A few things to consider, which may steer you to a larger machine:. One thing I love about the Explore is that it comes in beautiful colors, so it matches your personality and your crafting room! Unless you plan to cut heavy-duty items such as wood or fabric, the Explore Air 2 is likely more than enough to meet your needs.
If you want the ultimate cutting ability for your home or business, the Maker is the way to go! Your email address will not be published. The Soccer Mom Blog 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 linking to Amazon.
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They just have great discounts available all of the time. Here you can find great deals on bundles, machines, and materials.
There are hundreds — literally — of materials you can cut with these amazing machine these are some of them:. I am seriously amazed at all of the options you can find online.
Amazon has hundreds if not thousands of options for you to purchase. The Cricut website also has cool materials but they only offer their own brand. However, my favorite place to get materials is Michaels; I love walking through the isles, I can seriously spend tons of time and money ahh there. Depending on the projects you want to cut, Cricut Materials can be quite expensive. This is why you should purchase the machine that will also allow you to buy things to cut.
Little things here and there really add up. Materials like basswood can be very expensive as well. Right now I am focusing more on paper and I will be moving my way up. Paper is the best way for you to learn your machine because if you cut something wrong is just paper. There are hundreds if not thousands of amazing materials you can get online or on your favorite Craft store.
Every month Cricut releases a Mystery Box! The amazing thing about this box is that you will get more than what you actually paid. What I mean by this is that if you were going to buy all of the materials that come in the box separately the price would be so much higher. This feature controls the direction and of the blade at all times.
In fact, This tool is so amazing that it can adjust the pressure of the blade to match the materials you are working with! This technology is what allows the Cricut Maker to cut with 10X more force than any of the other Cricut Explore Family machines.
However, all of the current machines they offer — Except Cuttlebug — have an option to draw and outline things like letters, shapes, etc. If you already have a Cricut this question seems so obvious. However, I had this question before I bought mine. However, if you are going to use the drawing option. They have a great variety of options for you to choose from.
However, you can find workarounds and create stencils with any of the other machines and emboss pretty much anything your heart desires. While I was researching this question I found tons of cool tutorials on YouTube that teach you how to do it! This was my favorite. If you work with fabrics and need to cut tons of fabric in different sizes the Cricut will be your best and more trusted Cutting assistant. The Cricut maker allows you to cut fabric without ANY bonded material. So, if sewing is your profession and this is the main reason for you to get a Cricut.
I will highly recommend investing in the Maker. However, the fabric needs to be bonded. I will explain better in the next question. Yes and No. Out of all the cutting machines that Cricut has available. Only the Cricut Maker is able to cut wood. Some of the types of wood you can cut are balsa and basswood. For these kinds of projects, you will need the Knife Blade, which is a type blade that is specifically designed to cut thick materials.
There are many projects you can create with a Cricut machine! This is just a tiny list of some of the things you can accomplish. Basically Cricut Cartridges are a set of images, graphics or fonts you can purchase and get to keep forever. They are usually designed around a specific theme such as Disney, Pop Corn party, and anything you can pretty much think of.
There are 2 types of cartridges. Physical and Digital, the physical ones are able to be inserted in the machine. Once you activate the cartridges they will be available to you on the software and the physical versions are no longer needed. Check out all of the Cricut Cartridges here. Cricut Infusible Ink is a type of technology that allows to you create and transfer your designs to a base material. What makes this technology so unique is that the Infusible Ink transfer will become one with the base material you choose.
The results after applying Cricut Infusible ink are breathtaking and extremely high quality. Read more about it on my Infusible Ink Guide. A Cricut Mat is the surface you use in order for you to be able to cut specific materials.
They come in 2 different sizes: 12 x 12 and 12 x 24 inches. The Cricut Mats are sticky and depending on the material you are going to cut you are better off using different levels of stickiness.
Or also known as grips. Check Cricut Mat prices. When I first got my Cricut, I got a nice bundle on Amazon that included the 4 mats. If you are just getting started. The best MAT for you is the standard grip. The stronger the grip the heavier the material you can use. For instance, if you are cutting normal and thin paper you would use a Light Grip mat, but if you are planning on cutting a heavier material like thick Cardstock you are better off with a Strong Grip mat.
Pretty much every machine comes with a Standard Grip Mat. Make sure you read the description of the products before you buy them. If you want to learn more in-depth about Cricut Mats make sure to read this article. It will show you everything you need to know. Right now, there are seven types of blades and three other crafting tools available for the bigger machines Explore and Maker. If you want to learn more about all of the Cricut Blades and their differences, read this ultimate guide.
When you buy just a machine No bundle they usually come with a blade. Cricut Smart materials were created with one end in mind! To cut without a mat with your Cricut Maker 3 and Explore 3. If you plan to use large rolls and cut large iron-on and vinyl decals, it may be a great idea to get the vinyl roll holder as it keeps the material in one place and not all over your table. Like anything Cricut, the roll holder feels heavy and high quality.
This is a tricky question and It totally depends on the kind of materials you want to work with and cut. Although the Cricut machines are capable of many things, you need to use it with the right tools to truly make it work.
For instance, if you have any of the Explore Family Machines and want to cut fabric, you need to make sure that you have:. On the other hand, if you want to cut fabric with the maker you can also use the above tool, or you can opt for a rotary blade plus a Fabric Grip Mat. Most common and lightweight materials can be cut with the Fine Point Blade The blade that comes with each machine and the Standard grip Mat.
But as you explore and become more aware of your machine and the materials you are using, things will become so much easier! The good thing about this machine is that when you are going to cut a certain material, the program will tell you exactly what materials you need! Another important thing here and something that I consider extremely important is to get is some of their great tools.
There are many different sets for you to choose from. However, the most common are the Basic, and the Essential Tool set. If you visit the Cricut Online Store, Amazon, and other online retailers, you will see tons of bundles you can purchase. I actually got a bundle myself from Amazon. They are really good value and come with a starting pack for you to get started as soon as possible.
For instance, if you are going to start cutting vinyl and paper. This is what I got. A Cricut Easy Press is a very cool device that allows you to transfer your Iron-On vinyl to T-shirts, sweaters, quilts and more! It comes in 3 different sizes and you can get the one that meets your needs:.
Update: I got my EasyPress 2 so I can show you guys all you need to know, about it. Read my EasyPress 2 full review. However, if you are planning on selling T-shirts, or going big on this. Why not? It seems really cool and easy to use!
Learn more about the EasyPress on the Cricut Website. Cricut also released mug blanks that go with the new press, and they are the perfect gift for any occasion. I have one and I will be linking my review so you can make an educated decision whether you need it or not. When my Cricut arrived I felt a little bit overwhelmed I confess! It can be intimidating at first, but once you get the hang of it. I am sure those overwhelming days will be just things of the past.
Check out all my Cricut Tutorials so you ditch the overwhelm. So the main thing is to stick with it. Watch as many YouTube channels I am creating my own and Instagram videos you can. Look for tutorials! The program is fairly simple to use, but there is a learning curve. Next, you have to be patient with every mistake you make, and trust me, there will be mistakes. Maybe you will forget to set your Cricut to the correct material.
Or you may not get your mat under the guides perfectly causing your paper to crumple up. If you plan on using vinyl in any of your projects weeding requires a whole different level of patience. Weeding is the process of removing the unwanted vinyl from the backing after the Cricut has cut your design. On smaller designs it can take a super human level of patience as you weed out each and every tiny piece of vinyl.
The Design Space program that you use to make Cricut projects is fairly intuitive and simple to use, but there is a little bit of a learning curve. So you may have heard, Design Space does have an app. Plus, all the fonts and graphics that I have purchased elsewhere are not on my phone. So, it is something for you to consider.
You need to have an idea of what you want to make to help you decide if it will be worth the money investment. I had wanted one for AGES!! I just knew I had seen many things on Pinterest made with a Cricut that I thought would be so cool to create, but once I had it home my mind went blank. So I did. Remember though, I just borrowed my Cricut. If I would have paid for it and then sat there dumbfounded, I might have been upset.
If you are going to get it home, create one coffee mug and then let your Cricut gather dust, you might not want to invest in it. You also need to consider what you are going to make when figuring out your investment. Do you have an iron? A heat press? If not, then you would need to buy one or the other to make t-shirts with your Cricut. Want to make faux leather earrings?
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