Cricut and cutting machine guides
Start with your project: learn how to use Cricut, make stickers with Print Then Cut, compare StickerPix, choose vinyl and paper, or prepare iron-on for a heat press. Find design-file help for Silhouette and other cutting workflows too.
- 18 guides
- Step by step, with the failure modes
- Cricut, Silhouette, Brother, Glowforge
Stickers
- 4 min read
Cricut StickerPix Print or Print + Cut?
Compare Cricut StickerPix Print and Print + Cut, check refill compatibility, and understand how these sticker printers differ from Maker and Explore.
- 4 min read
How to make Cricut stickers with Print Then Cut
Make Cricut stickers with Print Then Cut: upload artwork, prepare the border, print from Design Space and troubleshoot size or sensor problems.
Getting started
- 4 min read
What is Cricut, and how do you use it?
Learn what a Cricut machine does, which supplies a first project needs, and how to move a design from SVG artwork to a finished vinyl decal.
- 7 min read
Cricut Maker 3 vs 4 and Maker vs Explore
Compare Cricut Maker 3 vs 4 and Cricut Maker vs Explore. Check bundle contents, compatible tools and the SVG workflow before choosing a machine.
Materials
- 4 min read
Choose Cricut vinyl, iron-on or sticker paper
Choose adhesive vinyl for decals, iron-on for shirts or printable sticker paper for colour artwork. Check mats, blades and material settings before cutting.
- 4 min read
Cricut heat press temperature guide
Find the right heat setting for a t shirt heat press. Follow Cricut EasyPress 3 or Cricut Autopress instructions for your transfer material and fabric.
- 3 min read
How to clean a Cricut mat without guessing
Remove leftover scraps from your Cricut mat, identify the mat type before deeper cleaning, and check material hold before your next cut.
- 6 min read
Do you mirror Cricut iron-on vinyl?
Mirror traditional Cricut iron-on once before cutting. Learn how to check the preview, avoid double mirroring and follow instructions for specialty transfers.
Cricut
- 4 min read
Cricut Design Space download, login and file workflow
Find the official Cricut Design Space download and setup links, understand Cricut Access, and learn where an independent browser editor fits.
- 5 min read
How to upload an SVG to Cricut Design Space
Step-by-step: upload an SVG to Cricut Design Space, keep its layers separated, fix the common import errors, and cut. Works on desktop and iPad.
- 5 min read
How to open an Etsy download in Cricut Design Space
Etsy cut files arrive as a ZIP with five formats inside. Which one to upload, how to unzip on iPad and Android, and the two failures everybody hits.
- 6 min read
How to upload a PNG or JPG to Cricut Design Space
Uploading a photo is a different job from uploading an SVG: pick a complexity, clear the background, then choose cut or print-then-cut.
Technique
- 4 min read
How to weld in Cricut: letters, shapes and script into one clean cut
Learn how to weld on Cricut: step-by-step guide to welding in Cricut Design Space and online. Merge script letters, shapes and SVG cut files into one clean cut.
- 6 min read
Etching with a Cricut, two jobs that share one word
Cut a vinyl stencil and etch glass with cream, or engrave metal and acrylic with the Maker tip. Reverse weeding, dwell times and what will not etch.
Basics
- 7 min read
What is an SVG file, and why does your machine want one?
SVG explained for cutting machines: vector versus raster, why PNG will not cut, what breaks on import, and how to tell a good cut file from a traced one.
- 7 min read
How to make your own designs for a Cricut
Make your own Cricut designs with shapes, text and SVG export. Try three beginner Cricut ideas and projects: a decal, gift tag and iron-on shirt.
Start designing in the browser
Free, no install, no watermark. Open the studio and export a cut-ready SVG in the next five minutes.