I received a Cricut Explore Air as a Christmas gift almost 5 years ago. At the time, I didn’t know what a Cricut could do but I was willing to learn!
I really wanted to make my own leather earrings. At the time, no one was blogging about cutting leather with a Cricut and sharing free cut files was a new idea!
I went to Hobby Lobby, bought leather and a strong grip mat and starting cutting. I designed shapes within Cricut Design space the best I could.
I made a TON of mistakes. I ruined the leather. I ruined my mats. I had to buy new blades but I kept on trying! Eventually, I figured it out.
I’ve learned some tips and tricks to cutting leather on your Cricut Maker and Cricut Explore Air. I wrote a post about using transfer tape HERE. If you are using leather you bought from a craft store or online, I highly recommend you go to THIS POST!! It has some great tips!
CAN A CRICUT MAKER CUT LEATHER?
Yes, your Cricut Maker can cut leather but be sure to do your research before you begin.
Leather comes in different weights and thicknesses. It’s a good thing to know what type of leather you are cutting and the thickness of your leather before you begin.
The trick to cutting leather on your Cricut without losing your mind is asking yourself 3 questions:
What kind of leather am I cutting? All leather is not cut the same on your machine (more about this later)
Is my mat sticky? If your mat has lost its stickiness, your leather with bunch and shift.
Is my blade sharp? A dull blade will not cut through your leather no matter how much work you’ve done!
You can purchase faux leather, garment leather, tooling leather, and so much more! Any easy way to start cutting leather with your Cricut Maker or Cricut Explore Air is to purchase Cricut brand genuine leather. It is super easy to cut and makes beautiful projects.
Your Cricut Maker will cut garment leather and tooling leather. However, you can only cut this with a Knife blade. Cricut’s Knife blade can only be used on a Cricut Maker. You cannot use a Knife blade on a Cricut Explore Air.
The Knife blade can cut garment leather that is between 2 to 5 oz. If you purchase your garment leather from Etsy, be sure to ask your sell the thickness before you purchase. It will make your cutting experience less frustrating!
Garment leather is oftentimes softer leather. It is flexible and easy to work with. If you purchase any leather that has been dyed, it is probably garment leather. It is the most cost-effective leather to purchase.
You can cut tooling leather with your knife blade as long as it is between 2 - 7 oz. Tooling leather is typically stiffer leather. Tooling leather is great to work designs into it like embossing.
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WHAT BLADE DO YOU USE TO CUT LEATHER ON YOUR CRICUT MAKER
Blades matter when cutting leather on your Cricut Maker. Cricut has many different blades. For cutting leather, we recommend using these blades.
KNIFE BLADE - For garment leather and tooling leather, Cricut recommends you use the Knife Blade. This blade is only compatible with the Cricut Maker.
DEEP CUT BLADE - To cut Cricut’s Genuine leather, I use a deep cut blade. It makes beautiful cuts. If you use your blades often, your blade will dull over time. If you notice your cuts are crisp anyone, it may be time for a new blade!
Fine Point Blade. I use this blade to cut Cricut’s faux leather.
HOW DO YOU CUT GENUINE LEATHER WITH A CRICUT MAKER?
NOTE: If you want to leather that is NOT CRICUT BRAND, read this post. The following instructions are for Cricut Brand Genuine Leather ONLY.
Cricut’s genuine leather is 3 oz in weight. This Cricut brand leather is great for earring making! You can cut it on a Cricut Maker or Cricut Explore Air. We love black and camel colors.
Cricut recommends you cut Genuine Leather with a strong grip mat. We’ve had the best luck cutting this leather with a deep cut blade. Be sure to place your leather FACE DOWN on your strong grip mat.
Use a brayer to ensure your leather has fully adhered to your mat.
Cricut also recommends you move the star wheels all the way to the right before you insert your mat. The star wheels are those white plastic pieces on your roller within your machine. This video explains how to move the star wheels.
WHAT SETTING DO I CUT GENUINE LEATHER ON A CRICUT MAKER
After you’ve designed your project and are ready to cut, you need to select the proper material you are cutting within the settings. Cricut has its own setting for Genuine Leather. Be sure to select this before you cut.
Cricut has already tested this leather and knows how many cuts are needed to cut this brand of leather for the best cut. This is why I recommend using the Cricut brand leather FIRST when working with leather. Cricut has taken the guesswork out of cutting leather when you use their brand product. You can easily get a clean cut every time.
CAN I CUT GENUINE LEATHER WITH A CRICUT EXPLORE
Yes, you can cut Cricut’s Genuine Leather with a Cricut Explore Air. In fact, a Cricut Explore Air can cut over 100 materials. My first Cricut machine was an Explore Air. I made all my first leather earrings with this machine!
All you need to do to cut Genuine Leather with a Cricut Explore Air is to use a strong grip mat and a deep cut blade. You can make teardrop leather earrings with this leather or our circle with a cutout leather earring!
TIPS AND TRICK FOR CUTTING GENUINE LEATHER ON YOUR CRICUT MAKER
Cutting genuine leather doesn’t have to be complicated. Give yourself time to learn about your machine. I’ve made a TON of mistakes. Here are my best tips for getting a smooth cut with genuine leather!
USE A BRAYER. A brayer will make sure your leather has fully adhered to your mat. After I place my leather on the mat, I roll my brayer over the leather a few times to make sure it’s stuck to my strong grip mat.
STICKY MAT. A well-used mat will lose its stickiness. I purchase this 3 pack of mats on Amazon. It’s the best deal I’ve seen on mats! Stock up and keep an extra one handy.
PLACE YOUR GENUINE LEAHTER FACE DOWN. Cricut recommends you place your leather face down on your mat. It keeps your mat clean which extends the life of your mat.
SHARP BLADE. A deep cut blade will dull over time. You will know your blade is dull when the cuts are frayed and not sharp. A new blade will give you sharp cuts! Keep a replacement blade on hand.
I’ve made numerous leather earrings with Cricut’s Genuine Leather. If you need a new project idea, check out what you can do with your Cricut Maker and Cricut’s Genuine Leather
ANTHROPOLOGIE DUPE LEATHER EARRINGS
You can also use our Teardrop SVG! They would make great earrings with Cricut’s Genuine Leather!