Cricut Machine

What is it?

The Cricut is a versatile electronic cutting and drawing machine that brings your creative visions to life. Design on your computer using Cricut Design Space and the Cricut will precisely cut or draw your designs on materials like paper, cardstock, vinyl, and more.

Cricut

What can I do?

  • Personalize everyday items:
    • Create custom t-shirts, tote bags, and phone cases with unique designs.
    • Add personalized touches to greeting cards, invitations, and party decorations.
    • Design and cut labels for home organization and crafts.
  • Home Décor:
    • Make wall art, framed quotes, and decorative signs.
    • Create custom stencils for painting and decorating furniture.
    • Design and cut intricate paper flowers, garlands, and other decorative elements.
  • Paper Crafts:
    • Cut shapes for scrapbooking, cardmaking, and paper quilling.
    • Create custom stickers, labels, and embellishments.
    • Design and cut unique shapes for 3D paper crafts and pop-up cards.
  • Vinyl Projects:
    • Make custom decals for cars, windows, and laptops.
    • Create heat transfer vinyl (HTV) designs for t-shirts and other fabrics.
    • Design and cut vinyl stencils for painting and other crafts.

Take It Home!

Want to get started using a Cricut at home? 

Check out a Cricut Explore Air 2 from our Library of Things with your Algonquin Library card!

  • Checkout is one week with one renewal if no one else is waiting.
  • Includes the Cricut Explore Air 2 cutting machine, 3 cutting mats (light, standard, and strong grip), and a tool kit all in a convenient carrying case!

What does the Makerspace provide?

  • Cricut Explore Air 2
  • 12"x12" Cutting Mats
  • Blades (fine point and deep cut)
  • Scoring Stylus and Scoring Wheel
  • Cricut Basic Tool Set (spatula, weeding tool, scraper, tweezers)
  • Cricut Fine Point Pens
  • Heat Press (with assorted teflon sheets and pillows)

How do I use it?

  • One-on-One Session: Whether you're new to Cricut or need assistance with a specific project, our staff are here to help. Schedule a personalized session for guidance and support during a One-on-One appointment.
  • Independent Use: Ready to create? Reserve the Cricut machine (and heat press if needed) for independent use. Submit an Equipment Reservation request online or call us at 847-458-6060 option 7.

Required File Types

  • Cutting: For cutting materials, an SVG file is required. PNG files may be acceptable for simple shapes.
  • "Print Then Cut": This feature allows you to create a design in Cricut Design Space, print it, then load the print into the Cricut machine for cutting. Compatible files for a "Print Then Cut" operation include JPG, PNG, GIF, SVG, DXF, HEIC, and BMP.
    • Note: This action cannot be performed directly from Makerspace laptops. However, you can use your personal laptop to send print jobs to the public laser printer.

What do I need to bring?

  • Materials:
    • Cutting Materials: Bring your own cutting materials or purchase from our selection (see our Material Price List). Materials must be compatible with a 12" x 12" cutting mat.
      • Common materials: paper, cardstock, vinyl, heat transfer vinyl (HTV), Infusible Ink Transfer Sheets, Cricut brand pens and markers
    • Personalization Items: Bring the item(s) you wish to personalize (e.g., t-shirt, mug, bag).
  • A design (if applicable): If you have a design, ensure you can access to it through Cricut Design Space or digitally (e.g., on a USB drive, in your cloud storage).

Tips & Tricks:

  • Be prepared to spend more time than expected on any given project. Crafting takes time!
  • Bring extra materials for practice and potential mistakes.
  • We will always do our best to help you with your project but cannot guarantee success.

Resources:

Free Design Options:

  • Design Bundles & Creative Fabrica: Both offer free SVGs in the "Free Designs" or "Freebies" sections with account creation. (Upgrade to a subscription for unlimited access)
  • Jennifer Maker: Subscribe to their email list for free Cricut projects.
  • Hello SVG: Add free designs to your cart and complete checkout.
  • Love SVG: Create an account to access free SVG cut files.
  • SVG Nation: Sign up for a free membership to access over 650 Cricut projects.
  • Inkscape: Design your own SVG files for uploading to Cricut Design Space.

Inspiration: