Should I buy a Cricut and what would I make with it anyway? That’s exactly what I was thinking when I first discovered and became interested in the Cricut.
Every time I was in Michaels the Cricut section would catch my eye and at first, I really had no idea what they were. I began researching the Cricut by reading blog posts and watching a heap of YouTube videos of people making things with their Cricut. I became convinced a Cricut was a great investment even though I was not clear exactly what I was going to make with mine.
There are currently three machines available: Cricut Joy, Cricut Air, and Cricut Maker.
I decided to buy the Cricut Maker because I do leatherwork and quilting and it’s the only machine that can cut leather and fabric. It made sense to me to future proof my purchase for potential crafts I might want to try.
So now I’ve got a Cricut Maker and all the accessories that I needed to start my new creations. But I still had no idea what exactly I was going to make, so my Cricut just sat there for a few months.
Let’s go over what I found out about the Cricut.
WHAT IS A CRICUT?
A Cricut’s main function is to cut. If you do a lot of crafts you will know how time-consuming and fiddly cutting can be. The Cricut not only cuts on mass for you, but it does it with precision and speed.
A Cricut will take your crafting to the next level because it allows you to cut out complex designs you would never dream of attempting with a pair of scissors.
Depending on the model a Cricut can also engrave, deboss, draw, perforate, and score.
WHAT MATERIALS DOES A CRICUT CUT?
What made the Cricut really interesting to me is that they don’t just cut paper and cardstock, they also cut vinyl and a multitude of other materials. Depending on which machine and blade you have they also cut things like leather, wood, fabric and acrylic.
ARE CRICUT’S EASY TO USE?
To use your Cricut you need to use their software called Design Space, and Cricut has done a fantastic job at making it super user friendly. There are also a ton of online resources to help you along the way. I started off by reading blog posts and watching YouTube videos on projects I wanted to make.
HOW DOES A CRICUT WORK?
Using Design Space you will create and send your design to the Cricut to cut.
You can design what you would like to make in Design Space, or you can import designs you have made or purchased elsewhere.
When you are ready to cut your design you connect to your Cricut via bluetooth or with the cable supplied.
Following the Design Space prompts you will select the material you want to use and it will tell you what you need to do to get perfect results.
CAN A CRICUT PRINT?
Cricuts do not print. But lets say you want to make stickers. You simply design your stickers in Design Space and follow the prompts to print to your printer and then cut with the Cricut.
HAVE I USED MY CRICUT?
So…is my Cricut still waiting to be used? I am happy to tell you once I got started with my first Cricut project, I have not stopped. I’ve listed all my projects out for you, so you can see that I have gone from not really having a burning desire to make anything, to finding genuine projects to create.
Over three months this is what I have made with my Cricut:
Cupcake toppers
A cake topper
Birthday cards
Can koozies holders for a birthday and graduation party
Personalized glasses for party prizes
Large happy birthday sign
Stencils for art projects
Name labels for kids’ clothes
Stickers to decorate a tween ice cream and loot bags (see here)
Sticker packs to include in loot bags
REASONS I WOULD RECOMMEND A CRICUT:
Time-Saving: you will get to make a whole lot more in a much shorter time frame
Professional Finish: a Cricut will take your projects to a whole new level with its precision cuts
Unlimited Potential: a Cricut will have you making projects you would never have attempted without it
Money Making Potential: Cricut businesses are a real thing. A Cricut might just inspire you to start up your own little money-making venture.
