Cricut Must Haves for Beginners

January 9, 2023 by Cyn Gagen Leave a Comment

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Did you just get a new Cricut machine? YAY! We are doing a happy dance for you because we just know how much joy you are going to get out of it! We have put together this list of Cricut Must Haves for Beginners especially for you.

This is our list of the items we use the most with our Cricut. These are Cricut tools and accessories we rely on every single day in our professional die cutting craft studio and we highly recommend each one of them. Check out the list below and let’s get crafting!

Cricut Must Haves for Beginners

Check out this list of Cricut must haves and make your list!

Cutting Mats:

When talking with Cricut beginners, we often find that they think they can only use Cricut brand products with their Cricut machines. While we love many Cricut products, there are some off-brand items out there that work really well too. This is especially true when it comes to cutting mats. We are huge fans of Nicapa cutting mats. They are a fraction of the cost of Cricut mats, but have worked beautifully for us consistently time after time.

Cutting Mat Comparison

EasyPress Mini:

The EasyPress Mini is our favorite of the Cricut EasyPresses. It is the most versatile one because of its size and how it’s designed, allowing you to make a wide variety of projects with it including heat transfer vinyl crafts and some small sublimation projects. It’s affordable and easy to use, making it the perfect starter heat press. We still use ours daily even with bigger presses available!

Scotch ATG (Advanced Tape Glider):

The Scotch ATG is one of the best dry adhesives we have ever found. It holds much more than those small tape runners and will serve you for a long time with your Cricut paper projects. It may look intimidating, but we promise, it’s easy to use. We even have a helpful video on how to change the tape in your ATG.

Rubbing Alcohol in a Pump Dispenser:

This pump dispenser is a game-changer. If you are applying vinyl to glass, mugs, tumblers, or anything like that with a non-porous surface, you will use this with a paper towel to clean the surface before putting the vinyl on. Having a nice clean surface, free of fingerprints and dust, makes for a longer-lasting design!

Scissors:

Scissors are a necessity for any craft room and the Tim Holtz Tonic scissors are some of our favorites when it comes to multipurpose scissors! One of the best things about these scissors is that you can loosen or tighten them based on the material you are cutting. These would not be the ones we would use for fabric, but for Cricut crafting and other general craft projects, these are ideal.

Cricut TrueControl Knife:

Of all the craft knives out there, this is hands down our favorite! Ergonomically designed with safety in mind, it feels good in your hand when you’re using it. We love how they designed it so that it won’t roll off your work surface! We use our knife to trim away excess vinyl so we can save the scraps for future projects.

Tweezers:

Having tweezers on hand when working on your Cricut projects is a great idea! We really like the Siser brand tweezers because of the firm, comfortable grip on them. In addition, if you are a paper crafter, we would recommend that you get a pair of reverse tweezers as well.

Squeegee:

A squeegee is a must in a Cricut craft room! It’s an essential tool when it comes to burnishing and applying vinyl to your blank. Squeegees are really affordable too! Some, like our Makers Gonna Learn squeegee, have grooves on them so you can use them to hold things like tumblers in place while you work on them.

Siser Easy PSV Transfer Tape:

Siser Easy PSV Transfer Tape has quickly become one of our favorite transfer tapes. If you are struggling with finding a transfer tape that works well for you, we recommend that you give this one a try.

Cricut Brayer:

This brayer works hand-in-hand with the squeegee to ensure that your materials are flat on the mat and well-adhered to your mat or blank. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a Cricut brand brayer, but we do quite like theirs. If we had to choose only one tool for burnishing, it would be the squeegee but the brayer is a nice addition to your craft toolbox.

Painters’ Tape:

Painters’ tape is essential! We use it to help secure items on the cutting mat when needed. It’s perfect for use with thicker materials to ensure they stay in place during the cutting process or whenever you’re having problems getting your materials to stick well to the mat. This can help extend the life of your mat too because even if it’s not quite sticky enough anymore, you can continue to get use out of it by adding tape.

Which of these Cricut must haves do you use?

Iron-On For Beginners

May 29, 2019 by Paula W

Hey everyone! Today on the blog, we’re going to show you how to Iron on For Beginners. This is the perfect project if you’re just starting out with using iron on or maybe you just got a die-cutting machine and you are itching to use some iron on vinyl. This is a really great project for you. There are so many customized craft projects you can create using iron on vinyl. You’ll love making tons of new things for yourself and to give as gifts. It’s super fun and we will show you just how to get started. With these tips and tricks you’ll be an iron on crafting pro in no time!

We’re going to make a t-shirt today. We used one of over 1,000+ cut files from Makers Gonna Learn – just click here to see the cut file we used for this project. If you all want to see files like this plus so many more as well as a great selection of fonts, then please check our membership here.

Let’s start! We are already in Design Space and we already sized our design. For t-shirts and things like that, I recommend for adult t-shirts no more than 9 inches wide. Today, ours is just 8 inches wide which is a perfect place to be. Make sure you size your own – don’t just take our word for it! Measure your own t-shirts just to make sure that it will be flawless. So now, we’re gonna hit “Make it” and since this is iron-on we’re going to choose “Iron on”.

Iron-on has built in transfer paper. So, if you can see that shiny side there, that is our transfer paper. You need to lay iron on shiny side down on the mat so that when you cut it, it’s backwards. Now we’re gonna hit “continue” and we’re going to select iron on. One more important thing – we want to give this project a little more pressure so that it just cuts a little deeper and makes weeding that much simpler.

When you’re good to go, we’re going to go over to our machine and once you’ve applied your iron-on shiny side down onto the mat, you can go ahead and load it and hit that flashing Cricut button.

First thing I like to do before I weed our cut image is to take our handy dandy Cricut knife and cut off all of the excess. You will want to save all of this iron on for future projects so you don’t want to waste it. Once you remove the excess and save it for another project, you’re just going to grab your weeding tool and get to work!

I love to weed on the mat, and I highly recommend you to try it! It’s so easy and I feel like once you weed on the mat, you know that you have the most control over your project. This will really help to secure your project.

If you are a first timer or a beginner, I highly recommend starting out with iron on. Sometimes the vinyl can be a little bit tricky but it’s awesome once you get the hang of it. Once you have everything weeded, it is a great time to come over to your Easy Press and set it up.

We already have ours preheated to 350 degrees and we’re going to set it to 30 seconds. Now, just peel up your weeded image straight off the mat and position it where you’d like it to go on t-shirt. The rule of thumb, especially for adult t-shirts, is that you place your image 3 to 4 inches from the neckline. So, we’re going to grab our handy-dandy measuring tape and measure this out.

Be sure to preheat your surface for a few seconds. This is super important and it will ensure that you have a great result every time. I do want to mention that we used the Easy Press mat – this is not a towel or a cloth like you might be used to using. This is designed for our these projects and important for project success.

Once you have preheat your shirt, lay this back down where you had it and make sure you have the positioning how you want it. Then, we’re going to take our Easy Press and hit that button. Apply some firm but even pressure. We don’t want to be sliding the Easy Press all around our shirt. We just want to give firm pressure straight down.

Important tip: Remember that to have a finished product that really lasts wash after wash, it’s very important to prewash your t-shirts especially if they’re 100% cotton.

So we have heated the front for 30 seconds on 315 degrees, and now we’re going to flip it to the back and hit it again back here for about 10 to 15 seconds. Cricut does recommend a warm peel for this. So while it’s still just a little bit warm to the touch, we’re going to take a corner and slowly peel it back.

If you have any letters that are not sticking, just apply the transfer paper back down, grab your Easy Press and hit it again for a few seconds.

What did you all think of the project? I think it turned out awesome! Hope you guys enjoy making an iron on project as much as I did.

20 CRICUT TIPS AND TRICKS

May 2, 2019 by Paula W

Whether you are a Cricut newbie or an old pro, you are sure to find something helpful in our list of 20 Cricut Tips and Tricks. These tips are going to make your crafting so much easier and help you get better results too.

These tips and tricks are so cool – from Cricut pen alternatives to how to clean your cutting mats and so much more – they are perfect for expanding your Cricut crafting knowledge.

20 CRICUT TIPS AND TRICKS

save the cover sheet from your cricut cutting mat

Keep Your Cutting Mat Covers

Don’t throw away your Cricut Cutting Mat covers! You know which ones we mean – those protective sheets that come with every new mat. Put them someplace safe and then reuse them. They are perfect to keep your mats clean and dust free between crafting.

Have Extra Blades handy

Blades are an absolute must for your Cricut. After all, it is a cutting machine! You can’t Cricut properly with a dull blade. Be sure to keep a few extra blades on hand so you never have to wait to get crafting!

LA's Totally Awesome spray to clean a cutting mat

Learn How To Clean Your Cricut Mats

Much like the pens, we love our cutting mats but they don’t grow on trees. You can buy new ones when yours get too dirty or nonsticky, or you could use this $1 cleaner to make them like new.

Learn more here: How to Clean your Cricut Mats 3 Ways

Cricut Trucontrol knife on a cutting mat with a measuring tape

Always Have Good Tools

Not only do you need all of the weeding tools, but things like self-healing mats and paper trimmers are handy to keep close by as well. One Cricut tool that you have to have is the TrueControl Knife! It will change your crafting game.

Always Mirror Iron-On Images

If you’re new to Cricut you may not know this, but you must always turn mirror on for any Iron-On material you’re working with. Iron-On has built-in transfer paper, which is why you also need to put the material transfer paper side down (or shiny side down) onto your mat.

Buy This Iron-On Removing Product

We found this product on Amazon that removes Iron-On from any fabric with no discoloration or residue. It’s called AlbaChem VLR Letter Removing Solvent. It looks like a scary industrial product, but it’s so cool to work with!

Fast Mode Is a Hidden Gem

If you want to craft a little faster, Fast Mode is a must. Tanner loves to use fast mode for many of the projects he makes! It’s not that the Cricut goes at turtle speed, but Fast Mode just speeds up the process.

Save Money By Using Sharpie Pens or Crayola Markers

We love all of our Cricut projects, but if you’re using Cricut Pens like it’s going out of style maybe try a less expensive approach. I know the Sharpie pens work well in the Cricut.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Comparison of Cricut Pens and Crayola Markers<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Stop Using Irons For HTV Projects

If you make a lot of Iron-On projects then you need to stop using your iron to adhere your HTV. There is newer and better technology nowadays that heats things way better and way more evenly than your household iron.

Peel Off Your Mat With Gravity

If you’ve ever made paper crafts and they’ve curled once you pulled your project off your cutting mat, then you need this hack! Flip your mat upside down and “go with gravity” peeling your mat up off of your project. You’ll see your paper is perfectly straight.

using a gift card to burnish vinyl to a cutting mat

Gift Cards Replace Scrapers

We have a bunch of Cricut scraper tools all over the studio and sometimes we lose them all. When that happens I just reach in my pocket and use a credit card to smooth out my vinyl. You could also keep some old gift cards laying around. They come in handy!

Always Keep Your Vinyl Scraps

Vinyl doesn’t grow on trees, and it’s so important to keep the scrap pieces of vinyl from your projects. You would be surprised to see how many projects you can make using scraps. We keep all of ours in bins in the studio.

What to do with those scraps? Projects to make using vinyl scraps

Weed Your Design On The Mat

Another fun tip while weeding is to do it on the mat. It keeps your design secure and allows you to weed easily. We never weed off the mat anymore.

using spray adhesive to restick a cutting mat

Restick Your Cricut Mats With Spray Adhesive

Spray adhesive is so handy to keep in any craft room. All we did to restick our Cricut mats was tape off the edges and lightly spray the mat. Once dry it should be good as new.

Use More Pressure With Almost Every Material

Much like Fast Mode, more pressure is almost always super helpful. It makes weeding so much easier, especially for things like Glitter Iron-On. The only projects you shouldn’t use it with are things like light cardstock or Vellum. Any super intricate designs you’re wanting to cut should stay on standard pressure.

collecting weeded bits of vinyl into an empty tissue box

Keep Weeded Pieces In a Tissue Box

I love this hack! Once you’ve emptied a tissue box, as you weed your projects simply drop your weeded pieces in the tissue box. It will keep your workspace clean and keep those vinyl pieces from sticking to you and everything else.

Become a Member of The Ultimate Die Cutting Community

If you already invested in a die cutting machine like a Silhouette or a Cricut then you need to pour into that and get so much value from your machine. With Makers Gonna Learn, you get access to thousands of digital cut files for every occasion. New files are added every month and you get access to a Facebook group, live streams, workshops, teaching videos, and so much more. You even get a FREE commercial license so you can sell everything you make with your yearly membership! Join the amazing community and get inspired to create amazing things every day.

Always Use The Cricut EasyPress Interactive Quick Reference Guide

This new temperature guide on the Cricut site is so cool! It’s constantly changing so you’ll get the perfect adhesion every time. You simply enter in your Iron-On material and your base material and it gives you all the information to make your project successful.

Get an EasyPress

Oh boy, you need an EasyPress. It doesn’t matter which one. They’re all amazing, although our favorite is the EasyPress Mini. It will change your Iron-On game. Plus, the EasyPress mat compliments the EasyPress so much and really sets you up for a successful project every time.

Be sure to check out our Cricut EasyPress Hacks post too!

Label Your Vinyl Scraps

After you keep a scrap piece of vinyl, grab a sharpie and label it before you store it. You might know what that vinyl was when you stored it but a few months later there’s no telling if you’ll remember what it was. Let’s get real, a lot of different types of Iron-On look the same.

CRICUT CUTTING MATS – Which to Use?

April 30, 2019 by Paula W

As a Cricut Machine owner, you know just how important your Cricut Cutting Mats are. In fact, they are one of the most important parts of your Cricut machine when it comes to creating successful crafts and DIY projects.

Cricut mats are available in an assortment of sizes and types. You really need to choose the correct mat for your project. In addition, you need to keep your cutting mats in good shape and to clean your cutting mats on a regular basis.

Think about the materials you’re going to be cutting and then choose appropriately. Cricut Cutting Mats are specifically made to match commonly used crafting materials for your die cutting machine.

Your Cricut cutting mat is designed to be sticky. A cutting mat that isn’t sticky enough will mean that your materials slide around during the cutting process, making mistakes in your cuts.

So, you need to be sure to choose the mat that has just the right amount of stickiness to hold your materials in place during cutting but still allow you to easily remove the material from the mat after cutting.

This post is a great resource to help you decide on the perfect Cricut Cutting Mats to use for all of your different DIY projects.

CRICUT CUTTING MATS – Which to Use?

Types of Cutting Mats:

LIGHT GRIP MAT

The LightGrip Mat is a multi-purpose mat that is perfect for a wide range of lightweight materials.

Recommended materials:

Printer paper
Thin cardstock
Vellum
Construction paper
Vinyl

STANDARD GRIP MAT

The StandardGrip mat is a multi-purpose mat that is perfect for a wide range of medium-weight materials.

Recommended materials:

Cardstock
Pattern paper
Embossed cardstock
Iron-on
Vinyl

STRONG GRIP MAT

The StrongGrip mat offers a strong hold surface perfect for heavyweight materials.

Recommended materials:

Thick cardstock
Glitter cardstock
Magnet material
Chipboard
Poster board
Fabric with stiffener

FABRIC GRIP MAT

The Fabric Grip mat is a bit thicker and stronger than the other mats but it’s not sticky. It’s intended to just keep the fabric in place.

Recommended materials:

Fabric
Bonded Fabric
Crepe Paper

Now that you know the type of mats to use for your projects, you might be wondering how to clean them. We have an AMAZING tutorial on How to Clean and Re-stick Your Cutting Mat that will definitely help you!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kgt0MuqweU

Hope you learned something new today. What is your favorite cutting mat to use? Don’t forget to leave us a comment below!

The Perfect Beginner Cricut Project

April 25, 2019 by Paula W

Hey guys! If you don’t have a Cricut, well, you just don’t know what you’re missing! There are so many things you can make with it. It makes crafting quicker and easier. You can use a wide variety of materials in your Cricut machine. From adhesive foil, to card stock, to vinyl it all works with the Cricut. Or maybe you have a Cricut but you’re just getting started with it. Well, we’re here to help. Today we are going to show you the perfect beginner Cricut project to make with your Cricut Explore Air. I just know you’re going to love this simple but adorable project. There are so many different types of materials you can use, as well! Be sure to scroll down and check the really fun unboxing video I made last year too!

View Here | View on YouTube

It amazes me how quickly you can get started crafting once you unbox the machine. I hear people all the time ask how to use a Cricut. There’s no difficult instructions or lengthy set up process. I think a lot of people are intimidated and are afraid to buy one and really dive in and see what it can do. I know it looks complicated and it comes with all these cutting materials, mats, and tools that you don’t know how to use. We’ve all been there, but I promise once you get the hang of it you’ll find it super easy and fun.

Once you’ve got your Cricut set up and ready to go you always want to play around with the settings and test designs to really get a feel of how the machine works and what it can do. Soon you’ll be a pro and getting inspired with so many Cricut project ideas and maybe even making Cricut tutorials yourself!

Today I’m going to show one of the easier Cricut projects you can make. It’s a great Cricut tutorial for beginners and best of all you can give it to your mom for Mother’s Day! That’s right, we’re going to make a beautiful yet simple Mother’s Day card. It’s The Perfect Beginner Cricut Project. After making just a few projects you will get the hang of the machine and use it for everything! I’m talking endless Cricut craft ideas! If you want to check out how we made the card, lucky for you the design is ready to go in Cricut Design Space! It’s one of their Make It Now projects, so all you do is select and go!