The Ultimate Cricut Guide for Beginners: Step-by-step Process

The ultimate Cricut guide for beginners helps you to learn everything you need to know about your machine?

Are you the Cricut beginner? Also, want to control your Cricut machine?

I know you are super excited to purchase it but don’t know what to do?

It’s really super exciting to use the Cricut for the first time but it is also a little daunting at first. The ultimate Cricut guide for beginners helps you to select your first machine and also make your first project. So, are you ready? Let’s start with what it is?

What is a Cricut Machine?

A Cricut is a cutting machine ah not a cutting machine. It is an electronic cutting machine that helps you to cut all sorts of designs like paper, vinyl, card stock, adhesive vinyl, and heat transfer vinyl.

Cricut machine is typically used to cut anything which you cut with your scissors or a craft knife. The only difference is that it can work with more speed and precision which is not possible with the hands.

How does a Cricut work?

Before using the Cricut machine, I think that it works just like the printing machine. But I was wrong.

Instead of printing, it cuts a shape out of a sheet of paper or vinyl.

When you open the machine, you can see a small blade is there. This small blade moves around on a carriage to cut the design. This blade has a fine-point blade that looks like a miniature X-acto knife.

Types of Cricut machines

Here, the ultimate Cricut guide for beginners explains the different types of Cricut machines.You can choose anyone according to your needs.

Cricut Explore Air 2

The Cricut Explore Air 2 is one of the most popular machines. Day by day its popularity is increasing. The reason behind its popularity is that it allows you to import your own design from a computer, tablet, or smartphone. It also allows you to select any design from your library.

The app design space can easily work for android devices and iOS devices. The android user does not have any problem while using the Cricut Explore Air 2 but sometimes iOS user find it hard to use the Design space.

The best part about this machine is that it allows you to use more than 100 plus materials for different projects.

If you have an iPad or iOS system then it is better to use the Cricut model.

Pros of using Cricut Explore Air 2

1. It cuts the material with ultimate precision.
2. It has more than 370 fonts.
3. Its speed is two times faster than any other machine.
4. It works with more than 100 materials.
5. With the help of Design space, you can design anytime, anywhere.
6. Easily connect with Bluetooth.

Cons

1. Sometimes it may create problems with the Design space
2. Offline design space is only available for iOS users.

Cricut Maker

You can say that it is all in one machine. It means that it can work with all types of materials from paper, and fabric to balsa wood. This Cricut maker has hundreds of digital patterns available in their library. Of course not all are free. But you can choose any free digital pattern from the Cricut database. 

Just like the Cricut Explore Air 2, here also you have options to choose your own design. Just you have to import your design and use then using the Cricut app.

Pros of using Cricut maker

1. This machine allows you to work on a number of materials.
2. This machine is available with expandable tools.
3. It allows you to use the different designs from its own database.
4. It also allows you to use your mobile or computer with the Cricut.

Cons

1. The huge cons of this machine are that you have to purchase its knife blade separately.
2. It won’t work with an iPad.

Cricut Joy

Using the Cricut joy machine is all-time easiest. If you need to work on a daily basis then this machine is perfect for you. It is perfect for quick and everyday work.

Just create your design in easy-to-use Design Space software and then send them to the machine. You can also use any other design from your gallery.

The best function of the Cricut Joy machine is that you can cut any image up to 5 inches wider and 4 feet long.

This is a portable machine so you can easily carry it also.

Pros of Cricut Joy

1. It’s very easy to learn how this machine works.
2. It is the cheapest Cricut machine available on the market.
3. This machine allows more free projects in the Design space than any other machine.
4. This machine can cut your design without a mat.
5. It can allow a single cut up to 4 feet long and create a repeat cut up to 20 feet long.
6. The card mat easily and quickly makes a unique card as compared to any other machine.
7. It is portable and can easily be stored.

Cons of Cricut Joy

1. This machine has specific tools and accessories. It cannot allow you to use your own pens and blade.
2. If your design includes both cutting and writing then you have to manually use the blade and pen.
3. The material has limited to a dimension of 5 inches on one side.

The Ultimate Cricut Guide for Beginners: Materials that Cricut Machine can cut

Cricut machines can cut a wide range of materials. Every day, the Cricut community tests new materials so it’s quite difficult to list all the materials here.

For this ultimate Cricut guide for beginners, we selected some of the most popular materials which you can prefer during your first project. And they are listed here.

1. Aluminum foil
2. Cardstock
3. Chalkboard vinyl
4. Construction paper
5. Cardboard
6. Iron-on vinyl
7. Faux leather
8. Felt
9. Wrapping paper
10. Smart material
11. Natural wood veneer
12. And many more…

The supplies and tools you need

Almost every Cricut machine available in the market has few supplies and tools which help you to start your project. Inside the box, you can find all the necessary equipment like a blade, pen, material sample, etc. which is required to operate the machine.

But along with these materials, you also need some more tools. The ultimate Cricut guide for beginners makes a list of some tools which is necessary for making the first projects.

Material

Almost every machine comes with materials but still, you have to purchase the materials because once you complete your first project, you need to buy materials so that you can keep practicing your work. You have to select the material according to your project.

For example – If you want to make a paper project then you have to buy scrapbooking paper, cardstock, and vellum.

Mats

Some of the machines do not come with cutting mats. So, you have to purchase the mats separately. Mats come in 4 different strengths, each having different materials.

Blades

If you have a Cricut Maker, you can easily purchase additional blades to make different types of projects.

Heat press

If you want to apply iron-on vinyl to your project then it’s necessary for you to buy a heat press, household iron, or Cricut easy press. You can use any one of them.

How to set up your New Cricut?

Before you start working, you need to set up your machine. To set up your machine, you need a computer or a mobile device and an internet connection.

Follow the below step to set up your Cricut with your device.

• First things first, so plug on your machine.
• With the help of Bluetooth or USB code, pair your machine with your computer or mobile.
• Download and install the design space.
• Follow all the screen prompts to complete the setup process.

How to make your first Cricut project?

Once you installed the Design space on your computer or mobile device then it’s time to make your first project.

Choose your design – Before starting, you have to select the design. You can select the design either from the circuit design space or your own design.

Select cutting material – Once you select the design, it’s time to select the cutting materials. Place your selected cutting materials on the sticky cutting mat. The Cricut cut the design whereas the mat will hold the material. Once you complete this, press the button to load the mat into the machine.

Select the correct material setting – In the Cricut design space app, you have the option to select the material setting. Make sure that you have selected the correct material setting. At last, send the design to your Cricut cutting machine.Press the flashing button – Once all the setup is done. Press the flashing button to start cutting. Once the machine finishes cutting the design, remove the mat from the machine and the material from the mat.