional materials 158

Using Cricut Card Mats 159

Making Cards with Your Cricut: A Step-by-Step Guide 160

Step 1: Finding a project 160

Step 2: Creating a template 162

Step 3: Adding your designs 165

Step 4: Adjusting operations 166

Step 5: Preparing to make your card 167

Step 6: Loading your material onto the mat 168

Step 7: Loading your tools and mat 169

Step 8: Making your project 170

Step 9: Assembling your card 171

Part 4: Vinyl and Heat Transfer Projects 173

Chapter 13: Working with Vinyl 175

Exploring Vinyl Project Ideas 176

Avoiding Surfaces Vinyl Doesn't Stick To 177

Checking Out Types of Vinyl 177

Deciding between permanent and removable vinyl 178

Exploring specialty vinyl for unique designs 178

Using Smart Vinyl for mat-free cutting 179

Weeding Vinyl to Reveal Your Design 179

Using Transfer Tape 181

Gathering Your Materials for Vinyl Projects 182

Working with Vinyl: A Step-by-Step Guide 183

Step 1: Designing your project 183

Step 2: Preparing the materials 184

Step 3: Loading and cutting the vinyl 185

Step 4: Weeding the excess vinyl 186

Step 5: Applying transfer tape 186

Step 6: Transferring your design 186

Caring for Your Vinyl Projects 187

Chapter 14: Layering Vinyl for Colorful Designs 189

Choosing the Right Vinyl for Layering 190

Sticking with the easiest vinyl to layer 190

Avoiding vinyl that's hard to layer 190

Layering dark colors last 190

Working with Multilayered Designs in Design Space 191

Ungrouping layered designs 191

Deciding the stack order 192

Considering the maximum number of layers 192

Simplifying designs with the Slice tool 193

Exploring Layering Techniques 194

Layering from bottom to top 194

Layering from top to bottom 194

Using registration marks for precise layering 195

Layering with parchment paper 200

Chapter 15: Using Heat Transfer Vinyl 203

Exploring HTV Project Ideas 203

Checking Out Types of HTV 204

Finding the Right Size and Placement for T-shirt Decals 206

Gathering Everything You Need for HTV Projects 207

Cutting and Applying HTV: A Step-by-Step Guide 207

Step 1: Designing your project 208

Step 2: Preparing the materials 209

Step 3: Loading and cutting the HTV 209

Step 4: Weeding and transferring your design 209

Following Washing and Care Instructions for HTV Projects 210

Chapter 16: Trying Infusible Ink 211

Exploring Infusible Project Ideas 212

Gathering Your Materials 212

Common materials for all Infusible Ink projects 213

Specific materials for projects using Infusible Ink Transfer Sheets 213

Specific materials for projects using Infusible Ink Pens and Markers 214

Choosing the right blanks for Infusible Ink 215

Working with Infusible Ink Transfer Sheets: A Stepby-Step Guide 215

Step 1: Create your design 215

Step 2: Slice multilayer designs (if necessary) 216

Step 3: Adjust settings in Design Space 216

Step 4: Clean and prepare your materials 217

Step 5: Cut and weed your design 218

Step 6: Position and apply the design 218

Step 7: Cool and reveal your design 220

Drawing with Cricut Infusible Ink Pens and Markers 220

Step 1: Create and mirror your design 220

Step 2: Draw your design 223

Step 3: Prepare your blank 223

Step 4: Position and apply your design 224

Step 5: Cool and reveal 225

Caring for Your Infusible Ink Projects 225

Chapter 17: Etching with Vinyl Stencils 227

Exploring Glass Etching Projects 228

Gathering Your Materials for Glass Etching Projects 229

Creating Your Stencil in Cricut Design Space 231

Etching Glass with Your Cricut: A Step-by-Step Guide 235

Step 1: Preparing your design 235

Step 2: Cleaning the glass 235

Step 3: Applying your transfer tape 235

Step 4: Applying the etching cream 236

Step 5: Rinsing off the etching cream 237

Part 5: Projects Using Printable Materials 239

Chapter 18: Mastering Cricut Print Then Cut 241

Knowing How Print Then Cut Works 241

Exploring Print Then Cut Project Ideas 242

Testing Different Print Then Cut Materials 243

Preparing Your Cricut for Print Then Cut 244

Calibrating your Cricut 244

Understanding Print Then Cut size limits 245

Getting the best print quality 246

Distinguishing Bleed on from Bleed off 247

Using Print Then Cut: A Step-by-Step Guide 248

Gathering your materials 248

Step 1: Setting up your design 248

Step 2: Printing your design 250

Step 3: Cutting your project 251

Chapter 19: Creating Custom Stickers 253

Exploring Project Ideas Using Stickers 254

Gathering Your Materials 255

Choosing your printable sticker paper 256

Making sure your sticker paper works with your Cricut model 256

Designing Your Stickers in Cricut Design Space 257

Using the Create Sticker tool with Cricut Access 257

Adding borders to your stickers without Cricut Access 258

Printing Your Stickers 260

Waterproofing Your Stickers 262

Cutting Both Ways: Kiss-Cut Stickers versus Die-Cut Stickers 262

Chapter 20: Crafting with Printable Heat Transfer Vinyl 265

Understanding the Pros and Cons of Printable HTV 265

Exploring Project Ideas with Printable HTV 266

Gathering Your Materials for Printable HTV Projects 266

Using Printable HTV: A Step-by-Step Guide 268

Step 1: Creating your design 268

Step 2: Printing your design 269

Step 3: Cutting your design 270

Step 4: Preparing your fabric 270

Step 5: Applying the design 271

Step 6: Peeling the backing (if needed) 271

Following Proper Care Instructions 272

Part 6: the Part of Tens 273

Chapter 21: Ten Beginner Cricut Projects 275

Making Birthday Banners 276

Crafting Custom Bookmarks 277

Personalizing Water Bottles 278

Assembling Acrylic Key Chains 280

Decorating Throw Pillows 281

Designing Custom Hats 282

Monogramming Towels 284

Creating Infusible Ink Coasters 285

Organizing with Custom Labels 287

Creating Custom Candle Labels 288

Chapter 22: Ten Advanced Cricut Projects 291

Engraving Pet ID Tags 291

"Etching" Coated Metal with Citristrip 293

Fashioning Leather Earrings 295

Assembling Fabric Flowers 297

Stenciling Wood Signs 299

Creating Vibrant Coffee Mugs 301

Making Decorative Cake Toppers 303

Cutting Perfect Quilt Blocks 304

Piecing Together Custom Puzzles 306

Personalizing Elegant Envelopes 309

Index 313