We love using our Cricut Maker.
I’ll be honest when the Cricut Maker first came out I was skeptical. I don't like to spend money on expensive things. I am a saver by nature.
But I love to create and craft. I think what initially drew me to a Cricut Maker was the versatility of the machine. I am still amazed about how many things you can make with a Cricut Maker!
We are learning new things all the time. And my favorite part of owning a Cricut Maker is that you don’t need a ton of extra materials to make projects.
It is hands down one of my FAVORITE investments.
But if you are new to the Cricut game, here are the 10 things I wish someone I told me!
WHAT CRICUT IS BEST FOR BEGINNERS?
Cricut has a lot of great products! It is really hard to weed through all they have to offer to find the best machine for you. Here are just a few Cricut machines you could buy:
When buying a machine, think about your crafting needs. Most people debate about whether to buy a Cricut Maker or a Cricut Explore Air 2. One of the biggest differences between the 2 machines is the blades. You can read all about blades HERE.
Blades matter so be sure to do your research before you buy! That being said, the Cricut Maker is a big investment. Personally, I started with a Cricut Air and saved my money for a Cricut Maker a few years later.
If I had to do it all over again, I would have bought a Cricut Maker first. We use the Maker more with our crafting needs. This is just my personal preference.
When it comes to useability, both the Cricut Maker and the Cricut Explore Air are about the same. Loading the blades and mats into the machine is similar. Both machines use Cricut Design Space so the learning curve is the same when it comes to design as well!
Related:
Which machine should I buy? Cricut Maker or Cricut Explore Air 2
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CRICUT AIR AND CRICUT MAKER?
The main difference between the Cricut Explore Air and the Cricut Maker is the cutting force. The Cricut Maker has 10x the strength of an Explore Air. The strength of cutting force on a Cricut Maker allows you to cut materials like wood, fabric without backing, thicker leather, and so much more. The Cricut Explore Air does not have the capability to cut these materials.
With the cutting force in mind, the Cricut Maker has particular blades that are only compatible with the Maker. These blades do not work on a Cricut Explore Air. You can learn all about Cricut blades HERE and see which blades are compatible with certain machines.
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Which machine should I buy? Cricut Maker or Cricut Explore Air 2?
The best time to buy a Cricut Maker
WHAT ALL CAN YOU CUT WITH A CRICUT MAKER?
The Cricut Maker can cut so many different things! The sky is the limit. Here are some ideas to get you started
Acetate
Balsa Wood 1/16” and 3/32”
Basswood 1/16” and 1/32”
Burlap
Cardstock
Construction Paper
Copy paper
Corrugated Paper and Cardboard
Cotton (bonded too)
Craft Foam
Crepe Paper
Vinyl
Faux Leather
Felt
Garment Leather
Genuine Leather
Heavy Chipboard
Metallic Leather
and so much MORE!
WHAT ALL DO YOU NEED FOR CRICUT MAKER?
Check out what materials came in your box. My Cricut came with 2 blades, 2 mats, a fine point pen, and some cardstock to try as a first project.
Beyond that, you don’t really NEED a lot of extras to use your machine! I tend to “buy as I go” when it comes to accessories. Think about what project you want to make with your machine and then work your way from there.
If you are going to be working with vinyl, I highly recommend a weeding tool and a scraper. I have found these 2 accessories MUST have when working with vinyl projects! The weeding tool is great for making sure those small intricate cuts with vinyl come out looking amazing and the scraper helps you make sure the vinyl will stick to your project!
If you are making leather earrings, I highly recommend getting a deep-cut blade and purple mat. I make MOST of my earrings with these 2 things. I always have extra deep-cut blades and purple mats on hand!
Beyond accessories, try to keep on-hand materials that you intend to use to create with your machine. If you are into making earrings start collecting faux leather, cork sheets, or genuine leather.
If you like making shirts, you will need HTV vinyl and a heat press.
If you want to make customize water bottles or labels, you’ll need permanent vinyl and transfer tape!
TIP: THESE are my favorite water bottles to customize with vinyl!!!
It is always good to have a stock of all the Cricut mats. You don’t need to get them all at once, but we have collected them a little by little along the way. We are always so glad we did that! When inspiration strikes, we usually have the mat to cut and create!
Related:
How to make teardrop cork leopard earrings
DO I NEED A PRINTER FOR MY CRICUT MAKER?
No, you do not NEED a printer for a Cricut Maker. Your machine will cut. Cricut does have a feature called Print then Cut. Many sticker makers use this feature to create custom stickers!
To use Print then Cut, you WILL need a printer. You can load your design into Cricut Design Space, print your design on a printer, and then load that paper (or sticker paper) into your Cricut Maker. Your machine will cut out your designs with precision!
Related:
Cricut Design Space for Beginners
WHO HAS THE BEST PRICE ON A CRICUT MAKER?
Cricut Maker does go on sale throughout the year. Typically the best time to buy a Cricut Maker is Black Friday or Amazon Prime Week. In fact, I bought my Cricut Maker a few years ago on Prime week. I saved my money, waited for the sale, and purchased!
Keep an eye on deals throughout the year and be sure to watch deals around those 2 times a year!
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How to get the best deal on a Cricut Maker
CAN YOU USE A REGULAR IRON FOR A CRICUT?
Yes, you can use a household iron. Be sure to use the Cotton/ Linen setting as this is typically the highest temperature setting. Make sure the steam setting is off. You will need to preheat your material for 10 to 15 seconds BEFORE you apply vinyl.
If you have the money, we love our Easy Press. It takes all the guesswork out of applying HTV. I don’t buy things I don’t need and I love my Easy Press!
We use it to make custom t-shirts and crewnecks. It is easier to use and apply vinyl with an easy press than our household iron.
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CAN I UPLOAD MY OWN IMAGES TO CRICUT?
Yes! You can definitely upload your own images to Cricut.
Cricut Design Space will convert your images into cuttable shapes. You can upload basic images like JPG, BMP, PNG, and GIF. You can also upload vector images like SVG files.
Once you upload images into Cricut Design Space, you can save those images to cut again. Uploading your own images is FREE to do within Cricut Design Space.
Related:
How to upload an image into Cricut Design Space
Cricut Design Space for Beginners
WHAT CRICUT DO I BUY FOR SHIRTS?
If you want to make t-shirts with customized sayings and designs, you can do that with a Cricut Explore Air and a Cricut Maker. If all you plan on doing is making t-shirts, a Cricut Explore Air is all you need.
To make t-shirts all you need to cut with a Cricut is HTV. This vinyl is not thick so you can cut this easily with a Cricut Explore Air 2. You will need a Heat Press! This tool is a must-have for t-shirt makers! We highly recommend it.
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Can you make jewelry with a Cricut?
Yes! In fact, earring crafts are one of my favorite ways to use my Cricut Maker. We love making DIY Leather earrings with a Cricut Maker and Cricut Explore Air 2.
Here are some of our favorite Jewelry making resources:
Check out our free earring cut files HERE perfect for DIY Leather earrings
The Best tools to make leather earrings HERE. All of the essential extras you need in addition to your Cricut Maker to make amazing earrings.
We love using Cricut Genuine and Metallic Leather.
Check out how to use vinyl to make colorful Earrings HERE.
We love using black, white, and gold cork sheets for earring making.
Finally, get access to our FREE resource library for cut files and printables.