Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Scientific American, Good Housekeeping, Vox, Apartment Therapy, Lifehacker, and more. The Scoring Stylus fits into Clamp A, just like a pen. It can cut materials up to 3/32" thick. But my suggestion is not to go crazy with the vinyl and accessories right away. To read more about the machine tools including all blades and scoring tools click here: Ultimate Guide to Cricut Blades for Beginners. Thanks for describing what tools are needed for the basics. Read the next section to get a better idea of what extras you might want to get before or soon after your Cricut comes in. As part of our Makers Gonna Learn membership, you have access to our Cricut Printable Guide which includes many valuable charts and reference materials. This blog article will teach you about the many types of Cricut tools, including weeding tools, scraper tools, and more, as well as help you decide which ones youll need for your project. A craft knife, such as an X-Acto blade or the Cricut True Control knife, is a handy tool to keep around your craft room. You can use this blade in both the Maker and the Air 2. Ill go over the bundle options later in this post. They look like a pizza cutter, with a round blade that rotates to slice through layers of fabric. This means that blades that wouldnt have worked on the Cricut Explore (because it can only cut in one direction) are now fair game. As far as I can tell, all you would need is an outlet adapter. Some are free, and some you would have to pay for. You can pick and choose which tips would be most beneficial for your projects, or get them all! Cricut offers two sizes of scraper tools. I recommend starting out with a blue LightGrip mat for paper projects and a green StandardGrip mat for most other materials. Knife Blade + Drive Housing on Cricut site. The only difference between them is that its a deeper cutting blade. If you're a Cricut user, what kind of tools do you love to use in your craft room? If more material is needed, Design Space will prompt you to load more. I actually think it saves a lot of material because youre precisely cutting what you need. removing small material scraps from cutting mats, burnishing a design onto the project surface, Broad Tip Tweezers (in the Applicator/Remover Set with the Brayer tool). Papercrafts are usually made with the green Standard Grip Mat or the blue Light Grip mat. If youre a quilter or a sewer, youre likely familiar with rotary cutting tools. Design Space in the App Store (iPad and iPhone only)Design Space in the Google Play Store (Android phones and tablets). So there you have it! The nice thing about using the scoring stylus is that your Cricut can hold both the stylus and a blade at the same time. Im sure youve noticed that there are a lot of different Cricut hand tools. The Cricut Mug Press is a curved heat press for mugs. As well as being able to cut over 300 materials, the Maker 3 is compatible with all 13 maker blades and Quick Swap tools, which means you have the ability to add on the tools you want to use for your next project. Heres some more information about how to use Infusible Ink. Its for cutting really thick material like soft woods such as balsawood, basswood, mat board, chipboard, and so on. I got over 4500 results when I searched SVG Files for Craft Room. There is technically nothing else that you have to have besides the materials to cut. Once you get your Cricut, it can be easy to get overwhelmed with everything there is to learn. (Newbies read on. Either of those kits has enough tools so that you can get started crafting with your machine right away. The Smart materials available for the Maker 3 at launch are: Cricut Smart Iron-on comes in a wide variety of colours and finishes and is available in 3ft and 9ft rolls. (Without getting too much into the technical side of it, this is because SVGs images are saved as vectors instead of pixels. Youll need a couple of machine cutting mats to use with your Cricut machine. e.g. You can purchase the Scoring Stylus separately or as part of the Essential Tool Set. Always Fast Free Shipping on Orders Over $99, This tool truly is a must-have when it comes to Cricut crafting! What Do You Get When You Buy a New Cricut Maker? You can use your scraper in several different ways in your Cricut crafting. Below, I list my favorite places to get pre-made cut files from. However, if youre new like I was or need to stock up on some sewing items, then I highly recommend this kit! They wont be able to turn, like the new ones, but they dont need to! This is a rotary cutting mat, but I actually love to use my mat for more than just cutting fabric. There is a swing-out arm that allows you to line your materials up straight, measure, and then cut exactly what you need. This post is all about the different Cricut blades and tools. When I purchased my Cricut, I also purchased this pack at the same time and I still use all the tools to this day. The vinyl rolls fit perfectly in the drawers, and the Cricut can sit right on top. I still have the trimmer and a few others but I see I need to buy a few more. Bright Pad Go is an ideal companion for any Cricut cutting machine and features more than 2 hours of battery-life and five adjustable brightness settings. I hope this article was useful for you! Its a great tool for ensuring that the material is firmly and evenly stuck down to your mat, so it doesnt move around while you cut it. Once you have a better idea of what youre doing, go back and have fun picking out new stuff again! Your Cricut will hold the scoring stylus to create fold lines for you. It also comes in a wide array of colors, effects, and material lengths from 3 ft (0.9 m) to 75 ft (22.9 m). But if you do have the means to get a bundle, the Cricut Store has some really good options. Learn everything there is to know about Cricut hand tools and how to use them to create stunning creative projects. They include: Scoring & Double Scoring Wheel- These are used to create creases in the materials for a clean and easy fold. The scoring stylus works for both the Cricut Explore Air 2 and the Cricut Maker. This is because the Adaptive Tool System on the Maker features a gear that enables the blade to turn as its moving. Most vinyl is cut with the fine point blade, which is the standard blade that comes with every machine. I like to have a few different rulers around, depending on what type of project Im making. Contact Us for personalized assistance from one of our craft experts. If you are buying the Cricut Maker as a gift for someone new to Cricut, I do think this is a really good bundle. It is stronger and more dense to withstand the added pressure from using the rotary blade of the Maker. Your Cricut machine comes with one black pen, but there are many other options as well. Its got SO MUCH padding. This is another staple tool it will help you to remove materials on your mat! It can be hard to figure out exactly which tools you need to get started. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you like to make projects with iron-on vinyl, consider purchasing a Cricut EasyPress 3. Its power cord, and USB cable (to connect to a computer), 2 12 x 12 Mats, 1 pink (fabric grip), 1 blue (light grip), a few small material pieces for a practice project, A free one-month trial of Cricut Access (only if you are a new subscriber), 50 free project designs, 25 of which are sewing patterns, a variety pack of cutting mats (1 green, 1 blue, 1 purple), the basic tool set (spatula, scraper, tweezers, scissors), several kinds of adhesive and iron-on vinyl samples. Youll need a weeder in your life, trust me. It is recommended for intricate cuts on bonded fabric or fabric with a iron-on backing. Keep in mind you usually arent able to use coupons on Cricut products! Seriously though, I love using this because it allows me to cut exactly what I need and cut it in straight lines. These newer machines do not ship with a cutting mat. This means, at no additional cost to you, we will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. (Blade tip: you can extend the life of your blade by rolling up a ball of foil and pushing the blade into it.). All this to say, I like to use this mat to do general crafting on top of and also cut fabric. The single scoring is for lighter materials and the double scoring wheel is for thicker materials like posterboard. We have heard our daughter say she would like a Cricut someday and wed like to surprise her, but we know absolutely nothing about them. The Essentials Bundle (available in all 5 colors) comes with everything you would get with the machine alone, and: My thoughts: If youre making the jump from an Explore Air 2, you probably have a good amount of accessories, so the Essentials bundle might be a little redundant for you. I really love using the Cricut metal ruler to make cuts with my craft knife. You also need a device to download the software to. Youre sure to love it! or "What do I intend to make with this tool?" This means that you can use smart materials with your machine and make cuts that are up 12ft (3.6m) long! If you have an Air 2, this is the scoring tool you will need to use. Youll find more information about what blades work best with what materials here. You guys, this trimmer is a GAME. One side has a pretty design and the other has a grid with 30, 45 and 60 degree markings. You can always come back later and get the extras that you want little by little. Just make sure you dont go overboard and spread yourself too thin! Youre basically removing negative space so you can get to your design. After reading this article, youll know more about each type of Cricut hand tool, what they do, and how to use them. to see if youve got what it takes to be a Maker. Start by choosing a few projects, then work backward to what tools and materials youll need for it. The scraper tool can also be used to help remove materials from the mat and apply vinyl/transfer tape onto surfaces. Dont feel like you have to purchase any specific tweezers for your craft projects. For more information about the different machine blades, click here: Ultimate Guide to Cricut Blades for Beginners. Leave a comment: I love to hear your feedback. Now you easily make cards, envelopes, boxes 3D project and more! (Not that you need one! And just like the weeder, you'll probably want to keep a few scrapers on hand. The layout is different between the computer version and the mobile version, but the features are almost exactly the same. The holder for the blade and housing is moved side to side using the belt that runs all the way across the inside of the machine. Chrissie. These days, you can run your Cricut machine from almost any desktop or laptop computer, tablet, or smartphone. The Cricut Maker 3 and Cricut Explore 3 machines come with a Premium Fine-Point blade and enough materials to make your first practice cut. Leave a comment below if you have any more questions! I recommend getting some of these additional items to help keep the fun going! Read this post for more information about Cricut cutting mats and how to use them. Both the Image Library and the Project Library have free and paid files. Im here to lend a little inspiration and help you live a more creative life. Offer valid on non-sale items. And it will cut down on the things your recipient will have to buy for themselves, giving them more room to pick out the fun stuff. Other exclusions may apply. This means that every blade you already have for your Cricut Explore One or Explore Air 2 already works with the Cricut Maker. A brayer is a roller tool that you can use to adhere materials to your cutting mats firmly. The basic Cricut weeding tool, for example, has a hook-shaped metal tip with a sharp point. Was this post helpful? Let me show you around. My biggest piece of advice in deciding which tools to purchase is to ask yourself, "How would I use this in my crafting?" Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links provided for your convenience. The double scoring wheel is great for use with really thick cardstock or even kraft board. The scratching has only ever happened with foil, but I think its important to note to be extra careful. ), I also dont suggest getting the BrightPad or the Easy Press right away. Join the group to share pictures, ask questions, and help each other out. The three places I like to look for Cricut supplies are: Now that youve gotten an overview of the Cricut hand tools, lets go through each of them in more detail. The mat is then slid forward and backward by a set of stationary wheels that rolls across the top. Youll learn which Cricut tools you really need, and how to choose the right tool for the job. If you are getting the Maker because you do a lot of quilting or small sewing projects, Id suggest also getting the Fabric Applicator and Remover Set, and eventually a 12 x 24 Fabric Grip Mat. If this is you youre definitely going to want to look into getting some good vinyl storage. We use ours to cut a lot of felt and we do find, unfortunately, that dulls the blade. Hint: you do! The other big new thing about the Cricut Maker 3 is that it has the ability to cut, The Cricut Maker 3 will be available to purchase online from the 10th of June and available. Im a full-time Maker and Im still working at my kitchen table.) Once you have your software downloaded and youre logged in, you are only one step away from crafting your first Cricut Project! Essentials Tool Set: This tool set has many of the tools you will find yourself needing. Cricut knows that its machines are an investment and they want to make sure its protected well. Clicking on it takes you to the Cricut Image Library, where there are thousands of cut files that you can insert into your project, resize if needed, and cut out of whatever material you want. It can cut a wide variety of materials, like paper, cardstock, thin plastics, canvas, fabric and more. Dont forget black and white! New tools released that will fit the Maker 3. Great question! Scraper tools are used for a few different crafting tasks. Thats because there is definitely no shortage of extras that you will probably want to get and play with. Its also great for smoothing out wrinkles and bubbles that could interfere with a clean cut. There's a new sleeker button design, a new beautiful colour and added sensors and smart material guides. Other non-Cricut scraper tools include the squeegee-style scraper tools with soft vinyl edges. Read more. All essential items for sewing + crafting with your Cricut! I love my TrueControl Knife. Similarly, if you have the Cricut Maker, I recommend purchasing either the Scoring Stylus or the Scoring Wheel. For Vinyl Projects: I dont have any evidence to back this up, but I think most people start looking into getting a Cricut for making vinyl projects. We want her to have everything she needs to start projects and not have to order anything additional. In this post today, were going to show you ten Cricut tools that we faithfully use in our crafting. The Cricut mats come in 4 different grip strengths and a few different sizes. Save What Comes With a Cricut Maker to Pinterest. The Cricut Maker is expensive on its own, so if these bundles are out of your price range, dont feel bad about it. Let me know if you have any more questions. Reduce eye strain and see even even the smallest details with ease and comfort! It doubles as the home page for the app. Have the ability to upload your own images and add your own fonts. A standard size self-healing mat is 18 by 24, but you can also find them in larger sizes. Acrylic rulers, often called quilting rulers, are made from transparent plastic. The perforation blade is ideal for making tear-apart tickets, for example. (Make sure you look through Pinterest and the Cricut libraries first to get some ideas so you know if theres something particular youll want to be making.). I think its pretty obvious how you will use these in your Cricut crafting! I dont know how to explain it, but the materials stick WAY better to the mat when I use the brayer instead of the scraper for materials like these. But, if youre in the market for a new knife, I definitely recommend the Cricut brand craft knife. Ive worked with both the Cricut and Silhouette machines. Creative Cutting Classroom is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and links to Amazon.com. Use this cordless LED lightbox or light pad for weeding vinyl and iron-on projects, tracing, stenciling, diamond painting, jewelry making, and more. You can even reuse the housing. This blog is reader-supported. Cricut offers a pack of 5 weeding tools, including Fine Tweezers, Hook Tweezers, Weeder, Piercing Tool, and Hook Weeder. If youre planning on doing a lot of paper crafts, Id suggest getting packs of different color cardstocks, and maybe just a few printed cardstock or paper sheets. In fact, you can almost, just open the box and start making, without getting anything else. Could you please advise us as we have no idea what to get. Knife Blade: The knife blade is used to cut dense materials such as balsa wood, chipboard, mat board, etc. Its seriously incredible technology! You cannot use the knife blade if you are using Design Space with your iOS device and must use your laptop/desktop computer because of the need for a longer cut time. Brand new to Cricut? Deep Cut Blade: The deep cut blade is made of a stronger steel and has a sharper angle. The Scoring Wheel and the Double Scoring Wheel are part of the QuickSwap tool system, which is only compatible with the Cricut Maker and Cricut Maker 3. Debossing Tip- Debosses designs to add dimension, Perforation Blade- Creates perforation lines so the material can tear easily, Engraving Tip- Inscribes designs on various materials. Within Cricut Design Space, there is an IMAGES button (Its on the left after you click on New Project). You may also want a separate self-healing cutting mat to use with your cutting hand tools. Keep in mind that with all these materials and potential projects to make with the Everything Materials bundle, you would also have to buy other blades, mats, and accessories. Heres what I use and I LOVE IT! Cricut Pens: If you are going to want to write or draw with your Cricut, you will need to have some Cricut pens on hand. This tool truly is a must-have when it comes to Cricut crafting! Your Download limit has been reached - Upgrade to our best value year membership tier today and get ultimate access to our site! As you read through the list, keep in mind that some of the accessories and materials will vary depending on which machine you have, as well as what you plan to use your Cricut for. Cuts Thick/Dense Materials Like Balsawood, Foam and Leather up to 2.4mm thick. When I first got my Maker, I picked up one of the sewing kits as well. Thanks for all the info. Has the ability to cut out an image printed to your printer onto any colour of material. This blade comes standard with the Cricut Explore Air 2 and the Cricut Maker. You can of course still cut on the mat as normal if you want to with non-smart materials. You are automatically placed on the Projects page when you open Design Space. Find out more about when to change Cricut blades here. Then they are great to have if you can afford them. If you send me an email I can help you figure out what machine would be best for you. * As you probably know, the Cricut Maker has the ability to cut through fabric. The bonded fabric blade looks very similar to the fine point blade but once again, they changed the color of it to help you distinguish between the blades. Can cut Cardstock, Paper, Vinyl, Iron Vinyl, etc with ease. You can always go back and get them later, and in the meantime, a regular iron will do the job just fine. (I personally think the solid colors are more versatile.) The scoring stylus is a great tool to have on hand if you like to make paper projects! The blue light grip mat is best for regular paper, lightweight cardstock, vellum, construction paper, vinyl, and other lightweight materials. Pin this post: Save this tutorial to your Pinterest boards so that you can come back to it later. The whole housing is moved down to touch the blade or pen to your material, and back up when its finished. Weve already talked about how awesome the weeder and scraper are so lets take a look at the other three tools now. Thanks so much stopping by! To learn more about how to craft with Cricut, check out these related articles. This type of mat doesnt go in your machine. This is either an app downloaded to your smartphone or tablet or software downloaded onto your desktop. I often use the spatula to help loosen small paper pieces from the mat to remove them without bending them. A Variety of Extra Mats: There are four types of Cricut mats available for the Maker and Explore, and each comes in 12x12 and 12x24. As for blades, Id recommend starting out with just 2 or 3, and getting more as you need them. There are hundreds of websites you can get cut files from. The default position is closed, and you actually squeeze to open them. While you can use a household iron for iron-on projects, I prefer to use the EasyPress. What Devices Can I Download Cricut Design Space On? The rotary blade comes with the Cricut Maker and only works with the Maker. Tell me in the comments below! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Looking for your next craft project? Keep in mind that most tools and accessories like the True Control Knife, extra cutting mats, spatulas, and scraper tools are sold separately. I am so excited to share the latest Cricut Machine, the fastest and smartest machine yet Cricut Maker 3 is the queen of the Cricut Family! It will add dimension to your craft projects. Its a tiny, but mighty tool! If you can think of a few projects it would be helpful for, then it may be worth a shot! Your Cricut machine will come with a few supplies, including a machine blade. Youre basically removing negative space so you can get to your design. At the very least, youll need a scraper tool and a weeding tool (if you plan to work with vinyl.). what blades work best with what materials, how to determine the best cutting pressure. Posts may contain affiliate links. No need to prep your mats just pop in your smart materials and get making! How to Cut Paper and Cardstock on Cricut: A Beginners Guide, How To Use Cricut Iron-On Vinyl: Step By Step Guide For Beginners. Find out more about when to change Cricut blades here. Cricut Premium Permanent Vinyl, Basic Bundle -White & Black, 12x48, Cricut Natural Wood Veneer Bundle - Walnut Veneer, Blade, StrongGrip Mat, 12x12, Cricut Infusible Ink Bundle, Tropical Floral, Mermaid Rainbow, Watercolor Splash, Rainbow, Cricut Joy Machine Card Cutting Mat, Pen Set, Insert Cards, Metallic Gold Gray Bundle. Uses Cricut Design Space- The design software you will use to create projects and make them. Youll notice that all of the Maker-exclusive blades and tools have a gold gear-type piece at the top. What Cricut Accessories Can I Wait To Get? One of those is a chart that outlines which blades can be used in which machine and what materials can be cut with each of those blades. Instead, it protects your tabletop when youre cutting paper with the craft knife or when youre cutting fabric with the rotary cutter. You end up saving about $75 with the bundle versus buying it separately. This five-piece tool set is one of our most popular tool kits. Smart Iron-On Holographic https://shrsl.com/36nsl. When talking about blades, one of the questions we get asked the most is, How often should I change the blades in my Cricut?. All this to say, I love having the brayer on hand! Any type of wheel, like the Rotary Blade or the Scoring Wheels, needs to be able to turn to work, and the Maker provided just that. Youll most often see weeding tools used with adhesive and iron-on vinyl. Other weeding tools have slightly different shapes tips. Just wanting to know if the cricut maker has dual voltage. But dont worry you dont need to buy every tool on the shelf to make beautiful crafts with Cricut. Thanks in advance. You use it with several different tips: the scoring wheel 01, scoring wheel 02. Here are some of the larger Cricut accessories that you can consider adding to your craft room. The older machines, like the original Cricut Maker and the Cricut Explore Air 2, came with blades and cutting mats. I couldn't believe it the first time I set mine up, it's so speedy! A paper trimmer comes in handy for trimming large sheets of material down to size. Basically, when your Cricut cuts materials like vinyl or iron-on, youll need to remove the excess material from around your design and also inside of the design. Consider the types of projects you like to make. Spatulas help you lift designs off the cutting mat quickly and effectively. If your computer is not Bluetooth compatible, you will connect your machine to your computer with the USB cord that comes with your Maker. Were here to help. It is designed for use with fabrics or other soft, delicate, or less dense materials such as tissue paper and cork. You can find a few different styles of craft tweezers. Extra Fine Point Blades: Your machine will come with a fine-point blade, but you will want to have extra on hand so that as it gets dull you can quickly replace it. Thanks Smart Vinyl Shimmer - Permanent https://shrsl.com/36nsd. , Hi Do My Cricut Explore Blades (and Tools) Still Work With the Maker? Top 5 Tools for Crafting with Cricut Leather. And honestly, I stock up on weeder tools when they go on sale because I have a bad habit of losing them. Its available for use in the Air 2 or the Maker. But you probably cant get them all at once, so Im going to walk you through some suggestions on what is important to have to start out, and what you can wait on.